Empowering Students in Hospitality Education Using Attribution Theory

Abstract

This study explores how U.S. hospitality education can become more accessible to diverse learners and how it affects their motivation and engagement. By comparing perceptions of student equity in in-person versus online classes, the study examines the impact on engagement and academic self-efficacy. Utilizing an exploratory mixed-methods approach, semi-structured interviews with 18 hospitality students were used to create hypotheses tested by a two-group independent samples experiment with 124 hospitality students. The study found that in-person classes significantly enhance students’ perceptions of their abilities and reduce task difficulty, leading to increased student engagement and self-efficacy. Findings show that in-person classes boost students’ confidence and engagement, while online learning, though convenient, poses communication challenges. The study extends attribution theory to include educational accessibility and offers recommendations for institutions to develop future hospitality leaders.

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