Graduate Students’ Perspectives on Experiential Learning in Special Event Management Activities
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Abstract
This research article aimed to: (1) examine graduate students’ perceptions of experiential learning projects in terms of knowledge and work skills, (2) investigate the relationship between knowledge and work skills and cognitive learning outcomes, and (3) explore the problems and obstacles students encountered while carrying out experiential learning projects. The project studied in this research was the organization of special events. The sample consisted of 23 graduate students in the tourism program at a university. The main research instrument was a questionnaire on knowledge and skills related to event project management. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics (mean and standard deviation) and inferential statistics (Pearson correlation analysis).
The research findings revealed as follows: (1) In terms of knowledge, students perceived that combining classroom learning with hands-on practice in event management effectively stimulated learning, with the highest mean score ( = 4.94). Regarding work skills, students gained the most experience in coordination skills (
= 4.87); (2) The Pearson correlation analysis showed that both knowledge (r = 0.66) and work skills (r = 0.70) had a high positive correlation with cognitive learning outcomes, statistically significant at the 0.01 level; and (3) The problems and obstacles encountered in the event management project included insufficient preparation time, unclear vendor layouts, delayed communication, and low team responsibility. These findings provide guidance for higher education instructors in designing experiential learning activities that effectively enhance knowledge, work skills, and cognitive learning outcomes, particularly in the context of event management.
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