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Sport Management Review, 2007,10, 125-1 3 1O 2007 SMAANZ

Sport Managem ent Education: Teaching andlearn ing for the FutureAn Introduction to the S pecial Issue

James SkinnerGriff i th Universi ty

Keith GilbertUnivers i ty of t he W es t of E n g l a n d

Ensuring high quality sport management education is an important stepin delivering high quality sport managers, particularly in a time whenthe management of sport is becoming increasingly global, complex anddemanding. The question that emerges is "how do we deliver high qualitysport management education?'Frisby (2005) calls for the need to engagecritical social science in our teaching. M oreover she suggests we must alsobe a ble to reflect on our own knowledge claims if the educative processis to remain fluid and "foster healthy debate, critique and social justice"(p. 8). Others such as Costa (2005) and Chalip (2006) suggest there areinadequate mechanisms to ensure that the teaching of sport managementis research evidenced based and therefore the knowledge we acquire isrelevant to the environments in which sport managers operate. A broaderinvestigation of the quality of sport management education could include:(1) the background and characteristics of students and of sport managementeducators; (2) course length and course structures; (3) course content anddelivery modes; (4) course assessment and evaluation of procedures; (5)the nature and length of professional experience; and (6) the nature andstrength of partnerships among different sport management stakeholders.Although we may debate how we can best deliver high quality sportmanagement education, it is imperative that steps are taken to establishwhat is meant by quality sport management education.

James Skinner is Senior Lecturer in Sport and Physical Education at Griffith University,Gold Coast, Australia. Keith Gilbert is with the University of the West of England.Email for James Skinner is [email protected]


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Vygotsky's work uses a social constructivist approach (Santrock, 2001).Consistent with the view of Bourne (2003), social constructivism suggests thathumans do not discover knowledge. Rather, they construct knowledge by usingconcepts, models and schemes, which are continually revised and renewed. Inaddition, these concepts are socially constructed in shared historical and socialcontexts rather than individually developed.Light and Dixon analyse and apply the theory of social constructivism tosport management education in their discussion of contemporary learning theories.They d iscuss learning as inseparable from enga gem ent in day-to-day social practice,even though much of this implicit learning occurs at a non-conscious level. Assuch, learning is socially a nd culturally situated a nd is a dynamic part o f our lives.

Consequently, for teaching and learning to be relevant and effective, the focus mustbe on learning instead of teaching, on the process of learning rather than its product,and must include relevant experience and involve participation in the practices ofthe community of sport management.Light and Dixon begin by reviewing contemporary learning theory and itsapplication in the sport coaching and physical educa tion fields and the wa ys these ideasmight be applied to sport mana gem ent education. They a rgue that constructivism isthe learning theory that has most influenced contemporary educational approachesand the development of innovative practice and research in sport and physicaleducation pedagogy over the past decade. Sport management educators can usethe constructivist view o f learning to develop a pproach es that are relevant to, andmore connected with, the lives and w ork of students outside the sport managementclassroom. Sport managem ent education can involve students in the practices of thesport ma nagem ent community a s "legitimate peripheral participants". This involveslearning the culture of the sport management community and learning how toparticipate legitimately in its practices. Sport management students have a need forlearning which engages them in performance through co-participation with othersand where meaningful learning is dependent upon the ability to perform appropriatetasks.Light and Dixon's discussion of contemporary learning theory and itsapplication in related fields highlights the ways in which current practices such asservice learning and internships can provide the complete learning experiences thatmeet the expectations of contemporary learning theory. Therefore, viewing thesepractices from a constructivist or situated learning perspective allows for a betterunderstanding of how student learning occurs and how sport management educatorscan further enhance critical thinking through appropriate learning methodologies.Kemmis, Cole and Suggett (1983) identify three broad orientationstowards curricula that reflect certain values. Of particular relevance to this specialedition is the socially critical orientation. Kemmis et al. suggest a socially criticalorientation that views knowledge as constructed through social interaction as themost appropriate orientation for developing students as critical thinkers who are


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(1) rapid innovations in scientific and technological knowledge producing fastand con tinual social, econom ic and cultural changes; and (2 ) the emergence andchanging morphology of new online and of li n e worlds (Robertson, 1995).The work of Edwards and Finger needs to be considered within thiscontext. They discuss the potential applications of information and communicationtechnologies (ICT) or eLearning in sport management education. Edwards andFinger provide a comprehensive definition of ICT to accom modate more than justa limited focus on the personal computer. Their definition encompasses new andemerging devices, applications and technologies that can assist educators to movebeyond traditional methods and technologies to enable excellence in teaching andlearning. The essential dimensions of eLearning - echnology, access and quality -enab le a diverse range of interactions between educators and learners by eliminatingtraditional limitations of time and space and affording learners an environment inwhich to develop deep reflective practices and critical thinking skills. They arguethat hyperpedagogy, which can be viewed as an amalgam of hypertext theory andcritical pedagogy, is fundamental to the eLearning experience in that it enableslearners to become active participants in planning and design ing their own learningin critical and collaborative ways. Early examples of the application of eLearning tosport (or Sport-eL) which follow a blended learning approach are examined. Whilstconsidering current models of best practice in elearning, the authors emphasisethe importance of educational technologists incorporating the theoretical frameworkof hyperpedagogy into elearning. They argue that when greater interaction andcreativity are allowed to flourish, critical thinking skills are enabled. Edwards andFinger go on to suggest that the internet based virtual world known as Second Life(SL) provides perhaps the best eLearning environment for the future of onlinesport management education. SL's online community enables users to interactwith each other, simulate real-world experiences and learn from virtual mistakesthrough animated characters. In essence, learners have the opportunity to engage inthose communities of practice deemed essential to sport management education byLight and Dixon, without the restrictions of time and space accorded by traditionaleducation methods.

It is hoped that this Special Issue will encourage sport managem ent educatorsto further reflect on their curricular and pedagogical practices. From a curriculumperspective, "what we teach" is no doubt fundamental to developing sportmanagement graduates who are able to apply critical thinking skills in a changingsport industry. How ever, our pedagogical practices that shape how w e teach and theprocess of how students learn also require consideration in the facilitation o f criticalthinking practices. The intent of this Special Issue is to provide a platform for thediscussion o f the value and place of critical thinking in spo rt managem ent education.Through this discussion, it is hoped that greater insight into the sport managementteaching and learning processes will be gained and will facilitate best practice in thedelivery of sport management education.


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ReferencesBauman, Z. (2004). Zygmunt Bauman: Liquid sociality. In N. Gane (Ed.), The uture ofsocial theory (pp. 17-46). New York: Continuum.Becker, W.E. (1997). Teaching economics to undergraduates. Journal of EconomicLiterature, 35, 1347-1373.Bernstein, B. (1971). Class, codes and control volume 1: Theoretical studies towards asociology of language. London: Routledge.Bolstad , R., & Hipkins, R. (2005, July). Time or critical thinking in secondary science.Paper presented at the Conference of the Australasian Science Education ResearchAssociation. University of Waikato, Waikato, New Zealand.Bourne, J. (2003). Vertical discourse: The role of the teacher in the transmission and

acquisition of decontextualised language. European Educational Research Journal,2,496-521.Castells, M. (2000). The rise a nd fa ll of the network society. Malden, MA: Blackwell.Chalip, L. (2006). Toward a distinctive sport managem ent discipline. Journal of SportManagement, 20, 1-21.Costa, C.A. (2005). The status and future of sport management:A Delphi study.Journalof Sport Management, 19 , 117-142.Frisby, W. (2005). The good, the bad, and the ugly: C ritical sport management research.Journal of Sport Management, 19, 1 13.Kemm is, S., Cole, P., & Suggett, D. (1983). Orientations to curriculum and transition:Towards a socially critical school. Melbourne: Victorian Institute of SecondaryEducation.Robertson, R. (1995). Glocalisation: Time-space and homogeneity-heterogeneity. InM. Featherstone, S. Lash, & R. Robertson (Eds.), Global modernities (pp. 25-44).London: Sage.Santrock, J.N. (2001). Educationalpsychology. Boston: McGraw Hill.Vygotsky, L.S. (1978). Mind in society: The development of higher psychological

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