Han, G., Ng, P., & Guo, Y. (2014). The state of tourism geography education in Taiwan: a content analysis. Tourism Geographies, (ahead-of-print), 1-21., Oct 7, 2014
This study aims to explore the state of teaching tourism geography in Taiwan based on
a content... more This study aims to explore the state of teaching tourism geography in Taiwan based on
a content analysis of 60 syllabi. The paper investigates institutes and faculties,
students, teaching methods, teaching content, and assessment methods in teaching
tourism geography in Taiwan. The following conclusions were reached. (1) Tourism
geography curricula are primarily implemented in tourism and recreation rather than
geography departments. The faculty members with doctoral degrees from geography
institutes are increasingly staffed in tourism and recreation departments, while more
and more faculty members in forestry, biology, and geology are teaching in the sub-
discipline of geography. (2) Geography departments provide diverse and systematic
education in the sub-discipline ranging from bachelor’s to doctoral degree programs,
while only junior college and bachelor’s degrees are offered in tourism and recreation
departments. (3) Teaching methods such as lecturing, group reports, and discussions
are more popular among junior college and bachelor’s degree programs, while
lecturing, discussion, academic literature reading, and group reports are more
common among master’s and doctoral degrees in the sub-discipline. The teaching
methods appear to be more diverse at higher degree levels. (4) Regional tourism
geography is more readily available in junior college curricula, while general tourism
geography is taught more in the bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degree curricula.
(5) Subject work, mid-term exam, and final exam are more popular assessment tools
among junior college and bachelor’s degree education, while subject work, reports,
attendance, and discussion are more common among master’s and doctoral degree
education. This paper will help the international academia of tourism geography to
gain a better understanding of tourism geography education in Greater China.
Keywords: tourism education; tourism geography; content analysis; Taiwan;
chi-square test; curriculum design; syllabus; regional tourism geography; general tour-
ism geography
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a content analysis of 60 syllabi. The paper investigates institutes and faculties,
students, teaching methods, teaching content, and assessment methods in teaching
tourism geography in Taiwan. The following conclusions were reached. (1) Tourism
geography curricula are primarily implemented in tourism and recreation rather than
geography departments. The faculty members with doctoral degrees from geography
institutes are increasingly staffed in tourism and recreation departments, while more
and more faculty members in forestry, biology, and geology are teaching in the sub-
discipline of geography. (2) Geography departments provide diverse and systematic
education in the sub-discipline ranging from bachelor’s to doctoral degree programs,
while only junior college and bachelor’s degrees are offered in tourism and recreation
departments. (3) Teaching methods such as lecturing, group reports, and discussions
are more popular among junior college and bachelor’s degree programs, while
lecturing, discussion, academic literature reading, and group reports are more
common among master’s and doctoral degrees in the sub-discipline. The teaching
methods appear to be more diverse at higher degree levels. (4) Regional tourism
geography is more readily available in junior college curricula, while general tourism
geography is taught more in the bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degree curricula.
(5) Subject work, mid-term exam, and final exam are more popular assessment tools
among junior college and bachelor’s degree education, while subject work, reports,
attendance, and discussion are more common among master’s and doctoral degree
education. This paper will help the international academia of tourism geography to
gain a better understanding of tourism geography education in Greater China.
Keywords: tourism education; tourism geography; content analysis; Taiwan;
chi-square test; curriculum design; syllabus; regional tourism geography; general tour-
ism geography