A Competence Development Approach for Entrepreneurial Mindset in Entrepreneurship Education

Abstract

In recent years Entrepreneurship Education (EE) has become prevalent throughout Higher Education (HE), with a proliferation of programming for learners from Undergraduate to Post-experience studies. Despite the rapid scaling of provision, the majority of extant EE offerings demonstrate little conceptual evolution and development from early programs. Many approaches fall short of enabling the cognitive and behavioral change so critical to supporting entrepreneurial action. In this article we consider the concept of entrepreneurial mindset (EM) as a framing for EE programming, conceptualizing it as an approach to support the development of multidimensional cognitive and emotional competences and behavioral outcomes to enable entrepreneurial value creating activity across a range of contexts. We focus specifically on how educators can actively support the development of an EM through EE programming and start a conversation on the practicalities of operationalizing the EM concept within HE teaching and learning activity.

The Effects of an Entrepreneurial Project on the Career-Choice Readiness, Metacognition, and Growth Mindset of Secondary Students

“…Since entrepreneurs are already integrated into the program from day 2, their involvement could be extended to include mentorship roles, enhancing entrepreneurial skills, and encouraging deeper self-reflection, analysis, and awareness among students [69]. Engaging with external stakeholders also sharpens oral communication, project management, and critical thinking [7,22,46]. Furthermore, group counseling sessions could support students' growth mindset, aiding them in recognizing their strengths and fostering a positive sense of self [70].…”

“…In light of the above, participation in a student startup project is anticipated to positively influence career-choice readiness by enhancing action orientation. It may lead to career success, better decision-making, planning, exploration, and vocational identity [7,8,19,36,47,48]. Simultaneously, it is expected to enhance metacognition by fostering critical thinking and learning processes [9,45,[48][49][50] and promote a growth mindset by developing crucial skills for personal and career growth [9,10,27,31,45].…”

“…We also know that entrepreneurship education can foster more generic abilities like metacognition and growth mindset in schools, which are crucial for developing a career choice [6]. Moreover, cognitive and emotional competencies can be enhanced by strategically aligning teaching approaches with the essence of entrepreneurial projects [7]. The impact on skills and competencies reaches far beyond the classroom.…”