Practice-based pedagogies for sport management: innovation in action

Experiential and active learning have become central to contemporary sport management education as the sector responds to shifting industry demands, heightened regulatory scrutiny, and increasingly complex graduate labour markets. Grounded in constructivist principles, these pedagogical approaches emphasise student engagement, authentic application of knowledge, and the development of critical, reflective, and adaptable practitioners. This chapter explores the theoretical foundations of experiential and active learning, including the influence of Kolb’s experiential learning cycle, flipped learning models, metacognitive strategies, and transformative reflection. It examines how these approaches can enhance employability by strengthening students’ capacity for self-evaluation, decision-making, and professional identity formation. A UK-based case study illustrates how an integrated pedagogical intervention combining active learning, experiential tasks, structured reflection, and flipped delivery, resulted in improved student agency, increased uptake of placements and postgraduate study, and measurable gains in graduate destination outcomes. The findings demonstrate that when learners are supported to interrogate their assumptions, monitor their development, and engage collaboratively in authentic professional activities, their readiness for employment is significantly enhanced. Overall, the chapter highlights the value of innovative pedagogies in producing resilient, reflective, and industry-ready sport management graduates capable of navigating the evolving complexities of the global sport ecosystem.