If you’re my age, you remember learning in school on a slate chalkboard and an abacus. A “computer” sounded like a strange, cute little creature. And the internet? Is that a tool for catching fish?
I’m joking. Mostly! But the tools available for learners today have evolved dramatically. Today’s young people have the opportunity to learn in so many new and different ways. As educators, we have the possibility and the responsibility to turbo-boost our students’ learning with a wide range of modern tactics and up-to-date technology.
To meet the needs of our exceptional hospitality students at AIHM, as well as the demands of the contemporary industry, we’re excited to be integrating Typsy into our curriculum. Today, I’d like to share a bit about our experience using Typsy so far and how it’s benefitting our students as they prepare to be the next generation of business leaders in hospitality.
What is Typsy?
Typsy is an online hospitality training platform with more than 1,000 lessons from industry experts. Students with access to Typsy enjoy a wide range of on-demand video courses with interactive online assessments. They learn hospitality skills online and can complete short online certifications to verify their achievements. Educators at institutions using Typsy have a variety of ways to integrate Typsy courses into their curriculum, reaching students in new ways, preparing them for hands-on learning or testing their mastery of vital topics.
The Australian-based platform is now used globally by companies, schools, job seekers and career builders.
How Is AIHM Using Typsy?
At AIHM, we’ve invested in the Typsy platform for our students as of 2024. All students enjoy unlimited access to the library of online courses. AIHM students are free to complete as many courses as they wish. In addition to this self-directed learning, we’ve integrated Typsy into the curriculum as key part of our blended learning approach in the Practical Arts.
AIHM’s students dive into the Practical Arts in the very first semester of their degree programme. They rotate through the practical skills of a hotel’s various departments, and they learn what it takes to successfully execute the tasks of each department. From barista skills to baking and cocktail making, housekeeping to the front office, hospitality management students master the fundamentals of delivering an exceptional hotel experience. So how is Typsy helping students learn more effectively?
Typsy: A Tool for Blended Learning
My fellow Practical Arts lecturers and I leverage Typsy for a blending learning experience. “Blended learning” (also called “hybrid learning”) is an educational approach that combines online learning outside the classroom with in-class room instruction. Today’s students are experts at online learning. They’ve been doing it since they were small children. Using the web to watch videos and explore topics comes to them easily and naturally. By tasking our students with Typsy lessons before hands-on instruction, we’re able to make the most of their time with us.
Students learn the basics via Typsy. They then come to the classroom and get to explore the topic in more depth. Through the administrator side of the platform, I’m able to assign Typsy trainings and set deadlines. I have visibilty of student engagement and how well they’re doing on the assessments.
When our BBA students come to class after completing their pre-assignment on Typsy, we can spend our valuable time together focusing on the elements of learning that benefit from more instructor guidance. I can answer their questions and lead them in trying the skills out in a real-world setting. (Our hotel school enjoys the educational luxury of being located in an actual hotel!)
I also emphasise to students that each hotel will do things somewhat differently according to their own Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). Typsy teaches them the fundamentals. AIHM’s lecturers give them additional applied training and support.
In the real employment world, AIHM’s graduates will be able to hit the ground running. While they’ll need to learn (or design) their hotel’s own SOPs, they’ll be able to do so with the benefit of strong background knowledge and a multi-modal learning experience.
A Wealth of Lessons for Online Learning
Typsy’s lessons are short and engaging, often about five minutes long… a great length for online attention spans. Each Typsy course consists of multiple lessons. Short courses may consist of only a handful of lessons, while many courses are broken up into a dozen a more individual lessons.
The Typsy course library is organised into the following categories:
The range of industry-relevant courses allows students to enhance their employment prospects, including as they apply for competitive global internships during their degree programme.
AIHM’s students have completed a wide variety of Typsy courses and their accompanying certification badges in topics such as Food & Hygiene, F&B Service, Housekeeping Principles, Housekeeping Applications, Concierge Fundamentals and Front Office Management. Whether they want to work on their knife skills, understand red wine varietals or understand best practices in online reputation management, there’s an online course for them.
Even though Typsy access is a new benefit for our students, the results so far are excellent. AIHM’s students have given positive feedback on their online learning experiences. It’s a great way to: (1) support students in the ways they learn best, (2) make efficient use of instructor contact hours and (3) allow wider opportunities for self-directed learning according to each individual’s own needs, interests and career goals.
Cheers to our Typsy learners!
Want to Know More About the BBA degree in Global Hospitality Management?
AIHM’s Bachelor’s degree students complete their studies in 3.5 years. The degree includes classroom learning, practical arts training and two separate internships.
Students benefit from a Swiss hospitality management curriculum in the heart of Asia, with access to unparalleled real-world industry experiences and networking opportunities with top business leaders.
Is AIHM’s Bachelor of Business Administration or another one of our education tracks right for you? Explore your options for a bright future with AIHM.