Contextual factors influencing entrepreneurship education at a South African University of Technology

Abstract

Background: Entrepreneurship education (EE) occupies a particularly critical space in the development strategies of emerging market countries where entrepreneurs and small businesses are required to drive economic growth and job creation. In South Africa, universities of technology (UoT), which provide vocation-focussed tertiary education, are considered vital vehicles of EE.Aim: Institutions and educators are challenged by the limited research around EE content and pedagogy, particularly outside of the business school context. This study seeks to address these research gaps within the South African economic context by examining EE courses at a UoT.Setting: This study examined 14 entrepreneurship courses offered across 11 disciplines at one South African UoT.Methods: A qualitative study consisting of semi-structured interviews with 10 educators was conducted to explore how they design and deliver their EE courses.Results: The study found three contextual factors that influence the way educators design and deliver EE courses: (1) the needs of the student: the systemic nature of their experiences, (2) the quality of teaching materials: the limited relevance of the content, and (3) the background of the educators: their experience with entrepreneurship and industry.Conclusion: In examining these key contextual factors, this study highlights the challenges that locally higher education institutions face in designing the courses that are effective at promoting entrepreneurship locally. It also showcases the prominent role that educators play in solving problems, addressing challenges, and ensuring that EE contributes to a broader economic agenda by bringing their own passion, educational expertise, and practical knowledge to the classroom.

Designing internships: Student demographics and student motivation

“…There are different approaches to arranging learning experiences such as internships for students, and such learning arrangements have many labels. Some label it work placements (Wilton 2012), work practice (Buys & Casteleijn 2007), work-based practices (Crossley et al 2012), workintegrated learning (Patric et al, 2008, experiential education (Stansbie, Nash & Jack 2013) or blended learning platforms (Price & Ronnie 2021). These concepts share that the student is facilitated with a learning experience outside the traditional classroom, utilising didactics where the student is exposed to real-life problems resembling those that the student will be likely to encounter after graduation.…”

“…Blended learning platforms, such as internships, could be a means for providing students with lasting networks within their academic field outside the university (Price & Ronnie 2021). Such increased competitiveness could then relate to internships being a 'door-opener' to potential employers (Hora et al 2020).…”

Adoption of EdTech products among college students: a conceptual study

“…A majority of MANM 21,1 countries around the world have embraced distance learning, and India was no exception. Across the globe, universities in Asian countries and America and Africa provide vocationfocused tertiary education through EdTech platforms (Price and Ronnie, 2021). EdTech thus allows learners to acquire knowledge from sources that provide exciting and useful content.…”

Contribuições À Intenção Empreendedora Em Pesquisa Global Sobre Empreendedorismo

“…RONNIE, 2021;ARAYA-PIZARRO, 2021). Como contribuição adicional, nesse sentido, convém reforçar a sugestãode Lu, Song e Pan (2021) no sentido do apoio à promoção do clima universitário favorável, seja no âmbito da sua contribuição com as propostas de programas e disciplinas, seja no suporte ao futuro empreendedor com o estímulo às atividades e experiências, bem como ao processo de socialização destas (FRANKE;LÜTHJE, 2004; ANJUM et al, 2021).No que se refere à relação entre o programa de aprendizagem e a autoeficácia empreendedora (H2+; β=0,485; t=7,557; p=0,000), os testes levam a afirmação do efeito positivo e capacidade explicativa média do programa de aprendizagem para a percepção de autoeficácia (R 2 =23%).…”