VUSSC/Mauritius BC/Tourism Curriculum outline

NOTE: This page is used to achieve consensus on the curriculum outline. Once the content online is agreed, the actual content development for this course is linked from the Tour Guiding Content Page

Level for Course Development

• Advanced Certificate

Level Selected for Development: Certificate

Please note:

• Over time we can develop several modules in Tour Guiding at the certificate level and these can be pulled by institutions in varying combinations to create their own unique programmes or to be integrated in existing programmes
• There may be varying levels for certificate and diploma programmes (e.g. Certificate I or certificate II or advanced certificate or advanced diploma etc.). Since this may be interpreted differently from country to country, we are recommending that the content we develop in this first project be pitched at the general certificate level.
• Institutions in member countries, based on their local industry standards etc., can then customize this content by upgrading it etc. to the required level and specific context.
• In this first phase of content development, modules covering core areas of Tour Guiding will be our focus.
• These core modules will be prerequisites for other modules within this course or can be integrated into other tourism certificate level courses or upgraded to be included in Diploma, Associate Degree or even Degree level programmes.

Course Overview

The Advanced Certificate Course in Tour Guiding is geared towards the vocational, education and training sector and will provide the learner with the key competencies required to function efficiently and effectively in this exciting field of tour guiding. The course will cover a wide range of modules including welcoming tourists and providing services for them; guiding and animating groups; developing, marketing and selling tourism products and services; managing tour guiding events and performing administrative tasks.

Course Aim

The aim of the course is:

1. To enable students to acquire competence in the exercise of the occupation and to carry out the functions, tasks and activities of the occupation at the level required for entry into the job market;
2. To help students integrate into professional life by giving them general knowledge of the job market in general as well as an understanding of the specific context of the selected occupation;
3. To foster learners’ personal growth and encourage continuing professional development;
4. To provide for the future job mobility of the learners by helping them acquire career-management skills.

Entry Requirements

Applicants should:

1. Have passed your country’s equivalent of 5 GCE O’Level subjects including English Language; Or
2. Have work experience or other practical experience / qualifications relevant to the course; Or
3. Have fulfilled the requirements as specified by the providing institution in your country

Prerequisites: None

Learner Exit Profile

The learner completing this course would have developed relevant attitudes and have acquired key knowledge and competences required not only in the area of tour guiding but in the general field of tourism as well. The work of a tour guide not only relates to welcoming and guiding tourists but also knowing how to adapt to a variety of contexts. They must be able to adapt to different cultures by understanding the beliefs, values and lifestyles of people from other cultures. All of this has resulted in a demand for high quality training one which is relevant and responsive to the labour market and which would lead to meaningful employment.

The graduates should be:

• Reliable
• Responsible
• Courteous
• Flexible
• Understanding
• Empathetic
• Innovative
• Creative

Graduates of this course should be able to work as a:

• Freelance guide
• Guest relations officer
• Tour representative
• Receptionist related to tourism
• Marketing assistant in tourism
• Sales assistant in tourism
• Reservation assistant
• Travel agent
• Traffic clerk (check-in chart)
• Airport desk hostess
• Airlines officer
• Ticketing clerk
• Information assistant
• Ranger guide (national park) etc.

Course Outline

For the Course Outline see VUSSC/Content/Tourism

What will we be developing?

• Module: Applying Effective Communication Skills (20 learning hrs)

(Each team will develop at least 10 learning hours)

Proposed format of the Course

The course will be available in print format (printable versions on the VUSSC online content repository however there may be downloadable multimedia files/resources as well e.g. audio clips, video clips etc.). Eventually there will be an interactive multimedia online version which can be integrated in a Learning Management System of your choice.

Module Objectives

1. Define communication and the communication process.
2. Understand the meaning of terms used in the communication process.
3. Understand and demonstrate the importance and ability to develop and use listening skills.
4. Demonstrate the ability to listen and give relevant feedback.
5. Identify and overcome the obstacles to the communication process.
6. Understand the need to demonstrate a courteous, cheerful and business-like manner when using the telephone.
7. Understand the need for clear and concise delivery using standard English.
8. Appreciate the importance of active listening and accurate noting of information.
9. Demonstrate the ability to observe and practise personal and social hygiene.

Competencies (or topics to be developed by the two teams in Mauritius)

Unit 1: Concepts of effective communication for tour guides Competency: Demonstrate understanding of the basic concepts of communication for tour guides

Define communication Key concepts of communication for tour guides- effective communication - tourist - tour guide - tour commentaries - barriers of communication

ASSESSMENT 1.Written or oral task on defining basic concepts of communication 2.Written or oral task on the reasons for communication in tour guiding operations 3.Written or oral task on describing the communication process in tour guiding operations 4.Written or oral task on barriers that can hinder communication

Reasons for communication in tour guiding operations Competency: Reasons for communicating in a tour guiding context

- conversation - directions - instructions (for ex. safety, security of tourists) - description (ex. of tourist sites) - announcements - explanations

ASSESSMENT: 1. Written or oral task on the different types of communication 2. Practical task on applying the communication process and demonstrating the features of effective communication 3. Practical task in using different forms of communication 5. Practical task on avoiding barriers of comunication

The communication process in tour guiding operations

Key concepts of the communication process - sender - receiver - encoder - decoder - communication medium - message - feedback

Features of effective communication - improved relationships - feedback - understanding - improved knowledge - clarity

Barriers to effective communication - Physical (malfunctioning microphones,distance) - language - mental (including culture, emotional interference, difficult personalities)

Unit 2: Apply different ways of communicating

Types of communication - Verbal communication (spoken and written) - Non-verbal communication (body language – interpreting unspoken attitudes and behaviours)

Different forms of communication- individuals, groups - types of clients (business, adventurers, etc.)

Unit 3: Apply strategies for effective communication

Strategies for effective communication

- personal grooming and hygiene - public speaking (enunciation, pronunciation, rate of speaking, voice projection, tone, the use of humour) - improving research skills (sources of information: the Internet, libraries, field guides, maps) - paraphrasing - Conversational skills (including active listening) - Handling enquiries and complaints - Handling difficult tourists - Telephone skills

ASSESSMENT:

1. Practical test on applying different presentation skills.

Teaching /Learning Strategies (Activities)

• Case studies / scenarios
• Simulation
• Discussion

Resources

• video clips
• audio clips