Despite the increase in entrepreneurship initiatives and interventions, there is a poor understanding of entrepreneurship programs’ principles and learning objectives in secondary education. This study provides insight into the current range of entre‑ preneurship programs and their underlying pedagogy in secondary education in the Netherlands. To structure the analysis, we used the 11 design principles of Baggen et al. (Entrep Educ Pedagog 5(3):347–374, 2022). Data were collected from three different sources: the Vecon Business Schools (VBS) application forms, interviews with VBS schools, and additional documents. The findings show that most schools are unfamiliar with the definitions of entrepreneurship education. Many of the prin‑ ciples of broad entrepreneurship education focus on personal growth and the devel‑ opment of an entrepreneurial mindset. These are not always recognizable in sec‑ ondary schools’ current offerings of entrepreneurship education. Furthermore, the pedagogies on which entrepreneurship programs are based are mostly traditional, despite literature showing that (socially) constructivist entrepreneurship programs lend themselves better to developing an entrepreneurial mindset.
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Despite the increase in the number of entrepreneurship initiatives and interventions, there is a poor understanding of the range of entrepreneurship programs in secondary education and their learning objectives. This study provides insight into the current supply of entrepreneurship programs and their underlying pedagogy in secondary education in the Netherlands. To examine existing offerings and their underlying pedagogy, we used the 11 design principles of Baggen, Lans, and Gulikers (2021). Data were collected from three different sources for triangulation purposes - data from Vecon Business Schools (VBS) application forms, interviews with VBS schools, and documents and additional information (student ratings, learning goals, missions, and visions). Our findings show that schools offer mostly causation-oriented and traditional entrepreneurship programs, in which there is little room for effectuation-oriented education. Also, due to the lack of a clearly stated mission, vision and learning goals of entrepreneurship education, schools pay little attention to the effect of entrepreneurship education on entrepreneurship skills/intentions. However, we observe that schools acknowledge this and slowly design and offer entrepreneurship programs more consciously.
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Worldwide entrepreneurship education (EE) is gaining popularity as an employability skill to prepare learners for a future of adaptability and lifelong learning. Its scholarship, however, is concerned that we have lost sight of what works, why, and how in EE. This is especially true for such novel learning objectives as preparation for lifelong learning. This quasi-experimental, mixed methods research sought answers to the question: of how EE pedagogy influences students’ self-directed learning readiness (SDLR). Statistically significant relations were found, especially between self-efficacy and SDLR. The impact of EE was found to be highly significant, which was explained by the effect of a stage-wise, mixed pedagogy approach to teaching/learning. Enhancement of self-efficacy and motivation for self-directed learning was found to benefit from a continuous cyclical teaching-learning process combining passive, participative and self-steered learning within and throughout each step of the learning process, in simulated and authentic learning contexts.
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This thesis presents an exploration of ‘how entrepreneurship education pedagogy can enhance undergraduate business students’ autonomous motivation for self-directed learning’. It has twin, equally valuable, purposes: to make an original theoretical contribution and to improve professional practice in this area. The work addresses the lack of pedagogical research in entrepreneurship education that focuses on learner development, with a specific aim at development of self-directed learning skills for lifelong learning. The research is approached with a concurrent, mixed methods design, comparing pre- and a post-EE, self-assessment survey results from 245 students, enrolled in a Young Enterprise venture creation programme, and a control group at a Dutch university. With the use of open-question surveys among the same population, during and after the EE modules, as well as from focus group discussions with a selection of participating students and teachers, explanation was sought for the observations drawn from the quantitative study. Significant relationships were found between students’ self-reported maturity of autonomy, self-efficacy, and motivation for learning, and in how these relate to self-directed learning readiness. Entrepreneurship education was found to significantly moderate the relationship between the learning characteristics and self-directed learning, and to strengthen of the students’ perceived readiness for self-directed learning. Explanation for the impact of EE were found to be related to the stage-wise, mixed pedagogy approach to learning, that combines authentic learning with a hierarchical approach to competence development, and supportive team dynamics. The research contributes to practice with a proposed conceptual framework for understanding how to prepare for self-directed learning readiness and a teaching-learning framework for its development in formal educational settings. It contributes to knowledge with its deeper understanding of how students experience learning in EE and how that affects their willingness to pursue learning opportunities.
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The paper deals with the hot issue of entrepreneurship education and describes the rationale behind the gamified and collaborative courses for university students conceived, developed and deployed in the framework of the eSG (stimulating entrepreneurship through Serious Games) project, funded under the EU lifelong learning (LLP) Programme. The project aims to help students becoming familiar, mainly through practice, with basic concepts of entrepreneurship and company management and to stimulate the emergence of their entrepreneurial attitudes. In the framework of the project specific courses mainly grounded on the concepts of gamification and collaboration were designed and carried out in three different partner countries: Italy, Spain and the Netherlands. The main objectives of the courses are presented in this paper and a theoretical model supporting the choice of Serious Games is shown which keeps into account usability, pedagogy and the entrepreneurship skills expressed by state of the art models.
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Enhancing the offer for entrepreneurship education is an important challenge for the nowadays knowledge societies. The eSG project is addressing this issue by analysing the added value that could be contributed by employing serious games (SGs) as a tool for allowing students in particular technology students - To become familiar, mainly through practice, with basic concepts of entrepreneurship and company management. This paper presents the main requirements for the course and SGs obtained by surveying literature, entrepreneurs, students and teachers. We represented the requirements in a table template keeping into account usability, pedagogy, the entrepreneurship skills expressed by state of the art models and three major axes for entrepreneurship education at universities. These table descriptors were then used to assess validity of SGs and choose an appropriate mix for the courses. We have also defined a set of metrics to evaluate the advancement of students during the course. Based on these tools and knowledge, the next steps of the project will involve extensive user testing in the actual courses that are being performed in Genoa, Delft and Barcelona.
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The chapter discusses the effect of hierarchically staging common entrepreneurship pedagogies (from passive, instructor-led to active self-steering) in an undergraduate level venture creation programme on its participants perceived ‘readiness’ to take ownership over their learning. Education literature argues that existentially transforming pedagogy, much like that of student venture creation programmes (VCP), is not fit for all students, hence leading some to thrive, and others to fear failure. Data collected from a purposive homogeneous sample of 185 undergraduate students at a Dutch university, using reliable measures for self-efficacy and readiness for self-directed learning were analysed. The results of the mixed-methods study suggest that students gain self-efficacy (readiness) to independently take ownership of their learning process through a pedagogical approach that facilitates gradual competence development in each phase of the VCP. A teaching / learning framework is discussed that may help educators foster perceived task-readiness for the radically new learning activities that characterise VCP education.
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Our planet’s ecology and society are on a collision course, which manifests due to a contradiction in the assumptions of unlimited material growth fueling the linear economic paradigm. Our closed planetary ecosystem imposes confined amounts of space and a finite extent of resources upon its inhabitants. However, practically all the economic perspectives have been defiantly neglecting these realities, as resources are extracted, used and disposed of reluctantly (Ellen MacArthur Foundation 2015). The circular economy attempts to reconcile the extraction, production and usage of goods and resources with the limited availability of those resources and nature’s regenerative capabilities This perspective entails a shift throughout the supply chain, from material science (e g non-toxic, regenerative biomaterials) to novel logistical systems (e g low-carbon reverse logistics). Because of this, the circular economy is often celebrated for its potential environmental benefits and its usefulness as a blueprint for sustainable development (Ellen MacArthur Foundation 2017). Unfortunately, the promise of the circular economy aiming at enhanced sustainability through restorative intent and design (McDonough & Braungart 2010), is often inhibited by institutional barriers posed by the current linear economy of take, make, use and waste (Ghisellini et al. 2016). Underlying those barriers our cultural paradigm celebrates consumerism, exponential growth and financial benefit instead of human values such as diversity, care and trust. Based on a mapping exercise of the circular economy discourse in the Netherlands and an overview of international (academic) literature (Van den Berg 2020) supplemented with collaborative co-creation sessions, visiting events, conferences, giving talks and classes, we have defined a gap leading to the focus of the Professorship. First, we highlight the importance of a process approach in studying the transition from a linear to a circular economy, which is why we use the verb ‘entrepreneuring’ as it indicates the movement we collectively need to make. The majority of work in the field is based on start-ups and only captures snapshots while longitudinal and transition perspectives - especially of larger companies - are missing (Merli et al. 2019; Geissdoerfer et al. 2018; Bocken et al. 2014). We specifically adopt an entrepreneurship-as-practice lens (Thompson, Verduijn & Gartner 2020), which allows us to trace the doings – as opposed to only the sayings - of organizations involved in circular innovation. Such an approach also enables us to study cross-sector and interfirm collaboration, which is crucial to achieve ecosystem circularity (Raworth 2019). As materials flow between actors in a system, traditional views of ‘a value chain’ slowly make way for an ecosystem or value web perspective on ‘organizing business’. We summarize this first theme as ‘entrepreneurship as social change’ broadening dominant views of what economic activity is and who the main actors are supposed to be (Barinaga 2013; Calás, Smircich & Bourne 2009; Steyaert & Hjorth 2008; Nicholls 2008). Second, within the Circular Business Professorship value is a big word in two ways. First of all, we believe that a transition to a circular economy is not just a transition of materials, nor technologies - it is most of all a transition of values We are interested in how people can explore their own agency in transitioning to a circular economy thereby aligning their personal values with the values of the organization and the larger system they are a part of Second, while circularity is a broad concept that can be approached through different lenses, the way in which things are valued and how value is created and extracted lies at the heart of the transition (Mazzucato 2018). If we don’t understand value as collectively crafted it will be very hard to change things, which is why we specifically focus on multiplicity and co-creation in the process of reclaiming value, originating from an ethics of care Third, sustainability efforts are often concerned with optimization of the current – linear – system by means of ecoefficient practices that are a bit ‘less bad’; using ’less resources’, causing ‘less pollution’ and ‘having less negative impact’. In contrast, eco-effective practices are inherently good, departing from the notion of abundance: circular thinking celebrates the abundance of nature’s regenerative capacities as well as the abundance of our imagination to envision new realities (Ellen MacArthur Foundation 2015). Instead of exploiting natural resources, we should look closely in order to learn how we can build resilient self-sustaining ecosystems like the ones we find in nature. We are in need of rediscovering our profound connection with and appreciation of nature, which requires us to move beyond the cognitive and employ an aesthetic perspective of sustainability This perspective informs our approach to innovating education: aesthetics can support deep sustainability learning (Ivanaj, Poldner & Shrivastava 2014) and contribute to facilitating the circular change makers of the future. The current linear economy has driven our planet’s ecology and society towards a collision course and it is really now or never: if we don’t alter the course towards a circular economy today, then when? When will it become urgent enough for us to take action? Which disaster is needed for us to wake up? We desperately need substitutes for the current neo-liberal paradigm, which underlies our linear society and prevents us from becoming an economy of well-being In Entrepreneuring a regenerative society I propose three research themes – ‘entrepreneurship as social change’, ‘reclaiming value’ and ‘the aesthetics of sustainability’ – as alternative ways of embracing, studying and co-creating such a novel reality. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kim-poldner-a003473/
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I will examine the ways in which a hidden crisis can be exposed from a communications point of view. Therefore, this examination of the concept of crisis entrepreneurship is also relevant tot communication professionals. The article is in the form of proto-research and will shed light on the dilemmas experienced by crisis entrepreneurs and the interactional solutions they apply to cope with such dilemmas
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Despite its widespread occurrence, the topic of failure is barely addressed in entrepreneurship education. Consequently, students are given an incomplete and unrealistic picture of the complexity of being entrepreneurs. This study explores the pedagogical potential of introducing vicarious learning about failure in educational programs rather than focusing solely on starting, growing and success. Taking a qualitative approach, this study examined students’ reflective reports written after an interview with an entrepreneur on their experience of failure. Using concepts emerging from these reports and theoretical constructs, it was established whether and how students drew lessons and reflections from the failure stories. The findings show that interviewing and reflecting about the experiences of entrepreneurs allow for vicarious learning from failure, yet without students having to experience it themselves. The lessons learned and the reflections feed each other in a continuous loop. Students recognized that entrepreneurship involves trial and error instead of one straight road. Important lessons include the importance of adaptable behavior, access to key resources, insights in business development and the benefits of networking. Hence, this article contributes to the pedagogy of entrepreneurial education and provides initial suggestions for educators to introduce vicarious learning about failure as a topic in their programs.--Malgré sa fréquence élevée, le sujet de l’échec est à peine abordé dans l’enseignement de l’entrepreneuriat. En conséquence, il est communiqué aux étudiants une image incomplète et irréaliste de la complexité d’être un entrepreneur. Cette étude explore le potentiel pédagogique de l’apprentissage par procuration sur l’échec dans les programmes éducatifs, plutôt qu’une focalisation seulement sur le démarrage, la croissance et la réussite. En adoptant une approche qualitative, l’étude a examiné les rapports de réflexions rédigés par les étudiants à la suite d’un entretien avec un entrepreneur, centré sur son expérience de l’échec. À l’aide de concepts émergeant de ces rapports et de constructions théoriques, la manière dont les étudiants tiraient des leçons et des réflexions des récits d’échec – si tel était le cas - a été établie. Les résultats montrent que les entretiens et la réflexion sur l’expérience des entrepreneurs permettent un apprentissage par procuration concernant l’échec, sans pour autant que les étudiants aient eux-mêmes à vivre un échec. Les leçons apprises et les réflexions se nourrissent mutuellement dans une boucle continue. Les étudiants ont reconnu que l’entrepreneuriat a pour implication des épreuves et des erreurs, plutôt qu’une ligne toute droite. Parmi les leçons apprises majeures, citons l’importance des comportements adaptatifs, l’accès aux ressources-clés, les connaissances en matière de développement commercial et les avantages du travail en réseau. Ainsi, cet article contribue à la pédagogie de l’éducation sur l’entrepreneuriat et fait des suggestions pour les enseignants afin qu’ils introduisent l’apprentissage par procuration sur l’échec en tant que sujet à aborder dans leurs programmes.
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