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ZOOMING THE ESSENCE OF VIRTUAL INTERNSHIPPROGRAMS TO TOURISM 4TH YEAR STUDENTS OF LPU-MANILAA Thesis Submitted to the Faculty of the College of International Tourism and Hospitality Management Lyceum of the Philippines University ManilaIn Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements of the Degree Bachelo...

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LYCEUM OF THE PHILIPPINES UNIVERSITY MANILA

ZOOMING THE ESSENCE OF VIRTUAL INTERNSHIP PROGRAMS TO TOURISM 4TH YEAR STUDENTS OF LPUMANILA A Thesis Submitted to the Faculty of the College of International Tourism and Hospitality Management Lyceum of the Philippines University Manila

In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements of the Degree Bachelor of Science in International Travel and Tourism Management

DEL CASTILLO, KRISTELLE DANE J. DELA CRUZ, CARIZ LOZANO, CRYSTAL MAE S. TAGUINOD, MHIKA SHANNE A.

January 2022

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LYCEUM OF THE PHILIPPINES UNIVERSITY MANILA ACKNOWLEDGEMENT The researchers would like to pay special thanks, warmth, and appreciation to the persons who indefinite contribute throughout the formation of this research paper is hereby to: Almighty God, for being the guide in the expedition of creating this research and blessings given to researchers during the completion of this research study. Atty. Roberto Laurel, the president of Lyceum of the Philippines UniversityManila, for her proficient leadership towards quality of education. Dr. Lilibeth Aragon, the dean of College of International Tourism and Hospitality Management, for guiding the researchers to their journey. Ms. Rachelle Basilio, our research adviser, for her effort and time helping the researchers by giving constant motivation to encourage the researchers in the completion of this study. Co-researchers, for participating and sharing information in completion of the study. Researcher's family, for their unconditional love and support to the researchers by giving motivations morally and emotionally. Mr. Enalan and Ms. Velasco, our internal and external validators, for their time and effort to review and validate our research instrument.

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LYCEUM OF THE PHILIPPINES UNIVERSITY MANILA TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter 1 – The Problem and Its Background Introduction

Pg. 4

Background of the Study

Pg. 5

Statement of the Problem

Pg. 6

Objectives of the Study

Pg. 7

Theoretical Framework

Pg. 8

Conceptual Framework

Pg. 9

Significance of the Study

Pg. 10

Definition of Terms

Pg. 11

Chapter 2 – Review of Related Literature Virtual Internship

Pg. 13

COVID-19 and Impact on Undergraduate Tourism Internships

Pg. 14

Work-Integrated Learning

Pg. 16

On Time Management

Pg. 17

On Improvement of Skills

Pg. 17

On Knowledge

Pg. 18

On Employability

Pg. 19

On Learning Experience

Pg. 20

On Learning Curriculum

Pg. 21

On Task Provided

Pg. 22

On Progress Supervision

Pg. 22

On Financial Convenience

Pg. 23

On Flexible Work Setting

Pg. 24

Synthesis

Pg. 25

Chapter 3 – Research Methodology Research Design

Pg. 26

Sampling Technique

Pg. 26

Respondents of the Study

Pg. 27

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LYCEUM OF THE PHILIPPINES UNIVERSITY MANILA Data Gathering Instrument

Pg. 27

Data Gathering Procedure

Pg. 28

Data Analysis

Pg. 29

Slovin’s Formula

Pg. 29

Frequency Distribution Formula

Pg. 29

Weighted Mean

Pg. 30

Reference

Pg. 33

Appendices

Pg. 38

Survey Instrument

Pg. 38

Face and Content Validity Certificate

Pg. 46

Researcher’s CV / Resume

Pg. 47

CHAPTER 1 THE PROBLEM AND ITS BACKGROUND COLLEGE OF INTERNATIONAL TOURISM AND HOSPITALITY MANAGEMENT

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LYCEUM OF THE PHILIPPINES UNIVERSITY MANILA Introduction The COVID-19 pandemic has had a deep impact on every aspect of our lives and society, predominantly, in education (UNICEF, 2020). Many parts of the learning environment are affected by this phenomenon, particularly higher education courses that require field experiences, such as tourism (Park & Jones, 2021) in which internship programs are of the essence. Internship programs provide students with practical job experience in the hospitality and tourism industry to supplement the knowledge that they have obtained inside the classroom; it is essential in order to hone their abilities prior to converging in the real world. As the education sector has been struck with the pandemic, causing a halt on the traditional way of functioning, the tourism and hospitality higher education system must conform to the changes brought about by the pandemic by shifting from traditional to online settings. With this, employers and educational institutions attempt to seek solutions towards the tremendous hamper; while some businesses have eliminated internship programs for graduating tourism students, others have moved to offer virtual programs instead to replace the traditional way of executing internship programs wherein Tourism students may engage remotely (McGregor, 2020; Nietzl, 2020). Despite witnessing progress in the implementation of online classes, the potency of shifting from the accustomed in-person internship programs towards virtual internship programs and the essence of virtual internship programs itself are yet to be determined since it is new to the eyes of various educational institutions and employers as prior to the pandemic, no one have cogitated that there will be a need for an educational reform. Hence, the researchers have decided to conduct a study regarding this matter, with fourth COLLEGE OF INTERNATIONAL TOURISM AND HOSPITALITY MANAGEMENT

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LYCEUM OF THE PHILIPPINES UNIVERSITY MANILA year tourism students from the Lyceum of the Philippines University being the focal population for the data gathering. As the researchers cross-referenced with previous studies and reliable journal articles concerning virtual internship programs, little to no conclusiveness toward the essence of virtual internship programs amidst the pandemic are to be found as the COVID-19 pandemic has only been around for almost 2 years. Therefore, this research study will usher enlightenment on the essence of virtual internship programs for students, specifically for Tourism students, amidst the pandemic, as well as provide further understanding towards this affair by extracting first-hand data among those who have experienced and those who are currently undertaking virtual internship programs

Background of the Study According to Holroyd Pearce, Flexible working hours is one of the advantages of virtual internships. There is no day-to-day schedule to follow. Internships in tourism are an important activity for future potential employment, enabling students to integrate knowledge and skills with practical application in a professional setting. With the prevailing Covid-19 restrictions, virtual education has emerged as the way of learning for tourism students. This innovation provided education to students beyond the campus walls. Moreover, successful hospitality and tourism education necessitates internship experiences. Thus, virtual internships for hospitality and tourism students had to be implemented.

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LYCEUM OF THE PHILIPPINES UNIVERSITY MANILA A virtual internship is a home-based training and working experience that allows students to work with their comfort and in a flexible manner. In virtual internships, Students are using online platforms (Skype, Microsoft Teams, email, and webinars, etc.) to communicate with their employers. There are many advantages of a virtual internship. A virtual internship builds the skills necessary for remote work such as time management and organizational skills. Another good thing about virtual internships is that you can manage your own time instead of having set working hours. Also, students from rural areas have an opportunity to have internships in major establishments without relocating or spending a lot of money on their transportation fees. (Carlton,2021) To adapt to the changed hospitality and tourism COVID-19 environment, this study attempts to determine the essence of virtual work-integrated learning and how it affects the career and employment of tourism students at Lyceum of the Philippines University Manila.

Statement of the Problem This part of the study shows the specific questions that the researchers will answer as they conduct the study. 1. What virtual internship program do the fourth year Tourism students from LPU Manila take? 2. What are the perceived benefits of a virtual internship program, as regarded by students in terms of: 2.1. Time management COLLEGE OF INTERNATIONAL TOURISM AND HOSPITALITY MANAGEMENT

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LYCEUM OF THE PHILIPPINES UNIVERSITY MANILA 2.2. Improvement of skills 2.3. Knowledge 2.4. Employability 3. What are the perceived satisfaction levels of tourism students with virtual internship experience in terms of: 3.1. Learning experience 3.2. Learning curriculum 3.3.

Tasks provided

3.4.

Progress supervision

4. How helpful are virtual internships to 4th year tourism students of LPU Manila in terms of: 4.1. Financial convenience 4.2.

Flexible work setting

Objectives of the Study 1. To distinguish which virtual internship program the fourth year tourism students of LPU-Manila are undertaking 2. To identify the essence of virtual internships programs as perceived by the fourth year tourism students in LPU-Manila. 3. To define the perceived satisfaction levels of tourism students with their virtual internship experience

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LYCEUM OF THE PHILIPPINES UNIVERSITY MANILA 4. To determine the advantages of attending the virtual internship programs to fourth year tourism students in LPU-Manila.

Theoretical Framework This study is framed by a relevant theory that has major implications for this study. Work-Integrated Learning (WIL) is a well-theorized pedagogical method that helps students learn by connecting or integrating experiences from both the classroom and the job (Billett, 2009). Tourism students will learn how to integrate their learning across a number of academic and work-related activities. Work situations, work terms, internships, practice, cooperative instruction (co-op), hands-on work, work-related projects/competitions,

benefit

learning,

entrepreneurship,

student-led

endeavors,

connected ventures, recreations (including virtual WIL), and so on are examples of this learning-practice integration.

Conceptual Framework

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LYCEUM OF THE PHILIPPINES UNIVERSITY MANILA

Conceptual Framework in its new format stating Independent Variables (IV), Mediating Variables (ME), and Dependent Variables (DV). Figure 1 (IV) – Independent Variables refers to a variable that is presumed to have an effect on another variable. All Independent Variables listed above are the coverage of this research study. It includes the cause of having a virtual internship and the key factors on zooming the essence of virtual internship to 4th-year tourism students of LPU-Manila. Figure 1.2 (ME) – Mediating Variables are the result of Independent Variables, which also causes Dependent Variables to occur. Mediating Variables listed above are the possible effects on 4th-year tourism students of LPU-Manila. Figure 1.3 (DV) – Dependent Variables is the primary variable in this research study, and it states the possible overall outcome in zooming the essence of the virtual internship. COLLEGE OF INTERNATIONAL TOURISM AND HOSPITALITY MANAGEMENT

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LYCEUM OF THE PHILIPPINES UNIVERSITY MANILA

Significance of the Study The study is beneficial to the following stakeholders: LPU-Manila 4th year Tourism Students. Provide students an opportunity to gain working knowledge and virtual training in their E-Learning Portals or other Online Academic Platforms. Students also contribute to internship programs as active learners. Lyceum of the Philippines University. Provide advantages for the university as the institution builds a relationship with businesses that may eventually hire their graduates in the future. Internship Providers/Employers. Coordinate learning opportunities, develop a virtual internship program with a realistic learning approach, and share their skills and knowledge with the interns. Companies. Identify new employees that have organizational knowledge, innovation skills and may bring new and fresh ideas to the company.

Scope and Limitations The primary purpose of this study is to know the importance of the virtual internship program and how effective it is to 4th year tourism students of LPU Manila. The researchers examine the students’ experiences and level of satisfaction with virtual internships, especially its essence. The study area is Lyceum of the Philippines University Manila Campus, with a time frame of 2 whole semesters or twelve months. The target

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LYCEUM OF THE PHILIPPINES UNIVERSITY MANILA respondents of this study are fifty (50) 4th year students taking tourism courses who are attending virtual internships and training.

Definition of Terms Covid-19. Defined as illness caused by a novel coronavirus now known as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-cov-2; formerly known as 2019-ncov), which was discovered during a respiratory illness outbreak in Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China. Employability. Suitable for work Essence. Importance, significance, or quality of being important. Financial convenience. The state of favorably being able to save up financially. Flexible work setting. The freedom of where the students will work and often adaptable to life changes Improvement of skills. The ability to be better at an activity that requires special training or knowledge Knowledge. The state of being aware or familiar academically Learning curriculum. A study program designed to help students gain certain information and abilities Learning experience. Any interaction in which virtual learning takes place Pandemic. It is an infectious disease pandemic that has spread across a vast area, such as multiple continents or the entire world, impacting a significant number of people.

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LYCEUM OF THE PHILIPPINES UNIVERSITY MANILA Progress supervision. The observance, guidance, and providing direction of employers to the students to ensure that their work is according to plan. Tasks provided. Assignments, projects, or any work that are given Time management. The ability to plan and divide time between different activities or tasks Tourism. A course taken by students pursuing hospitality management including business management and travel industry topics. Tourism Students. An individual studying a tourism-related course in a school or college. Virtual Internship. An internship performed using online platforms. It is also used to enhance the skills and knowledge of students. Zooming. Focusing or digging deeper into a specific topic.

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LYCEUM OF THE PHILIPPINES UNIVERSITY MANILA CHAPTER II REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE This chapter offers the ideas, concepts, and research of various authors, both local and foreign, who are related to the study in a thematic format. Their perspectives, opinions, and findings from their own research helped to clarify and influence the researcher's objectives for this study.

Virtual Internship A virtual internship builds the abilities necessary for virtual work. Virtual interns learn to utilize platforms like Zoom, Microsoft, and Groups in a professional setting. They can also illustrate their adaptability when learning better approaches to working (Genevieve, 2021). Once connected to the internet, a variety of devices become available to facilitate teaching across many platforms, real-time video, and two-way conversation with students. Internet connection is one of the most essential things students’ use in a virtual

internship.

Applications

can

provide

synchronous

and

asynchronous

communications at a low cost while still providing a rich and dynamic communication experience. Three modes of communication are used to exchange information. First, relationships between students; secondly, relationships between lecturers and students; and finally, relationships between lecturers and online internship providers which is the important one (Bisland, Nagy and Smith, 2020). One of the requirements for an internship to be regarded legitimate is that it should be a classroom outgrowth: a learning opportunity that allows students to apply what they've learned in class. It must be solely COLLEGE OF INTERNATIONAL TOURISM AND HOSPITALITY MANAGEMENT

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LYCEUM OF THE PHILIPPINES UNIVERSITY MANILA for the purpose of advancing the employer's operations or work that a typical employee would perform on a regular basis. (NACE, 2018). When an intern works remotely, that is, outside of your office, it is known as a virtual internship. Hiring virtual employees, often known as “telecommuting” or “offsite employment,” has officially become a trend in the labor market. (Chegg.com, 2020). An e-internship is one that is primarily mediated by computer technology, whereas a simulated internship is one that is associated with and managed by a college or institution rather than an employer (Bayerlein and Jeske, 2018). The virtual internships program is an acceptable replacement for training students for their future jobs. Virtual internships provide remote skills knowledge and experience to undergraduate students that on-site interns lack. Remote skills are essential due to the advancement of technologies, a lot of companies and agencies have implemented telework programs over the past 10 years (Feldman, 2021). Students believe that the virtual internships requirements are almost the same from on-site or the traditional internship. It is also stated in the article that virtual internships are an important, innovative, and effective way for training students in the modern corporate environment (Cortesao, 2015).

COVID-19 and Impact on Undergraduate Tourism Internships According to Park & Jones (2021), COVID-19 had a profound impact on every aspect of our lives and society, including but not limited to education, predominantly the tourism sector. They must adjust to the present pandemic's changes by moving away from standard educational locations and toward virtual classrooms. Several parts of the tourism COLLEGE OF INTERNATIONAL TOURISM AND HOSPITALITY MANAGEMENT

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LYCEUM OF THE PHILIPPINES UNIVERSITY MANILA education system are impacted by this transformation, notably programs that include field experiences, such like undergraduate internship opportunities, changing from the traditional in-person internship programs to virtual internship programs. Virtual internships, like on-site practicum, can be a tr...