Guiding in Practice (5 cr)

Evaluation scale

Pass/Fail

Content scheduling

Contact lessons evening time. Practical exercises and visits to local attractions can be agreed as a group to be done also on Saturdays. Each learning assignment, practical exercise and test has a specific deadline during the course.

Objective

This course prepares you for guiding work in the tourism industry. After the course you can start selling your own guiding services eg. as a freelancer and you are networked with other guides in the Jyväskylä area. Course does not lead to official certification.

You gain confidence and practical guiding skills through a variety of learning methods (eg contact lessons and meetings, written and verbal assignments, model learning, visits to local attractions, hands-on exercises and tests).

Competence objective
You understand the basics of guiding as a part of tourism work.
You know how to plan and implement customer-centric guiding experiences.
You can find and tell local stories about Jyväskylä area that are based on facts.
You can demonstrate the basic technique of guiding by walking.

Content

Basic theory of guiding in tourism, local area knowledge and specific features, preparing for guiding work, presentation and storytelling techniques, commercialization of guiding services, guiding methods and practices by walking.

Materials

A lot of learning material requires student's own independent information search.
Some centric learning material provided at the start of the implementation and updated during course implementation.

Teaching methods

Contact lessons (evening time)
Learning materials
Independent information search
Written and verbal learning assignments individually and in a study group
Model learning
Practical exercises (guiding by walking)
Visits to local attractions
Written and verbal test (student's own guided walking tour in Jyväskylä area)
Self and peer feedback

Employer connections

Practical exercises (guiding by walking) in cooperation with The Jyväskylä Tourist Guide Association. Visiting lecturers when applicable. Verbal test can be done in student's own work environment for a case company if located within close access from Jyväskylä centre.

It's recommended that enrolled students have a strong interest to work in Jyväskylä area and offer guiding services locally after the end of course by becoming an independent service provider/ entrepreneur (eg. freelancer or Doer).

Exam schedules

No exam

International connections

Overall course content and learning assignments focus on Jyväskylä area. It's recommended that enrolled students have a strong interest to work in Jyväskylä area and offer guiding services locally to international tourists after the end of course. Some gained technical guiding competence can be utilized also in other destinations internationally after the course.

Student workload

Total 135 hours of work
Contact lessons 25 h
Student's own independent work 50 h
Practical exercises and visits to local attractions, common 25 h
Practical exercises and visits to local attractions, in a study group 35 h

Assessment criteria, approved/failed

Pass Student has completed all learning activities according to instructions and schedule. Student understands the basics of guiding as a part of tourism work. Student knows how to mediate customer-centric guiding experiences. Student can find and tell local stories about Jyväskylä area that are based on facts. Student demonstrates the basic technique of guiding by walking.
Fail Student does not meet the above criteria.

Qualifications

This course is suitable for learners who are interested to work as a city guide by selling their own services independently. All learners are offered the same level of orientation to topic. Learners are divided into small study groups with similar competence level. The learning content has an emphasis on Jyväskylä, which is why prior local knowledge of Jyväskylä area is an advantage. Language proficiency: the learner is able to communicate fluently (verbal and written) at least in English. Any further language skills are an advantage but not required in the course. Course learning platform is in Moodle so learners need to be confident with basic use of ICT to able to study the course. Learners are recommended to take a test to measure their digital skill level and develop skills according to the test results before the course begins: https://oppimateriaalit.jamk.fi/digitallearningskills/