Digital Transformation and Knowledge Transfer in Tourism

Code: SOC15060D

6 ECTS

Duration: 15 weeks/156 hours

Scientific Area: Informatics, Tourism

Teaching languages: Portuguese

Languages of tutoring support: Portuguese, English

Regime de Frequência: Presencial

Sustainable Development Goals

Educação de qualidade - Assegurar a educação inclusiva, e equitativa e de qualidade, e promover oportunidades de aprendizagem ao longo da vida para todos.

Indústria, inovação e infraestruturas - Construir infraestrutura resiliente, promover a industrialização inclusiva e sustentável, e fomentar a inovação.

Cidades e comunidades sustentáveis - Tornar as cidades e os assentamentos humanos inclusivos, seguros, resilientes e sustentáveis.

Parcerias para a implementação dos objetivos - Fortalecer os meios de implementação e revitalizar a parceria global para o desenvolvimento sustentável.

Learning Goals

O1 - Understand emerging and fundamental concepts associated with the digital transformation of tourism sector (TDST) and identify objectives, advantages, trends, and challenges associated with the dynamics of this system.
O2 - Analyze the main models, processes, and business strategies associated with TDST and be able to identify/select the most appropriate technological tools to adopt in organizations facing the challenges of digitizing.
O3 - Recognize the importance associated with the planning, production, and sharing of applied scientific knowledge based on competitive digital tools, in an increasingly transdisciplinary research context, in partnership with tourism organizations and R&D institutions.
O4 - Recognize the fundamental characteristics, constraints, and challenges associated with the implementation of innovative projects in the application of advanced digital solutions in the tourism sector, particularly those that involve methodologies of artificial intelligence.

M1 - Digital Transformation in the Tourism Sector (TDST)
1.1. Theoretical framework, trends, and challenges of TDST
1.2. Technologies for TDST
1.3. Methodologies for TDST
M2 - Digital Technologies in Knowledge Transfer in Tourism
2.1. From planning to data production and transfer
2.2. Digital tools supporting knowledge management
2.3. Knowledge transfer to professional and civil society contexts
M3 - Projects Based on Advanced Digital Technologies - Artificial Intelligence
3.1. Destination initiatives - Smart tourism
3.2. Organization initiatives - Business intelligence
3.3. Research trends

Teaching Methods

The contents will be delivered by combining the expository method (for conveying foundational knowledge) and the active method (to foster reflection and debate on real-life situations, enabling students to assimilate content in a dynamic and participative way). During sessions, students will interact with some of the technological tools covered. The starting point for practical work will involve researching a challenging and real situation, with its resolution subject to collective discussion and subsequent critical evaluation, involving both students and teachers, to systematize and institutionalize learning within the class. Inquiry-based learning, project-based learning, and problem-based learning are examples of strategies to be adopted. The instructional component of the course corresponds to a total of 30 theoretical-practical teaching hours, with 24 hours of face-to-face contact and 6 hours of remote contact.

Assessment

The assessment will be conducted in accordance with the Academic Regulations of the University of Évora in effect. Continuous assessment will include: (i) student participation in pedagogical activities throughout the semester (30%); (ii) individual work production focusing on one of the programmatic themes (70%). During the all examination periods, the assessment will comprise: (i) 50% written exam; (ii) 50% individual work.