Tourism Management Students’ Academic Achievement Vis-a-Vis their Practicum Performance

Abstract

The Philippine tourism sector has shown strong performance, exhibiting double-digit growth in domestic and foreign tourist arrivals for the past several years. As a major employer on the continent, the tourism industry offers economic stability and various jobs (Hobson, 2008). A well-designed and flexible curriculum is needed to integrate dynamic changes and strategic developments in the tourism and hospitality industries.  This study aims to determine the correlation between the University of Cebu- Banilad Bachelor of Science in Tourism Management (BSTM) students’ academic achievement (based on the General Weighted Average [GWA]) and their practicum performance, with the end view of devising a program-level intervention scheme.

This study utilized the descriptive correlation research design using secondary data from the Registrar’s Office and the College of Hospitality Management.  The research subjects were the seventy-one (71) Bachelor of Science in Tourism Management (BSTM) students of the University of Cebu-Banilad enrolled during the school year 2023-2024. Purposive sampling was applied to select the research subjects. Frequency count and simple percentage were used to describe the research subjects' General Weighted Average [GWA]) and their practicum performance. The chi-square test of independence was used to determine the significant relationship between the research subjects’ gender and their General Weighted Average [GWA]) and the research subjects’ gender and practicum performance. Pearson R was used to determine the significant relationship between the research subjects’ General Weighted Average [GWA]) and practicum performance. Ethical principles of beneficence, non-maleficence, and justice were observed in this investigation.

The majority of the research subjects had good academic and practicum performance. No significant relationship exists between the research subjects’ gender and the General Weighted Average [GWA], and no correlation was found between their practicum performance. Moreover, there is a significant relationship between the research subjects’ General Weighted Average [GWA] and practicum performance. Therefore, the Bachelor of Science in Tourism Management (BSTM) manifested mediocre cognitive abilities in applying theoretical concepts to practice in the real world of work in tourism-related fields. This association of their mental abilities and on-the-job performance exemplifies the extent to which they can manage and carry out tasks while minding the theories and concepts they learn in school.