TAKING THE STUDENT TO THE CENTER: THE MANTLE OF EXPERT IN TOURIST GUIDE EDUCATION

This study discusses the applicability of the mantle of expert approach in tourist guiding education and presents students’ perceptions on the mantle of expert approach based lessons. The expert mantle approach introduced by Dorothy Heathcote in the 1970s is a drama approach that takes students into a specialist role in the fictional field, taking advantage of their creativity. The basis of the approach discussed in this study; students while doing, living and, researching; in the process of creating an imaginary institution. In this study, qualitative research method was employed in order to better understand students' perceptions about drama experiences. The study group of the study consisted of 14 students attending Drama courses in the spring semester of 2016-2017 in Anadolu University Tourism Faculty Tourism Guidance Program. The questionnaire was developed by the researchers as open-ended questions. Before, during, and, after the drama sessions, oral and written feedback of the sessions were gathered and descriptive analyzes were conducted. In this study, it was concluded that the students' handling of the issues they will associate with their professional lives with the expert mantle approach is effective