From classroom to courtside: An examination of the experiential learning practices of sport management faculty

Abstract

The Commission on Sport Management Accreditation (COSMA) has identified experiential learning as an integral element to be included in sport management curriculum. However, often the experiential learning opportunities offered by sport management programs have been limited to a required internship experience. The purpose of this study was to investigate the widespread application of experiential learning practices of sport management faculty. A survey instrument using Foster and Dollar's (2010) Five-Step Experiential Learning Process Model was sent to all subscribers to the North American Society for Sport Management (NASSM) List-serv. Results showed the majority of sport management faculty are utilizing some form of experiential learning technique. While usage rates were high for classroom-based experiential learning and internship, usage rates were considerably lower for volunteer exploration, practicum elective, and apprenticeship.