Grab the Mic: Connecting theory and practice within an undergraduate sport communication course

Abstract

Experiential learning within sport management classrooms provides valuable industry experience to complement theoretical knowledge. Content creation is a valuable skill for sport management students, particularly those who are looking to work within media and marketing spaces after graduation. Therefore, sport communication undergraduate students at a large research-intensive institution in the Midwest of the United States participated in a podcast creation project for their sport communication class. The experiential learning opportunity provided students with the opportunity to collaborate with a classmate to write, record, and edit a podcast episode under the umbrella of the department's podcast show. This gave the students valuable experience in creating content for professional consumption. The project received positive feedback from students on skill development and the benefits of collaboration, while also discussing the challenges associated with the time demands of the project.