“Active Learning In Event Management In Theory And Practice: Highlighting Two Ideas For Future Research And Development”.

This paper addresses a key challenge facing Event Management education – how to embed practical learning experiences into Event Management courses in Higher Education. The discussion aims to highlight two potential opportunities for future research in this discipline. It explores two learning theories: ‘learning-by-doing’ and ‘learning through play’ as they apply to Event Management. In particular, the practical element in Event Management modules, that of students organising their own events, is discussed as an example of ‘learning-by-doing’. The paper argues that there is an opportunity to define, analyse and further develop the learning inherent in student-organised events. It points to the potential for developing a pedagogical model of how this practical element can work to best effect. With regard to learning through play, it is suggested that the development of Event Management as a discipline may be enhanced by the teaching of creativity, a key requirement of successful event managers in professional world. The author’s experience of creating informal learning in museums in the form of hands-on activities using simple toys and art materials is considered, as offering potential ‘crossover’ to teaching in Higher Education. The use of LEGO as a teaching tool in other disciplines in Higher Education is reviewed, and suggests it may be valuable to experiment with the teaching and learning of creativity in Event Management in Ulster University.