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Personalised Learning Experiences: A Case Study of an Immersive Block Model at The Hotel School, Australia
Conference proceeding   Open access

Personalised Learning Experiences: A Case Study of an Immersive Block Model at The Hotel School, Australia

Erica Wilson, Judith Mair, Yu (Jack) Qin, Damian Fernando, Clare Du Plessis and Elizabeth Goode
THE INC 2026: Personalisation and Immersive Experiences in Tourism, Hospitality and Events, pp.157-158
THE INC 2026: Personalisation and Immersive Experiences in Tourism, Hospitality and Events, 5th (Faro, Portugal, 17/06/2026–19/06/2026)
18/06/2026
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Proceedings: The INC 2026View
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Abstract

This paper conceptualises personalisation and immersive experiences within a pedagogical context. Here, the authors combine tourism and education discourses to outline the impact of an immersive block delivery model for students at The Hotel School Australia (THSA). Drawing on a case study of the Southern Cross Model (SCM), we discuss how the principles underpinning a personalised, immersive tourism experience are akin to those of a personalised, immersive tourism curriculum, such as flexibility, individuality, authenticity, and active, experiential learning that is personally meaningful, if not potentially transformative (Cavender et al, 2020; Zhao, 2025). While there are growing numbers of studies exploring transformative learning approaches within a tourism education context (L’Espoir Decosta et al., 2020), few have discussed the potential for block and alternative delivery models, despite evidence showing improved student outcomes. Through a higher education partnership with Southern Cross University (SCU) spanning close to four decades, THSA offers undergraduate, postgraduate and pathway diploma programs in hospitality, tourism and event management. Courses are delivered to both domestic and international onshore students at three metropolitan locations on the eastern Australian seaboard (Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane), and THSA will commence offerings in Perth, Western Australia, in early 2026. A cornerstone of these programs is an extended industry internship, grounded in career-connected, work-integrated learning.

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