Syllabus Information

1. General information

1.1. Aims of the course

The subject and its expected outcomes respond to the following approaches and objectives:
This subject has a fundamental objective: that students develop a set of skills in relation to the search for and collection of information, the use of the necessary computer tools and the use of the main
information search and collection, the use of the necessary computer tools and the handling of the main social research techniques in order to
techniques of social research with a view to the basis of the decision-making processes that will be essential to them when they exercise their profession.
essential to them when they exercise their profession. But, in addition, these same skills are very useful for the training of
students as students insofar as they will enable them to search for and gather information for their academic development in the field.
for their academic performance when carrying out individual work (such as their Master's thesis) or in groups.
group work. 
These approaches and objectives are aligned with some of the Sustainable Development Goals, SDGs, of the 2030 Agenda
2030 Agenda (https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/es/) and certain specific goals, contributing to some extent to their achievement.
their achievement. Specifically:
Goal 4: Ensure inclusive, equitable and quality education and promote lifelong and lifewide learning opportunities for all.
learning opportunities for all
Target 4.7. By 2030, ensure that all learners acquire the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development, including through
development, including through education for sustainable development and sustainable lifestyles by 2030.
sustainable development and sustainable lifestyles, human rights, gender equality, the promotion of a culture of peace and non-violence, the promotion of a culture of peace and non
of peace and non-violence, global citizenship and appreciation of cultural diversity and the contribution of culture to sustainable development.
contribution of culture to sustainable development.
Goal 8: Promote inclusive and sustainable economic growth, employment and decent work for all
Target 8.2. Achieve higher levels of economic productivity through diversification, technological upgrading and innovation, including through, inter alia, diversification, technological upgrading and innovation.
and innovation, including by focusing on high value-added and labour-intensive sectors.
labour-intensive sectors
Target 8.4. Improve progressively by 2030 the efficient production and consumption of global resources and aim at a decoupling of the
and strive to decouple economic growth from environmental degradation, in line with the 10-Year Framework of Programmes on
10-Year Framework of Programmes on Sustainable Consumption and Production Patterns, starting with developed countries.
developed countries
Target 8.9. By 2030, develop and implement policies to promote sustainable tourism that creates jobs and promotes sustainable
that creates jobs and promotes local culture and products.

1.2. Context and importance of this course in the degree

This subject is fundamentally of an instrumental nature given the importance of the management of information sources, the new digital trends in the tourism sector and the collection of information for the elaboration of analyses.
information sources, the new digital trends in the tourism sector and the collection of information for the preparation of analyses prior to decision-making in the field of tourism.
prior to decision-making in the field of tourism.

1.3. Recommendations to take this course

Given the abundant theoretical and practical content that scientifically underpins this subject, personal study and involvement in the classes from the beginning of the course is recommended as an indispensable means of achieving results.
personal study and involvement in the classes from the beginning of the course is recommended, as an indispensable means to achieve the expected learning
and the progressive acquisition of competences.
This subject has been registered in the Digital Teaching Ring of the University of Zaragoza (access to the Platforms of the Digital Teaching Ring from
of the Digital Teaching Ring from , with the aim of providing students with https://moodle2.unizar.es/add/ electronic tools for learning, and information
electronic tools for learning, and information on the theoretical and practical activities developed in the classroom. 

2. Learning goals

2.1. Competences

Upon successful completion of the course, the student will be more competent to...
Generic Tourism Competences:
Know the trends and dynamics of tourism markets.
Diagnose needs and opportunities and identify the potentialities and threats of the destination.
Understand the tourism destination as a system
Decide on the application of new technologies
Specific Tourism Competences:
Understand the importance of the networks in which the organisation is immersed and know how to position oneself in them.
them
Apply planning instruments
Manage data collection and analysis techniques.
Know the fundamentals and apply appropriate scientific methodologies.

2.2. Learning goals

In order to pass this subject, the student must demonstrate the following results:
Is able to search for information about people and institutions, bibliographic information of a scientific-technical nature,
statistical information and legal information in the appropriate form and content that serve as a basis to be able to develop the decision-making processes of the tourism company from the
the decision-making processes of the tourism enterprise from among the most significant general sources of information of each of those types of information.
of information of each of those types of information.
Is able to plan the elaboration of information gathering in order to be able to develop the decision-making processes of the tourism enterprise with a
The ability to plan the elaboration of information gathering in order to be able to develop the decision-making processes of the tourism enterprise with the relevant rigour and with a professional sense of his/her work.
Is able to present this information gathering in order to be able to develop the decision-making processes of the public tourism enterprise with the relevant rigour and with a professional sense of his/her work.
of the public tourism enterprise in the relevant form and with the relevant contents.
Is able to know and put into practice the main qualitative social research techniques applied to tourism.
Is able to understand the transmission of information through social networks and extract relevant information for tourism organisations.
relevant information for tourism organisations. 
Is able to identify good and bad practices when interacting with consumers through social networks. 

2.3. Importance of learning goals

Decisions are becoming increasingly important in the world of organisations, both public and private.
private organisations. There is no need to elaborate on the need for valid and up-to-date information in order to be able to make the right decisions on the actions to be planned and developed.
correct decisions regarding the actions to be planned and developed, especially since, nowadays, technology allows us to have access to the information we need.
Today's technology gives us immediate access to enormous amounts of scientific, technical, statistical, social and legal information,
statistical, social and legal information, as well as information on people and institutions, which is extremely useful for the aforementioned purpose.
mentioned. 

3. Assessment (1st and 2nd call)

3.1. Assessment tasks (description of tasks, marking system and assessment criteria)

1. In relation to the part on Sources of Information, class participation will be taken into account. On a voluntary basis, and with the aim of obtaining a higher mark, students may carry out a documentary compilation project related to a specific topic for which the student will have to carry out a search in the databases mentioned in the syllabus of the subject. This documentary compilation work will have to be done as if they were looking for information for a Master's thesis: both bibliographic information of a scientific-technical nature (books and scientific journal articles) on the topic they have chosen, and statistical information (in the event that there is statistical information on this topic) and legal information (legal regulations) that exist. The teacher will upload a Moodle file with the instructions for carrying out this Documentary Information Gathering Work. This documentary compilation work must be handed in on the last day of class with Professor Mikelarena. 33% of the final evaluation of the subject.

2. In relation to the part on social research techniques, participation in the classes and with the professionals attending them will be taken into account. the classes and with the professionals attending the classes. Some practical exercises
related to the discussion group technique. The work will be developed in the classes by the student with the advice of the teaching staff throughout the period of the course. throughout the period in which the subject is taught. 33% of the evaluation.
3. In relation to the part relating to new digital trends and social networks in the tourism sector, students will have to solve in class the following questions sector, students will have to solve in class and in groups a series of works and practical cases set out by the lecturer, as well as and case studies set by the lecturer, as well as taking an individual exam (which may combine open-ended and multiple-choice questions). questions and multiple-choice questions) on all the theoretical and practical content seen in the course. 33% of the evaluation.
Each of the parts will be graded out of 10. In order to pass the course it is necessary to obtain a minimum of 5 out of 10 for
each of the 3 parts of the subject. Those who pass this minimum only in some of the parts by means of the
assessment, but not in all of them, can release those parts in the global exam, both in the first and in the second call (for those students who pass the
second sitting (for those students who do not pass the subject in the first sitting).

Global assessment option:
At the first sitting, students who do not opt for continuous assessment, who do not pass the course by means of continuous assessment or who wish to improve their grade will be entitled to sit the overall exam.
continuous assessment or who wish to improve their grade will have the right to sit the overall exam, which consists of a written exam to be held on the dates
written test to be held on the dates indicated in the calendar approved by the centre. The test will deal with
the contents of the course, both theoretical and practical. 100% of the evaluation. At the second sitting, all students who
students who have not passed the subject previously must follow this assessment option.
In any case, for those students who do NOT pass all the parts of the course, the final grade will correspond to the grade of the part of the course that is not passed.
The final grade will correspond to the grade of the part or parts of the course that have not been passed.
NOTE: It is foreseen that these tests will take place in person. However, if health circumstances so require, they may be
However, if health circumstances so require, they may be carried out in a blended or online mode. In the case of online assessment, it is important to emphasise that
that, in any test, the student may be recorded, and may exercise his/her rights through the procedure
indicated at:
https://protecciondatos.unizar.es/sites/protecciondatos.unizar.es/files/users/lopd/gdocencia_reducida.pdf
The necessary software will be used to check the originality of the activities carried out. The detection of plagiarism or
The detection of plagiarism or copying in an activity will result in a mark of 0 points for that activity.

4. Methodology, learning tasks, syllabus and resources

4.1. Methodological overview

Since this course has a practical nature and aims at developing practical competences and skills, most of the learning tasks, in the same way, are practical.

Classroom materials will be available via Moodle. These include a repository of the lecture notes used in class, the course syllabus, as well as other course-specific learning materials.

The learning process designed for this subject is based on the following:
Since the subject has an eminently practical sense and the skills to be developed are also practical, the learning activities will be oriented in the same direction, being also essentially practical.
learning activities will be oriented in the same direction and will be essentially practical. Theoretical
Theoretical classes will be facilitated by the fact that the material will be posted on the ADD. 

4.2. Learning tasks

The course includes the following learning tasks, which are organized into:

Section related to "Information sources" assigned to the area of Library and Information:

1. Lectures: contents will be available on Moodle (ADD).
2. In the computer room, students will apply the theoretical contents seen in the course through the vision and analysis of the information sources' characteristics. The teacher will give oral explanations of the features and searching-processes in each of the information sources that will be analyzed.
3. As an exemplification, execution of information searches on each of the sources of information that gradually become known.

Section related to "Techniques in social research" assigned to the area of Sociology:

1. Theory and participatory classes will provide the necessary theoretical knowledge.
2. Practical activities related to the theoretical contents.
3. Elaboration of a research proposal. 

Section related to "New digital trends and social networks in the tourism sector" assigned to the area of Marketing and Market Research:

1. Theory and participatory sessions will provide the necessary theoretical knowledge, accompanied by practical examples to facilitate the understanding and application of the explained concepts.
2. Solving and presentation of problems and case studies, preparation and presentation of papers, discussion topics, readings' commentary and interactive activities. These activities will be conducted both inside and outside the classroom. Individual and/or group activities will be implemented too. 
3. Tutorials: students' work could be supervised, and questions about the theoretical and practical contents of the course could be answered.
4. Autonomous work: includes the study of both theoretical and practical contents, solving of practical activities, performing individual and/or group work, information search and analysis, among others.
5. Assessment as already described.

4.3. Syllabus

The course will address the following topics:

Section related to "Information sources" assigned to the area of Library and Information:

1. Information sources and Decision Making
2. Documental support and new information technologies
3. Internet searching tools
4. Knowledge and use of information sources and databases on personal and corporate information
5. Knowledge and use of information sources and databases on scientific and technical information
6. Knowledge and use of information sources and databases statistical information related to personal and institutional information
7. Knowledge and use of information sources and databases related to legal information

Section related to "Techniques in social research" assigned to the area of Sociology:

1. Introduction to social research: stages of the research
2. Qualitative techniques of data collection
    2.1. Focus groups

Section related to "New digital trends and social networks in the tourism sector" assigned to the area of Marketing and Market Research:

1. Introduction to information management in social networks

    1.1. Social networks in the travel sector

    1.2. The social traveller

2. Information transfer among consumers in social networks: Electronic Word-of-Mouth (e-WOM)

    2.1. The relevance of e-WOM

    2.2. The influence of e-WOM

3. New digital trends in tourism

4.4. Course planning and calendar

A provisional schedule of the section concerning information sources assigned to the area of Library and Information will consist on presenting the contents in the following order:

• Information sources and Decision Making, Documental supports and new information technologies and Internet searching tools.
• Knowledge and use of information sources and databases on personal and corporate information.
• Knowledge and use of information sources and databases on scientific and technical information.
• Knowledge and use of information sources and databases statistical information related to personal and institutional information.
• Knowledge and use of information sources and databases related to legal information.

A provisional schedule of the section concerning techniques in social research assigned to the area of Sociology will consist on presenting the contents in the following order:

• Introduction to social research.
• Qualitative techniques of data collection.
• Elaboration of reports and scientific papers on tourism research.

A provisional schedule of the section concerning the new digital trends and social networks in the tourism sector assigned to the area of Marketing and Market Research will consist on presenting the contents in the following order:

• Introduction to social networks, the social traveller and social networks in the travel sector.
• E-WOM, relevance and influence in the travel sector.
• New digital trends in tourism.

Classes will begin and end on the dates indicated in the official academic calendar. The specific dates of the key activities of the course will be set according to the academic calendar and the schedule established by the center, informing the students of each group in advance.

4.5. Bibliography and recommended resources

There is no recommended readings for this course.