BlackBoard VLE

Holden, A. (2006) Tourism Studies and the Social Sciences, London: Routledge
Hannam, K & Knox, D. (2010) Understanding Tourism: A Critical Introduction, London: Sage.
Jamal, T. & Robinson, R. (2009) The Sage Handbook of Tourism Studies, London: Sage

The purpose of the module is to explore and appreciate the contribution of the social sciences to comprehending current global tourism movements. Adopting a multidisciplinary approach the module will require students to examine the relationship between the `business¿ and `non-business' role of tourism in society. The module will further require students to adopt a critical stance to scrutinise the ways in which the social scientific disciplines inform the field of tourism studies / management. The overall impetus of the module is to locate the disciplines of anthropology, environmental studies, psychology and sociology to study people, populations and places engaging in the tourism system.

The module is divided into two segments: the first segment considers multidisciplinary theoretical and conceptual stances embedded in tourism: the anthropology and tourism, sociology and tourism, psychology and tourism, and environmental studies and tourism. The second segment focuses upon tourism perspectives and draws upon the multidisciplinary theories and concepts to study: the `worldmaking' role of tourism, mobilities and immobilities in tourism, the `Other' and tourism, and researching tourism.

Details: The students take part and make compulsory contributions to an asynchronous on-line discussion forum using BlackBoard VLE, which will be based upon current thinking and scholarship reading. The asynchronous event will run over a six week period and students will be expected to make three contributions of 500 words - totalling 1, 500 words (or equivalent). Assesses all learning outcomes.

The learning strategies will require students to commit 150 learning hours, of which 36 hours will consist of contact time. Lectures (12 hours) will provide students with a broad overview of theories and perspectives needed to understand tourism (and tourists) in the world today. Workshop activities (12 hours) will provide students with the opportunity to acquire and develop a range of thinking and analytical techniques to apply the underpinning theories and perspectives to cases and scenarios, and to complete interpretation exercises in preparation for the assessment. Tutorial sessions (12 hours) are structured around developing on-line discussion skills using BlackBoard VLE in preparation for the assessment.

A further 114 hours of independent study will require students to read and think about preparatory questions which will form the basis of workshop and tutorial discussions. Students are also required to organise and review their lecture notes and undertake preparatory reading and research on assigned material in order to participate in class discussions individually or as part of a group.