Entrepreneurial learning environments: supporting or hindering diverse learners?

2015 ◽  
Vol 57 (5) ◽  
pp. 512-531 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lenita Hietanen
Keyword(s):  
Teacher Education ◽  
General Education ◽  
Learning Environments ◽  
Business Education ◽  
Entrepreneurship Education ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Entrepreneurial Learning ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Teacher Researcher ◽  
Class Teacher

Purpose – This study focuses on the implementation of entrepreneurship education in non-business education at the basic education level and in class-teacher education in Finland. The subject to learn was music, which did not include any entrepreneurial content. Accordingly, this study looks closely at the way learners behave when studying music. The purpose of this paper is to see whether entrepreneurial behaviour is appropriate in non-business education. Design/methodology/approach – The study used the action research approach; in particular, it used the special teacher-as-researcher method. The analysis was based on content analysis. Findings – In this study, the teacher-researcher looked at entrepreneurial learning as experimenting with alternative learning methods and different learning contents. To ensure that every learner received the support they needed in their self-chosen tasks, peer learning was encouraged. Learners got the support they needed both from each other and from the teacher-researcher. Practical implications – Although this study was only carried once during some music lessons in one particular comprehensive school and once in one class-teacher education in Finland, the findings may prompt teachers in other subjects and other countries to add entrepreneurial activities to their learning environments. Originality/value – There is a lack of research into entrepreneurship education practices at lower educational levels and where education is not business-oriented. Using the entrepreneurial approach in general education raises another question: is the approach suitable for every learner? Neither of these facets has been studied in depth.

Finnish student teachers’ critical conceptions of entrepreneurship education

2015 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 61-75 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marja-Leena Rönkkö ◽  
Jaana Lepistö
Keyword(s):  
Teacher Education ◽  
Student Teachers ◽  
Basic Education ◽  
Research Question ◽  
Entrepreneurship Education ◽  
Vital Role ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Teacher Education Department ◽  
The University

Purpose – The aim of this paper is to reveal and investigate differences in how Finnish student teachers understand entrepreneurship education and how critical they are of it. The research question is: what kind of critical understanding do student teachers reveal in their conception of entrepreneurship education? Design/methodology/approach – A qualitative research approach termed content analysis was used to investigate student teacher’s conceptions. The data were collected from essays written by 257 student teachers at the University of Turku’s, Rauma teacher education department during 2010-2012. Findings – The conception of entrepreneurship education is, in many ways, related to how much one already knows about entrepreneurship education or how one reacts to it. It seems that most student teachers’ conceptions of entrepreneurship are positive, but even those in favour of it, in principle, do not necessarily want to see entrepreneurship education included in the basic education curriculum. Nevertheless, they think that enterprising pedagogy is useful and that the way of thinking about teaching is inspiring. They also feel that both teacher education and basic education benefit from some kind of entrepreneurship component, but do not take entrepreneurship education for granted. On the basis of this study, it is proposed that teacher education should incorporate more teaching that supports critical thinking in all study modules. Originality/value – The findings of this study illustrate that there is much more to do in teacher education and its curricula. Teaching situations and learning situations are always social situations and both learners and teachers have a vital role to play.

scholarly journals The interplay between cognitive, conative, and affective constructs along the entrepreneurial learning process

2018 ◽  
Vol 60 (7/8) ◽  
pp. 891-908 ◽  
Author(s):  
Agnieszka Kurczewska ◽  
Paula Kyrö ◽  
Krista Lagus ◽  
Oskar Kohonen ◽  
Tiina Lindh-Knuutila
Keyword(s):  
Learning Process ◽  
Entrepreneurship Education ◽  
Declarative Knowledge ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Reflective Practices ◽  
Entrepreneurial Learning ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Affective Constructs ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Practical Implications

PurposeAlthough the role of reflections in entrepreneurship education is undeniable, the research has focused mainly on their advantages and consequences for learning process, whereas their dynamics and interrelations with other mental processes remain unexplored. The purpose of this paper is to better understand how personality and intelligence constructs: cognition, conation, and affection evolve and change along the learning process during entrepreneurship education.Design/methodology/approachTo better understand reflective processes in entrepreneurial learning this paper adopts the tripartite constructs of personality and intelligence. By employing longitudinal explorative research approach and self-organizing map (SOM) algorithm, the authors follow students’ reflections during their two-year learning processes. First, the authors try to identify how the interplay between the cognitive, conative, and affective aspects emerges in students’ reflections. Then, the authors investigate how this interplay evolves during the individual learning process and finally, by looking for similarities in these learning pathways, the authors aim to identify patterns of students’ reflective learning process.FindingsAll constructs are present during the learning process and all are prone to change. The individual constructs alone shed no light on the interplay between different constructs, but rather that the interplay between sub-constructs should be taken into consideration as well. This seems to be particularly true for cognition, as procedural and declarative knowledge have very different profiles. Procedural knowledge emerges together with emotions, motivation, and volition, whereas the profile of declarative knowledge is individual. The unique profile of declarative knowledge in students’ reflections is an important finding as declarative knowledge is regarded as the center of current pedagogic practices.Research limitations/implicationsThe study broadens the understanding of reflective practices in the entrepreneurial learning process and the interplay between affective, cognitive, and conative sub-constructs and reflective practices in entrepreneurship education. The findings clearly indicate the need for further research on the interplay between sub-constructs and students’ reflection profiles. The authors see the study as an attempt to apply an exploratory statistical method for the problem in question.Practical implicationsThe results are able to advise pedagogy. Practical implications concern the need to develop reflective practises in entrepreneurial learning interventions to enhance all three meta-competencies, even though there are so far no irrefutable findings to indicate that some types of reflection may be better than others.Originality/valueThe results of the analysis indicate that it is possible to study the complex and dynamic interplay between sub-constructs of cognitive, conative and affective constructs. Moreover, the research succeeded in identifying both individual variations and general reflection patterns and changes in these during the learning process. This was possible by adopting a longitudinal explorative research approach with SOM analyses.

Meeting the entrepreneurial learning needs of professional athletes in career transition

2015 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 175-196 ◽  
Author(s):  
Breda Kenny
Keyword(s):  
Single Case ◽  
Entrepreneurship Education ◽  
Career Transition ◽  
Professional Athletes ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Learning Needs ◽  
Multiple Sources ◽  
Entrepreneurial Learning ◽  
Content Type

Purpose – A career at the professional, elite level in sports does not last forever. One way or another, the day comes when players have to hang up their boots and move on, but to what? Some stay in the sport as managers or coaches, become broadcast announcers, or use their name recognition to pitch a product. However, for many their future opportunities lie in entrepreneurship. The purpose of this paper is to explore the concept of the entrepreneurial learning needs of professional rugby players preparing for a career transition and asks the following questions: What are the specific needs of professional athletes in relation to entrepreneurial learning?, and, what are the key elements of designing an entrepreneurship programme to meet these needs? Design/methodology/approach – The author adopted an interpretivist philosophical standpoint for this research, with an inductive research approach to explore various components of a tailored entrepreneurship training programme called the “Certificate in Enterprise Potential” (CEP) using the process of emergent inquiry. This programme was designed specifically for professional rugby athletes in Ireland. In gathering the data for the case study, the author pursued established principles of data collection, and used multiple sources of evidence. Findings – The findings provide evidence of the entrepreneurial learning needs of professional athletes in career transition and identifies the key elements to be considered when designing an entrepreneurship programme to meet these needs. The findings are presented under the headings context, objectives and outcomes, audience, content, pedagogy, assessment and evaluation. Research limitations/implications – There are multiple implications from this study. For entrepreneurship educators, the various components of designing a tailored entrepreneurship programme for professional athletes are identified and outlined. For researchers, it opens the door for research with other sports people from different contexts. For professional athletes and professionals working with athletes, it provides evidence of a non-athletic and an entrepreneurial career transition model that builds on the player’s social identity, social networks and taps into an existing HEI entrepreneurship ecosystem. The research was confined to a single case study for a specific target audience and needs replication with other cohorts in order to reduce the chance of these findings being unique to one single case. Originality/value – This paper focuses on the career transition and mid-career aspect of entrepreneurship education and in particular the career transition needs of the professional athletes. These findings provide a deeper understanding of mid-career entrepreneurship education, specifically in the contexts of professional athletes and HEI’s. Many athletes are forced to end their sporting careers early and with little hope of a meaningful or alternative long-term career options. This paper goes some way in addressing this concern.

Future research directions for sport education: toward an entrepreneurial learning approach

2018 ◽  
Vol 60 (5) ◽  
pp. 490-499 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vanessa Ratten ◽  
Paul Jones
Keyword(s):  
Academic Research ◽  
Interdisciplinary Approach ◽  
Entrepreneurship Education ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Learning Approach ◽  
Sport Education ◽  
Research Directions ◽  
Entrepreneurial Learning ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Future Research Directions

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to introduce an entrepreneurial learning approach to the study of sport education in order to inform future research directions.Design/methodology/approachSport education needs to focus on how it can overcome existing barriers to bring a more interdisciplinary approach. This paper uses entrepreneurship education theory to explore the changes required in sport education provision to create a more relevant and conducive teaching environment.FindingsThe findings of this paper suggest that by bringing sport students into contact with entrepreneurship education, aids in the development of improved employability and social skills.Research limitations/implicationsIntroducing entrepreneurship education into sport will help the students develop learning initiatives that advance the scholarship of sport education within the university sector.Practical implicationsThe benefits of including entrepreneurship education in sport studies could be of interest to the directors of education wanting to increase student enrollments and interest in their courses.Originality/valueThe study suggests ways to offer more interdisciplinary courses and activities linking entrepreneurship education to sport. This needs to be taken into consideration as it will enable the development of sport entrepreneurship education that improves links between academic research with policy and business initiatives.

Enterprise education: pre-service further education teachers' impressions and aspirations

2022 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Tiernan ◽  
Jane O’Kelly
Keyword(s):  
Teacher Education ◽  
Further Education ◽  
Initial Teacher Education ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Education Data ◽  
Enterprise Education ◽  
The Future ◽  
Constant Comparative Analysis

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the attitudes and impressions of pre-service Further Education teachers towards enterprise education. It also looks at the potential impact on their future teaching practices and aspirations. This study builds on the literature in this area by bringing a teacher education focus and by providing views from the underserved further education sector.Design/methodology/approachA qualitative research approach was used to evaluate pre-service further education teachers' understanding of and attitudes towards, enterprise education. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 15 students in their final year of an initial teacher education degree.FindingsFindings emerged through constant comparative analysis of interview transcripts. These findings indicate that exposure to enterprise education greatly increased understanding of its importance and relevance, while also encouraging pre-service further education teachers to recognise the benefits of incorporating enterprise education into their classrooms of the future.Originality/valueWhile there is an array of literature on entrepreneurship and enterprise education outside of business contents, very few studies exist, which examine enterprise education in an initial teacher education context. Fewer still examine enterprise education from the perspective of further education. This study provides a unique qualitative view of pre-service further education teachers' impressions of enterprise education and their aspirations for the future.

Peer mentoring in entrepreneurship education: towards a role typology

2018 ◽  
Vol 60 (9) ◽  
pp. 1026-1040 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elin Kubberød ◽  
Siw M. Fosstenløkken ◽  
Per Olav Erstad
Keyword(s):  
Peer Mentoring ◽  
Role Model ◽  
Theory Development ◽  
Entrepreneurship Education ◽  
Learning Support ◽  
Peer Mentors ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Entrepreneurial Learning ◽  
Content Type

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore the contributions of peer mentoring as a learning support for mentee students in higher entrepreneurship education.Design/methodology/approachThis paper presents a single embedded case study focussing on mentee students’ perceptions of peer mentors’ support of their entrepreneurial learning during an experiential master’s course. Employing an abductive approach, the researchers conducted cross-sectional, thematic analyses of individual mentee interviews complemented by data from joint reflection sessions, reflection reports and observations during the course timeline.FindingsThe peer mentors contributed to the mentee students’ learning through various forms of support, which were categorised into mentor roles, mentor functions and intervention styles. The analysis found that peer mentors fulfil three coexisting roles: learning facilitator, supportive coach and familiar role model. These roles constitute the pillars of a typology of entrepreneurial peer mentoring.Research limitations/implicationsThis study contributes theoretical and empirical insights on peer mentoring in entrepreneurship education. It represents a first benchmark of best practices for future studies.Practical implicationsThe case study suggests that adding peer mentoring represents more efficient support for entrepreneurial learning than a teacher alone is able to provide. The typology can also be used for training peer mentors.Originality/valueThe researchers construct a new typology for entrepreneurial learning support, which contributes to theory development within the field of entrepreneurship education.

How entrepreneurial learning impacts one’s intention towards entrepreneurship

2019 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 146-170 ◽  
Author(s):  
Feng Zhang ◽  
Liqun Wei ◽  
Hongyi Sun ◽  
Lo Choi Tung
Keyword(s):  
Behavioral Control ◽  
Entrepreneurship Education ◽  
Entrepreneurial Intention ◽  
Subjective Norm ◽  
Mediating Effect ◽  
Perceived Behavioral Control ◽  
Entrepreneurial Learning ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Effect Model

Purpose Although entrepreneurial learning is widely believed as an important factor in shaping one’s entrepreneurial intention, research finds little consistent results on the direct effect of entrepreneurial learning on one’s entrepreneurial intention. To solve the conflicted effects of entrepreneurial learning, the purpose of this paper is to explore how entrepreneurial learning may impact individual entrepreneurial intention. Design/methodology/approach Drawing on the theory of planned behavior (TPB), the authors proposed and tested on a three mediating effect model, in which entrepreneurial learning is associated with entrepreneurial intention through attitude, subjective norm and perceived behavioral control toward entrepreneurship. Moreover, the moderating role of prior exposure to entrepreneurship was proposed and tested. Based on a sample of 200 university students who have taken entrepreneurial courses in Hong Kong, the hierarchical regressions and moderated mediation tests were used to test the hypotheses. Findings The authors find that the positive relationship between entrepreneurial learning and entrepreneurial intention is significantly mediated by attitude, subjective norm and perceived behavioral control toward entrepreneurship; and the mediating effects of entrepreneurial learning on entrepreneurial intention via attitudes and perceived behavioral control respectively, is moderated by exposure to entrepreneurship. Originality/value Contributing to the literature of entrepreneurship education, this study identifies individuals who exposed to the same entrepreneurship education may perform differently in entrepreneurial learning. The findings also help us to better understand the mechanism through which and under which context one’s entrepreneurial learning may enhance his/her entrepreneurial intention.

Co-design-based learning for entrepreneurs in the digital age

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Georgy Laptev ◽  
Dmitry Shaytan
Keyword(s):  
Entrepreneurship Education ◽  
Digital Age ◽  
Exploratory Research ◽  
Nascent Entrepreneurs ◽  
Learning Context ◽  
Entrepreneurial Learning ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Fuzzy Front End ◽  
Innovative Thinking ◽  
Key Dimensions

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to adapt the design-based learning (DBL) approach for entrepreneurship education. Having in mind the aim to improve the innovative thinking competence of nascent entrepreneurs that operate at the fuzzy front end of innovation, the research identifies key characteristics of the co-design-based learning (Co-DBL) approach for nurturing entrepreneurs in the digital age. Design/methodology/approach The exploratory research is based on qualitative and quantitative analysis. To get feedback and to evaluate the progress of innovative thinking competence of Co-DBL participants, the pre- and post-co-design workshop surveys were administrated. The statistical analysis of the surveys was carried out to determine the effects of the Co-DBL. Findings The research has revealed key dimensions relevant to Co-DBL in entrepreneurial learning (features of the project, facilities for project activities, features of the teaching process, features of learning context and assessment) and found the corresponding characteristics. The results of the current study show the perspective of the suggested Co-DBL approach in entrepreneurial learning to improve creativity, analyticity, intuition and flexibility of thinking of nascent entrepreneurs. Originality/value This paper presents a new look at co-design that can be applied to entrepreneurship education to enhance innovative thinking, improve the ability of nascent entrepreneurs to identify and create opportunity and to tolerate ambiguity and conditions of uncertainty in the search and development of innovative solutions.

Stories told and performed: a methodology for researching drama assessment in schools

2019 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 19-33 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rachael Jacobs
Keyword(s):  
Learning Environments ◽  
Research Method ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Temporal Change ◽  
Document Analysis ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Methodological Choices ◽  
Senior Secondary ◽  
The Relationship

Purpose A methodology that combined ethnographies, including the ethnography of performance with narrative inquiry was used in a research project investigating the assessment of senior secondary Drama performance in Australia. The paper aims to discuss this issue. Design/methodology/approach After a temporal change in the research approach, it was decided that the research method needed to capture the Drama performance assessment phenomenon as it was lived and experienced. Findings As a result, methodological choices shifted from procedural documentation and document analysis to ethnographic observations that were able to capture the more nuanced aspects of the relationship between Drama performance and assessment, embracing tacit learning, agendas, cultures, experiences and understandings. Originality/value This paper reflects on the methodological dilemmas and choices made when studying artistic and aesthetic texts in the classroom, and poses considerations for future researchers conducting inquiries in aesthetically rich learning environments.

Implementing strategies of entrepreneurship education in Zimbabwe

2020 ◽  
Vol 63 (1) ◽  
pp. 85-100
Author(s):  
Abigal Mawonedzo ◽  
Magdaline Tanga ◽  
Simon Luggya ◽  
Yvonne Nsubuga
Keyword(s):  
Manufacturing Industry ◽  
Tertiary Education ◽  
Technical Colleges ◽  
Sampling Technique ◽  
Entrepreneurship Education ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Lecture Method ◽  
Development Unit ◽  
Implementing Strategies

PurposeThe aim of this paper is to explore how the strategies of entrepreneurship education in clothing and textile programmes are implemented in selected Technical Colleges in Zimbabwe.Design/methodology/approachA qualitative research approach was adopted for this paper. Purposive sampling technique was used to collect data from 42 participants through in-depth interviews and focus group discussions.FindingsThe findings show that there were two principal strategies that are used by lecturers in technical colleges, where entrepreneurship education is taught. The findings reveal that the implementation of the lecture method in most of these colleges deviates remarkable from each other. Given the socioeconomic and linguistic backgrounds of the learners, lectures are delivered in both English and the dominant local language, and the notes are written on the blackboard. Experiential learning, which is the placement of students in textile and clothing industries, was revealed to be another strategy, which was not achieving the intended results as most of the students were engaged in unrelated activities. The implementation of the two methods fall short of internationally recognised and pedagogically acceptable strategies that ought to instil the necessary skills in students to become future entrepreneurs in the textile and clothing industries in Zimbabwe and in Africa.Research limitations/implicationsOne of the limitations of the paper is that data was not collected from production managers from the clothing manufacturing industry and from the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education officials, especially those from the Curriculum Development Unit. However, the core of this paper is on implementing strategies from the perspectives of lecturers and students. Another limitation of the paper is that data was collected only from three technical colleges in Harare, Manicaland and Midland provinces. There are a total of nine such colleges in Zimbabwe. Nonetheless, since this a qualitative paper, its aim is not to generalise its findings but to provide in-depth and rich information about implementing strategies in Clothing and Textile programmes in selected TVET colleges.Originality/valueThe paper presents some pertinent recommendations to enhance a better implementation of the strategies used in entrepreneurship education to ensure that upon graduation, graduates can be self-employed and create jobs. This could help in curbing the high unemployment rate in Zimbabwe as well as in Africa in general.

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