Teaching Philosophy

The purpose of a sport management curriculum is to provide students with the skills of an entry level professional.  Therefore, classes must have real world applications that allow students to understand the industry and develop entry level skills.

I believe that learning occurs when people are engaged in and challenged with problems that are authentic and personally interesting.  Facilitating student learning for comprehension can only be done if the student is engaged and understands the critical value of the knowledge to be gained.  I believe that successful instructors must strive to create an environment that allows the students to reach the end goal of expert knowledge, which is demonstrated thorough critical analysis and contextual problem solving within the subject area. 

In my classroom, I use a strategy that requires students to make meaning of basic concepts and to utilize the meaning to solve problems within the in-depth class projects I employ. I use a number of cross-curricular projects that require students to connect different topics in sport management to relevant problems. 

Specifically, in event management, students are required to put on their own public special event.  This requires students to use skills learned in a number of classes.  Another project is "Model UNFL", a two semester project that crosses classes from sport governance to labor relations in sport with a league structure and specicif problems that arise in leagues and labor.