Is Crowdsourcing Useful for Enhancing Innovation and Learning Outcomes in Culinary and Hospitality Education?

Abstract

This exploratory study provides support for crowdsourcing as a method of enhancing learning outcomes and knowledge retention while fostering critical thinking skills for a technologically based learning generation. The process in the menu innovation project assisted during the idea refinement and optimization stage with a greater number of ideas generated, high quality of ideas contributed, and more information available for decisions. The greatest benefits to learning outcomes were cross-functional team experience enhancement, general peer learning outcomes, a greater understanding of the concept refinement process, and increased learning based on greater diversity of ideas and backgrounds of the networked participants.