Category: Hospitality Management

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Why Do Companies Fail? A Financial Analysis Perspective

Why Do Companies Fail? A Financial Analysis Perspective

Kate Lee

Hospitality Management / School of Professional Studies

Hospitality Accounting

Activity Description: Provide a brief description of the activity

"Why Do Companies Fail? A Financial Analysis Perspective" is a team-based project in a Hospitality Accounting course. Students analyze the financial performance of publicly traded companies using publicly available financial statements. Each team is assigned one financially struggling company and selects one of three successful companies for comparison. Students evaluate key financial ratios, cash flow, and overall business strategies to identify factors contributing to success or failure. Based on their analysis, teams develop two financially and operationally grounded recommendations to help the successful company improve future performance. Project deliverables include a written report, a PowerPoint presentation, and a self- and peer-evaluation reflecting on the team learning experience. During the presentation phase, students evaluated team presentations using the project rubric provided by the instructor.

Learning Goals: What do you aim to achieve with this activity?

The primary goal of this activity is to help students understand how financial performance influences a company's long-term success or failure. Through financial ratio analysis, students compare a failed company with a successful company to identify key differences in financial health, business strategy, and overall performance.
Students learn how to analyze publicly available annual reports, evaluate a company's financial condition, and interpret financial information in a meaningful business context. The activity also encourages students to investigate the factors that contribute to business failure and sustainable success in the competitive hospitality industry.
In addition, students develop a broader, strategic perspective by connecting financial results to business decisions, allowing them to view organizations holistically rather than focusing only on individual financial metrics.

Timing: At what point in the lesson or semester do you use this activity? How much classroom time do you devote to it? How much out-of-class time is expected?

This activity is implemented during the second half of the semester after students have learned the fundamentals of accounting and financial statement analysis.

Weeks 1–7: Students learn basic accounting concepts, financial statements, and financial ratio analysis through lectures, exercises, and assignments.

Week 9: Following the midterm exam, students complete a case study on the failed hospitality company Sonder. Materials include a Wall Street Journal video and Sonder’s 2025 Q2 financial statements. Students discuss the company's rise and decline, analyze potential causes of failure, and complete a short reflection assignment.

Week 10: The team project is introduced, and the project guidelines and evaluation rubric are shared with students. Teams are assigned randomly through a drawing process.

Week 11: Each team selects one successful company from a list of three publicly traded companies (Hilton, Starbucks, or Shake Shack) to compare with Sonder. Approximately 30 minutes of class time is devoted to team formation, project planning, and discussion. Financial statements and annual reports for all companies are provided.

Week 12: The instructor reviews key financial ratios and project expectations. Teams receive guidance and have the opportunity to ask questions and receive feedback on their progress. Approximately 30 minutes of class time is devoted to project work and consultation.
Weeks 13–14: Teams conduct their financial analysis, research company strategies, and prepare their reports and presentations outside of class. Students may bring questions to the instructor for guidance and feedback during this period.
Week 15: Teams submit their written reports, deliver PowerPoint presentations, complete peer evaluations of other teams using the project rubric, and submit self- and peer-evaluations of team contributions.

The project spans approximately five to six weeks. Students spend about 2–3 hours of in-class time on project-related activities and are expected to devote approximately 8–12 hours of out-of-class time to research, financial analysis, team meetings, report writing, and presentation preparation.

Logistics: What preparation is needed for this activity? What instructions do you give students? Is the activity low-stakes, high-stakes, or something else?

Preparation

Before beginning the project, students learn fundamental accounting concepts, financial statements, and financial ratio analysis during Weeks 1–7 of the semester. Following the midterm exam, students complete a case study on Sonder (NYSE, SOND-not trading), a failed hospitality company. Using a Wall Street Journal video and Sonder’s financial statements, students discuss the factors that contributed to the company's decline and bankruptcy. This case study serves as a foundation for the team project.
The instructor prepares and provides all project materials, including financial statements, annual reports, project guidelines, and evaluation rubrics. Teams are assigned randomly, and each team selects one successful publicly traded company—Hilton (NYSE: HLT), Shake Shack (NYSE: SHAK), or Starbucks (NYSE: SBUX)—to compare with Sonder.

Instructions

Students are asked to investigate the question: Why do some companies remain financially successful while others fail?

The project consists of four main components:

1. Company Selection (Low-Stakes): Teams select one successful company and review the background information for both the successful company and Sonder.
2. Financial Ratio Analysis (Low-Stakes): Teams gather and analyze financial data using selected ratios, including operating margin, current ratio, debt ratio, and operating cash flow ratio.
3. Strategy Analysis (Higher-Stakes): Teams identify the successful company’s current business strategy and compare it with Sonder’s strategy to understand key differences that may have contributed to success or failure.
4. Recommendations (Higher-Stakes): Based on their financial and strategic analysis, teams develop two recommendations that could help their selected company improve future performance. Recommendations may focus on financial, operational, marketing, pricing, or other business strategies.

Deliverables

Teams submit a written report (less than three pages), deliver a PowerPoint presentation (fewer than ten slides), and complete self- and peer-evaluations. During the presentation session, students also evaluate other teams using the project rubric.

Stakes

The project combines both low-stakes and high-stakes learning activities. Company selection, data gathering, and preliminary financial analysis are low-stakes activities designed to build understanding and confidence. The strategy analysis, recommendations, final report, and presentation are higher-stakes components that require students to synthesize information, apply critical thinking, and communicate their findings effectively.

Assessment: How do you assess this activity? What assessment measures do you use? Do you use a VALUE rubric? If not, how did you develop your rubric? Is your course part of the college-wide general education assessment initiative?

This project was designed to assess students' inquiry and analytical skills using elements of the AACU Inquiry and Analysis VALUE Rubric, particularly:

1. Existing Knowledge, Research, and/or Views
2. Analysis
3. Conclusions

The central question of the project is: Why do companies fail? Students compare a successful company with a failed company using financial ratio analysis, annual reports, and other relevant sources. Based on their analysis, students identify key factors contributing to success and failure, draw conclusions, and propose recommendations for future improvement.

The project accounts for 15% of the total course grade. Assessment is based on three criteria:

1. Problem Diagnosis (5 points) – Students identify and analyze the root causes of the company's success or failure using financial and strategic evidence.
2. Strategy and Commercial Logic (5 points) – Students evaluate the company's current strategy and develop well-reasoned recommendations supported by their analysis.
3. Communication and Presentation (5 points) – Students clearly and professionally communicate their findings through written and oral presentations.

The project rubric was developed based on my professional experience in hospitality revenue management and commercial strategy. In industry practice, professionals are expected to accurately diagnose business problems, interpret data and market information, and develop actionable strategies. These competencies align closely with the principles of inquiry and analysis.

This course is part of the college-wide General Education assessment initiative and supports the General Education outcome of Quantitative Reasoning. The project provides students with an opportunity to apply quantitative analysis to a real-world business problem and communicate evidence-based conclusions.

<Rubric used for evaluation>
1. Problem Diagnosis (5 points)

Level Description
5 (Excellent) Clearly identifies core problem; distinguishes root causes; strong commercial understanding.
4 (Good) Identifies main issue but lacks depth.
3 (Satisfactory) General description with limited diagnosis.
2 (Developing) Focuses on symptoms or misidentifies problem.
1 (Insufficient) Little to no understanding.

2. Strategy & Commercial Logic (5 points)
Level Description
5 (Excellent) Clear, integrated strategy; well-justified; considers short- and long-term impact.
4 (Good) Reasonable strategy but lacks depth.
3 (Satisfactory) Basic recommendations with limited reasoning.
2 (Developing) Unclear or weak strategy.
1 (Insufficient) No logical strategy.

3. Communication & Presentation (5 points)
Level Description
5 (Excellent) Clear, professional, well-structured; strong delivery.
4 (Good) Generally clear; minor issues.
3 (Satisfactory) Some organization but lacks clarity.
2 (Developing) Difficult to follow.
1 (Insufficient) Disorganized and unclear.

Reflection: How well did this activity work in your classroom? Would you repeat it? Why or why not? What challenges did you encounter, and how did you address them? What, if anything, would you change? What did students seem to enjoy about the activity?

This activity worked very well in my Hospitality Accounting class. During my first semester teaching at City Tech CUNY, I observed that many students perceived accounting as one of the most difficult courses in the curriculum, and several students struggled to pass the class. After participating in the Living Lab workshop in January 2026, I redesigned part of the course and introduced this project to help students connect accounting concepts to real-world business situations.

The project increased student engagement and helped students see that accounting is more than working with numbers or bookkeeping. Instead, they began to understand accounting as the language of business and a tool for telling a company's story. My goal was for students to view financial statements not as isolated reports, but as tools for understanding the overall health of a business and the relationship between financial performance, strategy, and management decisions. Through this project, students were able to connect financial analysis with business success and failure in a meaningful way.

I would definitely repeat this project in future semesters. Overall, the quality of the reports and presentations exceeded my expectations, and I was proud of the students' work. The project encouraged critical thinking, teamwork, and the application of accounting concepts to authentic business problems.

One challenge was that some students initially focused only on calculating ratios rather than interpreting what the numbers meant. To address this issue, I incorporated the Sonder case study before the project began and provided additional guidance on connecting financial results to business strategy. This helped students move beyond calculations and think more analytically about business performance.

In the future, I may add more structured checkpoints during the project and provide additional examples of strategic analysis.

Student feedback indicated that they enjoyed applying accounting concepts to real companies and understanding how financial information influences business decisions. Several students commented that the project helped them appreciate the practical value of accounting and its relevance to the hospitality industry.

Some representative student comments include:
• “I learned how to analyze financial statements, manage costs, and understand the ‘why’ behind the numbers.”
• “I learned more about why accounting is important to a company/business and how a company’s income statement can influence investment decisions. As for the class, I enjoyed coming every week.”
• “I learned a lot in the class about Hospitality Accounting and its usefulness.”
• “I learned about the financial factors that can make or break a company, and the ways to ideally keep a company in good standing.”
• “I learned the importance of accounting in the hospitality industry and how financial information helps businesses make decisions.”

These comments suggest that the project successfully helped students connect accounting concepts to real-world business challenges and develop a deeper appreciation for the role of accounting in hospitality management.

Additional Information: Please share any additional comments and further documentation of the activity – e.g. assignment instructions, rubrics, examples of student work, etc. These can be links to pages or posts on the OpenLab.

Please share a helpful link to a pages or post on the OpenLab

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Mystery Pastry Reading Project

Mystery Pastry Reading Project

Brigitte Malivert

Hospitality Management

HMGT 1204

Activity Description: Provide a brief description of the activity

The Mystery Pastry Reading Project is a two-part reading comprehension and critical thinking activity that replaces one of three unit quizzes in the HMGT 1204. Part I is an in-class, closed-note quiz in which students receive five anonymized pastry passages, each describing a product from a curated list (eg. Napoleon, Eclair, Cream Puff, Palmier, Croissant), and must identify each product through close reading and textual evidence. Part II is an out-of-class assignment in which each student creates a single PPT slide for their individually assigned final presentation product, embedding clues through a narrative passage, ingredient list, tools list, and production timeline without naming the product. Part II connects directly to the final presentation: students are already researching their assigned product, and the slide requires them to translate that research into precise descriptive writing. The activity culminates in a class reveal event during the last session before presentations, in which slides are displayed in randomized order, the class guesses together, and the sequence of correct identifications sets the presentation order.

Learning Goals: What do you aim to achieve with this activity?

This activity is designed to develop and assess the following competencies:
• Students will demonstrate close reading skills by identifying key details, drawing evidence-based conclusions, and distinguishing relevant information from supporting context in professional culinary texts.
• Students will apply discipline-specific vocabulary and product knowledge to decode and produce written descriptions of pastry items.
• Students will compare and contrast technical characteristics of multiple pastry products, including ingredient composition, equipment requirements, and production logic.
• Students will practice professional writing by composing a structured, technically accurate mystery passage that integrates culinary terminology, process description, and sensory language.
• Students will connect reading comprehension skills to their ongoing product research, reinforcing the relationship between reading, writing, and practical knowledge in a professional culinary context.
• Students will engage in peer learning through a structured class activity that rewards precise writing and attentive reading.

Timing: At what point in the lesson or semester do you use this activity? How much classroom time do you devote to it? How much out-of-class time is expected?

This activity is best placed near the end of the semester, after students have had sufficient exposure to foundational pastry products and techniques and have received their final presentation product assignments. Ideal placement is Week 12 or 13, when students have some familiarity with the products on the mystery list but may not yet have made all of them.

Part I in-class time: One class session of 45 minutes. Students receive the five passages and the sample passage for orientation, complete their written responses individually, and submit before leaving. No outside research is permitted. A brief debrief discussion of the sample passage can open the session before timed work begins.

Part II out-of-class time: Students should plan for two to three hours outside of class. This includes reviewing their existing product research, drafting the narrative passage, assembling the ingredient list and tools list, building the production timeline, and laying out the slide. Because Part II draws on research already underway for the final presentation, the additional research burden is minimal.

Presentation: Class session post final exam, dedicated to displaying and guessing slides as a group. The instructor randomizes the slide order before class. Each slide is displayed for approximately five to eight minutes of reading and discussion before the class commits to an identification. The sequence of correct identifications determines presentation order for the following session, which creates genuine engagement with each slide.

Logistics: What preparation is needed for this activity? What instructions do you give students? Is the activity low-stakes, high-stakes, or something else?

Preparation for Part I requires the instructor to compose five mystery passages in advance, one for each product on the list. Passages should be written so that no single passage is significantly easier or harder to decode than the others. Each passage should contain at least three strong, product-specific clues distributed across the narrative, ingredient list, and tools list. The sample croissant passage included in this document is provided to orient students to the format and should not be used as one of the five graded passages.

Part I is administered as a closed-note, in-class quiz. Students will have to review the semester's production thus allowing them to also prepare for the final exam. Students receive the passage packet and a separate response sheet. Annotating the passages is encouraged. Response sheets are collected at the end of the session. Since students must write their own evidence-based responses citing specific language from the passages, the analysis requirement substantially limits the value of guessing or sharing answers.

For Part II, each student's assigned product is the same product they are researching for their final presentation, so no new product assignment is needed. Students submit their slide to Brightspace before the reveal session. The instructor collects all submissions, removes any accidentally included product names from file names, randomizes the order, and prepares a single display deck for the reveal session. Keeping the product names out of file names is important for maintaining the game format.

For the reveal event, the instructor tracks guesses on the board. A simple point tally (one point per correct class identification) can be kept as a group score, or individual students whose slides are correctly guessed can receive a small bonus point as recognition for clear writing. The presentation order for the final session is announced at the end of the reveal event.

This is a medium-to-high-stakes assignment. It replaces a unit quiz and therefore carries real grade weight. Part II is also preparation for the final presentation, making it doubly consequential.

Assessment: How do you assess this activity? What assessment measures do you use? Do you use a VALUE rubric? If not, how did you develop your rubric? Is your course part of the college-wide general education assessment initiative?

This activity is assessed using the modified AAC&U VALUE Rubric for Reading included in this document, which evaluates four dimensions: Comprehension, Context, Analysis, and Interpretation. The rubric applies to both the Part I written responses and the Part II slide narrative. A point-based grading breakdown is provided in the document. Part I accounts for 50 points total: 20 for correct identification across all five passages and 30 for the quality of textual evidence and explanation. Part II accounts for 50 points distributed across narrative quality and clue integration (20), ingredient and tools accuracy (15), timeline realism (10), and slide readability with all four components present (5).

The rubric was adapted from the Association of American Colleges and Universities VALUE rubric framework to reflect the discipline-specific reading demands of a culinary and hospitality program. The original rubric was modified to address the inferential and comparative reading required when working with professional culinary texts, including ingredient lists, process descriptions, and production timelines.

This course participates in the college-wide general education assessment initiative. The reading rubric used here is aligned with the college's information literacy and communication general education outcomes and may be submitted as part of departmental assessment reporting.

Reflection: How well did this activity work in your classroom? Would you repeat it? Why or why not? What challenges did you encounter, and how did you address them? What, if anything, would you change? What did students seem to enjoy about the activity?

This activity was designed in response to two related observations: students in the pastry sequence often had difficulty extracting and applying information from professional culinary texts, and the standard unit quiz format did not give students a meaningful way to connect reading skills to the hands-on and research work they were already doing. Replacing the quiz with this two-part activity addressed both issues by making the reading task concrete, discipline-specific, and consequential in more than one direction. This will be officially implemented in the course in Fall of 2026.

Additional Information: Please share any additional comments and further documentation of the activity – e.g. assignment instructions, rubrics, examples of student work, etc. These can be links to pages or posts on the OpenLab.

Please share a helpful link to a pages or post on the OpenLab

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Menu Ingredient Pricing & Unit Conversions

Menu Ingredient Pricing & Unit Conversions

Alejandro Cantagallo

Hospitality Management, Professional Studies

Food and Beverage Cost Control

Activity Description: Provide a brief description of the activity

Groups will be responsible for researching and documenting the pricing of all identified ingredients required for the term project menu, categorized by type. They will create a complete and organized list that accurately reflects purchasing specifications and applicable unit conversions.

Learning Goals: What do you aim to achieve with this activity?

Students will work in groups to research and collect pricing information for a set list of ingredients across various categories in the requisition sheet. The data gathered will be used as the standard pricing for the entire class’s term project. Additionally, students will convert the ingredient costs into consistent units of measurement for inclusion in a collective Excel worksheet.
Broadly speaking students will learn about group work, current pricing for food and beverage items and how to calculate costs related to food and beverage operations.

Timing: At what point in the lesson or semester do you use this activity? How much classroom time do you devote to it? How much out-of-class time is expected?

This is assigned on the 5th week of the semester with a week to complete and with half of the subsequent class time to complete the work in class with guidance anc coaching from the instructor.

Logistics: What preparation is needed for this activity? What instructions do you give students? Is the activity low-stakes, high-stakes, or something else?

Students will be divided into groups. Each group will be assigned specific categories from the requisition sheet (e.g., Dairy, Produce, Proteins, Dry Goods).

Each group will designate members to the following roles:
Ingredient Collector: Confers with all students in the class to ensure the requisition sheet includes all ingredients needed for their term project recipes. Ensures no required ingredient is missing from the sheet.
Verifier: Confirms the accuracy of the ingredients listed. Checks the pricing data collected for consistency and reliability.
Scribe: Ensures all collected information, including pricing and unit conversions, is recorded accurately in the shared Excel worksheet.
Review the assigned category in the requisition sheet. Identify all specific ingredients you are responsible for pricing. Research current pricing for each ingredient. Use reliable sources such as: Local grocery stores (in-person or online platforms like Instacart or FreshDirect), Wholesale suppliers (e.g., Restaurant Depot, Sysco, or local distributors), CLT price list
Then document the price per unit (e.g., per pound, gallon, dozen) and ensure consistency across items.
This is a low stakes assignement that is not graded, but required because the resulting price list will be the source of truth for pricing that all students will need in order to complete their term project.

Assessment: How do you assess this activity? What assessment measures do you use? Do you use a VALUE rubric? If not, how did you develop your rubric? Is your course part of the college-wide general education assessment initiative?

I will use the Quantative Literacy Value Rubric
Interpretation: The ability to explain information presented in mathematical representations.
Calculation: The ability to convert relevant information into various mathematical forms, including standardized costs.
Application and Analysis: The ability to make judgments and draw appropriate conclusions based on quantitative data.
Communication: The ability to express quantitative evidence effectively to support the purpose of the project.

Reflection: How well did this activity work in your classroom? Would you repeat it? Why or why not? What challenges did you encounter, and how did you address them? What, if anything, would you change? What did students seem to enjoy about the activity?

I decided to keep this assignment ungraded partly because it was my first time running it and partly because we’re still considering whether to integrate it into the department’s standard curriculum. The assignment was introduced in one class session, and in the following session, we spent half the class troubleshooting, refining, and finalizing the pricing together. This structure allowed students to get started independently, recognize potential challenges, and then work collaboratively—both in small groups and as a class—to resolve any issues. This felt like an almost magical moment, because the students took a lead in correcting their own work and encouraging each other to get the work done well.
A key takeaway from this assignment was that it also served as an introduction to using formulas in Excel. Interestingly, a few students realized they actually enjoy working with numbers, which was exciting and reaffirmed the value of incorporating this type of work into the curriculum.
Moving forward, I’d love to deepen the integration of this process into my future classes and, ideally, see it become a standard part of how this course is taught. Beyond the core learning objectives—such as group collaboration and real-world research—the ability to work with Excel is an essential skill that will benefit students in their careers.

Additional Information: Please share any additional comments and further documentation of the activity – e.g. assignment instructions, rubrics, examples of student work, etc. These can be links to pages or posts on the OpenLab.

Please share a helpful link to a pages or post on the OpenLab

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From Pitch to Proposal

From Pitch to Proposal

Elana Effrat

Hospitality Management, City Tech

Event Management

Activity Description: Provide a brief description of the activity

This is a culminating assignment that tasks students with assuming the role of an event planner and creating a comprehensive client pitch for a hypothetical food and beverage event of their choosing. The project includes both written deliverables (pitch deck, budget, intake sheet, BEO, run of show) and a live oral presentation simulating a professional client pitch.

Learning Goals: What do you aim to achieve with this activity?

The final project is designed to reinforce the core competencies of event planning while building presentation skills, client communication, and real-world professionalism. The students had to wear multiple hats to better understand the perspectives of a business owner, venue, caterer, client, and guest. The goals include:
* Applying cumulative knowledge of venue sourcing, budgeting, vendor coordination and event design.
* Encouraging students to take ownership of their personal event style and brand identity.
* Practicing communication skills that lead to cultivating and maintaining lasting client relationships.
* Simulating professional expectations in the hospitality industry.
* Learning new platforms specific to the event industry (Prismm) and Canva.

Timing: At what point in the lesson or semester do you use this activity? How much classroom time do you devote to it? How much out-of-class time is expected?

The final project is introduced in week three along with the first written deliverable, the client intake sheet. During each 2.5 hour lecture, at least 30 – 45 minutes of in-class time was dedicated to the individual component. This allowed for questions and demonstrations. Other in-class time included:

* The week before the final presentations, the class was dedicated to reviewing the oral communication rubrics and workshopping the final proposals.
* Two classes for final presentations.

Students were expected to spend 8 – 12 hours outside of class finalizing their deck, visuals, and written deliverables.
**I dedicated a great deal of time for review and revisions.

Logistics: What preparation is needed for this activity? What instructions do you give students? Is the activity low-stakes, high-stakes, or something else?

This was an all-semester project with scaffolded assignments throughout. Each assignment had their own set of instructions with markers for each one. The written part of the project was an accumulation of all the components.
* Client Intake Sheet
* Pitch Deck (their event company)/Proposal Deck (the hypothetical event)
* Venue Selection
* Budget
* BEO
* Run of Show

The high-level instructions for the students were as follows:
* Create an event business persona
* Develop a client and event concept
* Complete branded, client-facing materials
* Organize internal documents needed to facilitate an event
* Present a confident, organized oral pitch to the class as if pitching a real client.

This is high-stakes assignment representing 30% of their overall grade; 10% for the written deliverables and 20% for the oral presentation.

Assessment: How do you assess this activity? What assessment measures do you use? Do you use a VALUE rubric? If not, how did you develop your rubric? Is your course part of the college-wide general education assessment initiative?

Written Work:
I did not use a VALUE rubric as they were graded individually. I provided the students with a checklist of what was expected in this section that included the scaffolded assignments and requested presentation slides.

Oral Presentation:
The VALUE Oral Communication Rubric was used to assess the presentation as a whole. I provided the students with examples of what each portion of the rubric represented in their project:
Central Message- Present a clear and compelling event concept and convince the "client" why they're the right person/company to plan this event.
Delivery Technique- Make regular eye contact, use a confident posture, don't read off the slides, minimize filler words, and speak clearly with energy.
Language- Use clear, professional, and client-appropriate language. (avoid slang, filler phrases, or overused generalities)
Organization- A structured presentation with a client-friendly narrative arc: intro > vision > strategy> visuals > conclusion. Use transitional language between each section to keep the conversation moving.
Supporting Material- Visuals that match the spoken points, quotes from clients, or justification of choices using client needs, budgets, or industry trends.

Peer feedback forms are used to promote active listening and observations during the presentations.

Reflection: How well did this activity work in your classroom? Would you repeat it? Why or why not? What challenges did you encounter, and how did you address them? What, if anything, would you change? What did students seem to enjoy about the activity?

The students appreciated the real-world application and having the opportunity to flex their creativity. Even those that learned they did not want to become an event planner, walked away with an understanding of the field. They had to use Canva instead of PowerPoint during this course and the students who hadn't used it before, are now confident in the platform.

Challenges:
The students were overwhelmed by the scope of the work.
*Breaking it into scaffolded parts helped, but if they didn't have a concept early on, it was harder to catch up.
*Working with students to utilize Generative AI to aid in organizing their thoughts, event concepts, and business personas.
Bringing students out of their comfort zone when it came to work that wasn't right or wrong.
*Provided a feedback loop with constant revisions. No assignment had a final grade on it until the entire project was submitted.
Design tool support.
*Offering workshops to learn Canva and sharing tutorials.
Presentation anxiety was common.
*Calling on all students to talk during class time and having them present their findings throughout the semester.

What students enjoyed the most:
* Applying everything they learned in a real-world format
* The chance to build a foundation they can use to start a business or work portfolio.
* Seeing their peers' creativity.
* Receiving feedback and the opportunity to make changes on an individual and conceptual level.

What would I change:
There was a great deal of confusion surrounding the pitch to the proposal part of the project. In the future, I suggest putting more emphasis on the proposal and event planning portion. I would also set better guidelines for providing feedback as it became incredibly demanding of my time and energy.

Additional Information: Please share any additional comments and further documentation of the activity – e.g. assignment instructions, rubrics, examples of student work, etc. These can be links to pages or posts on the OpenLab.

Here is a link to the presentation I created for the workshop before final presentations: It breaks down all the assignments for the class, the rubrics and how they will be applied to their project.
https://www.canva.com/design/DAGmsKmc_wA/ejeWiNLRNPip2WcSnOjuAw/view?utm_content=DAGmsKmc_wA&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link2&utm_source=uniquelinks&utlId=h512a85553d

Here are some examples of the work the students presented. I am extremely proud of what they accomplished!
https://www.canva.com/design/DAGe2-VkHHw/trLgHv-H2caC4KOQDp88-g/edit

https://www.canva.com/design/DAGhu4oKgX8/C-wm1I_C4b_ryqki0Y0crA/view?utm_content=DAGhu4oKgX8&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link2&utm_source=uniquelinks&utlId=h651ac170c0

https://www.canva.com/design/DAGgIbm8xTU/VKmBsJqtDy7N7PC2_KoP7Q/view?utm_content=DAGgIbm8xTU&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link2&utm_source=uniquelinks&utlId=hab1d01f2d3#13

https://www.canva.com/design/DAGiHEGHVDs/X7qttptr2I1kPSwKBDbKnA/view?utm_content=DAGiHEGHVDs&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link2&utm_source=uniquelinks&utlId=hd4f0671ac6

Please share a helpful link to a pages or post on the OpenLab

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Career Exploration Assignment

Career Exploration Assignment

Rosa Abreu

Hospitality Management/Professional Studies

Perspective in Hospitality Management

Activity Description: Provide a brief description of the activity

As students prepare for their internship and future career, they will research employment prospects within the Hospitality and Tourism industry. The students are to write a two page essay answering specific questions, write a cover letter and provide a one page bibliography.

Learning Goals: What do you aim to achieve with this activity?

Discuss the scope of the hospitality and tourism industry.

Evaluate and apply information discerningly from a variety of sources to classify and examine food and beverage operations.

Describe and discuss the roles and responsibilities of key executives and department heads in the hospitality industry.

Timing: At what point in the lesson or semester do you use this activity? How much classroom time do you devote to it? How much out-of-class time is expected?

This assignment is introduced in week 6 of the semester, with a dedicated 45-minute session allocated for questions and answers.

Logistics: What preparation is needed for this activity? What instructions do you give students? Is the activity low-stakes, high-stakes, or something else?

This term project is high stake, as students are reintroduced to APA style guidelines and instructed on how to create a one page bibliography.

Assessment: How do you assess this activity? What assessment measures do you use? Do you use a VALUE rubric? If not, how did you develop your rubric? Is your course part of the college-wide general education assessment initiative?

I utilized the AAC&U Information Literacy rubric for assessment purposes only. I don't use the rubric for grading students' work.

Reflection: How well did this activity work in your classroom? Would you repeat it? Why or why not? What challenges did you encounter, and how did you address them? What, if anything, would you change? What did students seem to enjoy about the activity?

This activity proved to be highly effective in my classroom. As part of the project, students delivered a three-minute presentation about their chosen career paths. This not only allowed them to showcase their own goals but also provided their classmates with valuable insights into various careers within the industry.

Additional Information: Please share any additional comments and further documentation of the activity – e.g. assignment instructions, rubrics, examples of student work, etc. These can be links to pages or posts on the OpenLab.

Please share a helpful link to a pages or post on the OpenLab

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Chef Report Self Assessment

Chef Report Self Assessment

Jessie Riley

HMGT

Culinary 1

Activity Description: Provide a brief description of the activity

In Culinary 1 each week students are assigned different positions in the kitchen and complete a chef report the week after they have served as chef. This was a disposable assignment. I created as self assessment rubric and discussed the assignment with students each week. We discussed evaluating ones own work to back and forward.

Learning Goals: What do you aim to achieve with this activity?

To provide the students a safe environment to evaluate their performance over the 15 weeks of the semester.

Timing: At what point in the lesson or semester do you use this activity? How much classroom time do you devote to it? How much out-of-class time is expected?

It was described the first day and each week we would discuss the prior lesson and the up-coming lesson. In the class we devoted 15 minutes and outside of class it could take the students 20-40 minutes. to complete

Logistics: What preparation is needed for this activity? What instructions do you give students? Is the activity low-stakes, high-stakes, or something else?

I started to use open lab but had some difficulty so moved the assignment to Blackboard. It is a low stakes activity

Assessment: How do you assess this activity? What assessment measures do you use? Do you use a VALUE rubric? If not, how did you develop your rubric? Is your course part of the college-wide general education assessment initiative?

I modified an assessment rubric and provided students with a hard copy and a soft copy

Reflection: How well did this activity work in your classroom? Would you repeat it? Why or why not? What challenges did you encounter, and how did you address them? What, if anything, would you change? What did students seem to enjoy about the activity?

Yes, as this was the first time I believe it can be improved and I have discussed with the chair about having other instructors incorporate the assignment. The chef report is completed by students in 3 other courses so there is an opportunity to incorporate it into the student's portfolio

Additional Information: Please share any additional comments and further documentation of the activity – e.g. assignment instructions, rubrics, examples of student work, etc. These can be links to pages or posts on the OpenLab.

I will attach an excel work book and student assignments and the rubric in an email

Please share a helpful link to a pages or post on the OpenLab

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Setting the Table Across Cultures: A Scaffold Approach to Intercultural Knowledge & Competence

Setting the Table Across Cultures: A Scaffold Approach to Intercultural Knowledge & Competence

Dolores C. Urena

Hospitality Management / School of Professional Studies

HMGT 2305 / Dining Room Operations (Lab)

Activity Description: Provide a brief description of the activity

In this three-part assignment, students identify, explain, and demonstrate the differences and similarities involved in the provision of dining experiences across different cultures in comparison to the specification of fine dining service as practiced in the dining room laboratory at City Tech.
Part I: OpenLab (Week 3 of the semester)
• Students individually post a picture of a tabletop setting different than the one learned in class.
• Students are required to post with the picture a short description of why the setting (silverware, china, glassware, table, etc) is different or similar to the one practice in dining room laboratory.
• Each student is required to comment on two other posts-more are welcome.
Part II: Collaborative Research Paper/ Self Reflection (After an in-class discussion on OpenLab postings, the instructor assigns groups on Week 4 of the semester)
• Students will be placed into groups of three to conduct research on the significance of the tabletop setting, and dining and service etiquette they have selected.
• Individually students are required to write a personal reflection paper.
• The instructor will provide prompt questions and instructions to assist students with the research and reflection papers.
Part III: Final Group Project / Presentation (Week 14 of the semester)
• Each group will submit a two-page research paper.
• Each group will explain and illustrate in class the tabletop setting they have selected.
• Individually students will submit a one-page personal reflection paper.

Learning Goals: What do you aim to achieve with this activity?

The purpose of this assignment is for students to interact and build a consensus that supports knowledge of an expanded cultural worldview. The assignment scaffold approach will help students assimilate the awareness, sensitivity, and proficiencies needed to succeed in the multicultural industry of hospitality. To do well in their chosen field, they will need the ability to interact, adapt and build relationships effectively across cultures.
Learning Goals associated with:
• Global / Multicultural Orientation
• Lifelong Learning
• Communication
• Information Literacies
• Professional / Personal Development

Timing: At what point in the lesson or semester do you use this activity? How much classroom time do you devote to it? How much out-of-class time is expected?

The instructor distributes the three-part assignment on the first day of class.
Part I – Week 3 of the semester:
• Out of class time is expected to obtain, and post picture/comments on OpenLab.
Part II – Week 7 of the semester:
• An in-class two-hour workshop at City Tech Library.
• Additional out-of-class time is expected to conduct research before and after the workshop.
Part III – Week 14 of the semester:
• An in-class five to ten minutes presentation.
• Additional out-of-class time is expected to write assignments.

Logistics: What preparation is needed for this activity? What instructions do you give students? Is the activity low-stakes, high-stakes, or something else?

Part I – Knowledge of OpenLab:
• The instructor will instruct students on how to use OpenLab.
Part II – Visit to City Tech Library
• The instructor will give instructions to the students on how and what to research and reflective questions to contemplate will be provided.
Part III – Review Expectations:
• Preparation for final group presentation will be discussed in class.
• The instructor will provide students with the appropriate guidelines and rubrics to complete assignments.
The semester-length three-part assignment is medium-to-high stakes-15% of the final grade.

Assessment: How do you assess this activity? What assessment measures do you use? Do you use a VALUE rubric? If not, how did you develop your rubric? Is your course part of the college-wide general education assessment initiative?

The assignment will be assessed using the Intercultural Knowledge and Competence Value Rubric, as well as an additional rubric evaluating the quality of the presentation and teamwork.
Written assignments will be graded using an appropriate writing intensive course rubric.

Reflection: How well did this activity work in your classroom? Would you repeat it? Why or why not? What challenges did you encounter, and how did you address them? What, if anything, would you change? What did students seem to enjoy about the activity?

This information is not available yet. The activity has not been implemented.

Additional Information: Please share any additional comments and further documentation of the activity – e.g. assignment instructions, rubrics, examples of student work, etc. These can be links to pages or posts on the OpenLab.

Please share a helpful link to a pages or post on the OpenLab