Towards a 5D model of learning and teaching in tourism and hospitality education. CAUTHE 2021 – Track: Education and Training

Although blended learning (BL) has been an attractive approach in higher education the covid-19 situation forced many institutions into distance learning (DL) models that enabled their students to study from home. In some institutions in the UK face to face teaching continued till early November and students were given the choice of returning on campus or staying at home. However, in many institutions, staying at home option did not guarantee synchronous online teaching and learning experience. This paper examines a case study of one final year undergraduate hospitality management module, that was delivered both faces to face and with synchronous online delivery at the same time. Utilising observation techniques and an autoethnographic approach of one educator the paper presents the strategies and tactics utilised and the feedback received from students as well as success rates. Early findings suggest that allowing the mixing of face to face and online learning for students brings added value for both groups of students and allows for a new approach to learning and teaching. One that does not segregate groups that prefer face to face and groups that prefer online teaching. The paper concludes with a conceptual model of true blended learning and social integration for students branded as 5D learning and teaching.