Moving to Online Education Virtually Overnight Due to a Pandemic: Perceptions of Hospitality and Tourism Students and Faculty Members

ABSTRACT This survey research study explored the perceptions of hospitality and tourism educators and students regarding the rapid move to online education due to the coronavirus pandemic during the spring of 2020. Nearly a third of the educators were new to online education; fewer of the students had not taken online classes previously. Most respondents liked the flexibility of online courses, but many did not think that online courses met the same standards as face-to-face classes. Educators were more likely to look forward to their next online classes than students and to perceive that online courses take a lot of preparation, while students felt that there were more technical issues involved in online classes. There were significant differences regarding perceptions of the pandemic between students and educators, with students typically feeling more affected by the pandemic than faculty members. Implications for educators, students, and the industry are provided.