Virtual Transborder Service Learning as a Transformative Educational Pedagogy: A California, USA - Baja California, Mexico Academic Partnership in Sustainable Tourism

Authors

  • Katie Dudley California State University, Long Beach
  • Vinod Sasidharan San Diego State University
  • Marisa Reyes-Orta Universidad Autónoma de Baja California
  • Jose T. Olague Universidad Autónoma de Baja California

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.36366/frontiers.v36i1.819

Keywords:

California-Baja California border region, civic capacities, global citizens, international e-service learning, sustainable tourism

Abstract

Service learning (SL) engages students in intentional, collaborative service experiences that promote civic citizenship. The COVID-19 pandemic forced traditional face-to-face SL courses to transition into virtual service learning (e-SL). This paper examines the academic and civic outcomes of an e-SL binational sustainable tourism course for undergraduate students. The course was designed to deliver disciplinary knowledge in sustainable tourism and transborder civic citizenship competencies in the following areas: 1) Ethos, 2) Literacy, 3) Inquiry, 4) Action, 5) Leadership, and 6) Partnership. A post-course student survey was deployed to assess student perspectives regarding the achievement of course outcomes. The findings revealed significant (positive) academic and civic transformations among the students due to the intentionality of the e-SL course design and implementation. Results indicate that e-SL in sustainable tourism education can be an effective pedagogy for inculcating civic learning, responsibility, and engagement among students and future professionals in the field of tourism.

Abstract in Spanish

El aprendizaje de servicio (SL) involucra a los estudiantes en experiencias de servicio intencionales y colaborativas que promueven la ciudadanía cívica. La pandemia de COVID-19 obligó a los cursos tradicionales de SL cara a cara a hacer la transición al aprendizaje de servicio virtual (e-SL). Este documento examina los resultados académicos y cívicos de un curso binacional de turismo sostenible e-SL para estudiantes universitarios. El curso fue diseñado para impartir conocimientos disciplinarios en turismo sostenible y competencias de ciudadanía cívica transfronteriza en las siguientes áreas: 1) Ética, 2) Alfabetización, 3) Investigación, 4) Acción, 5) Liderazgo y 6) Asociación. Se implementó una encuesta de estudiantes después del curso para evaluar las perspectivas de los estudiantes con respecto al logro de los resultados del curso. Los hallazgos revelaron transformaciones académicas y cívicas significativas (positivas) entre los estudiantes debido a la intencionalidad del diseño e implementación del curso e-SL. Los resultados indican que el e-SL en educación turística sostenible puede ser una pedagogía efectiva para inculcar el aprendizaje cívico, la responsabilidad y el compromiso entre los estudiantes y futuros profesionales en el campo del turismo.

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Author Biographies

Katie Dudley, California State University, Long Beach

Katie D. Dudley, Ph.D. is an assistant professor in the Department of Recreation and Leisure Studies at California State University, Long Beach. Her teaching and research focus is on tourism planning and development; how power dynamics influence stakeholder participation throughout a planning process, and the distribution of tourism impacts.

Vinod Sasidharan, San Diego State University

Vinod Sasidharan, Ph.D. is an associate professor of sustainable tourism management at San Diego State University. His teaching and scholarship are grounded in the pedagogy of international participatory action research in Sustainable Development, integrating transborder and global partnerships, engagement, and collaboration for enhancing civic engagement and citizenship outcomes and capacities for all stakeholders. Over the past twenty years, he has actively advanced professional engagement contributions to interdisciplinary, sustainable development-related global education and research.

Marisa Reyes-Orta, Universidad Autónoma de Baja California

Marisa Reyes-Orta, Ph.D. is a professor of sustainable management at Universidad Autónoma de Baja California (UABC), Baja California, México. She teaches and research focused on Sustainable Development and strategic management at the Facultad de Turismo y Mercadotecnia (FTyM). She has been responsible to different projects around to sustainable tourism: a cross-border education project in collaboration with San Diego State University, inclusive tourism promotion strategies in Tijuana, wine and enogastronomy tourism in Guadalupe Valley, under an action research approach.

Jose T. Olague, Universidad Autónoma de Baja California

Jose T. Olague, Ph.D. is a full professor assigned to the School of Tourism and Marketing of the Autonomous University of Baja California. As a researcher, he has addressed the topic of Consumer Behavior in Tourism Markets. In this area, he has published various works on the modeling of determining variables of the consumption behavior of tourist services in various markets. His teaching and research interests revolve around the application of market intelligence to product design to facilitate sustainable development options for tourist destinations.

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2024-04-16

How to Cite

Dudley, K., Sasidharan, V. ., Reyes-Orta, M., & Olague, J. . (2024). Virtual Transborder Service Learning as a Transformative Educational Pedagogy: A California, USA - Baja California, Mexico Academic Partnership in Sustainable Tourism. Frontiers: The Interdisciplinary Journal of Study Abroad, 36(1), 660–687. https://doi.org/10.36366/frontiers.v36i1.819

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Learning from COVID-19