Abstract
In this essay I take on the subject of grades in sport management education. While grades are used as a measure of success across higher education, they are an imperfect measure of achievement and learning and have major limitations in terms of student employability. The ungrading movement brings attention to the ways grades can harm learning by shifting attention away from students’ development, and instructor or peer feedback, and intrinsic motivation, while incentivizing compliance and risk-aversion. These harms directly affect what are arguably some of the most important aspects of sport management education, as when grades are the main incentive, students may be less likely to take risks, explore new ideas, and expand their critical thinking skills.
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Recommended Citation
Odio, M. A. (2026). Can Ungrading make Sport Management Education more Practical and Engaging?. The COSMA Journal. Retrieved from https://scholarworks.bgsu.edu/cosma/vol3/iss1/12Included in
Curriculum and Instruction Commons, Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research Commons, Sports Management Commons, Sports Studies Commons