Entrepreneurial Learning at the Boundary: How to Learn From a Local Cheese Maker

Abstract

The learning innovation we report in this article is an international rapid-prototyping event (48 hours) in which teams of international BSc and MSc students from two universities (Western Europe and South-East Africa, respectively) jointly designed and developed a prototype for a local small-business owner in a developing economy. The learning innovation has its origin in the simple observation that the majority of the current theories, cases, and learning activities that characterize entrepreneurship education have their origin in western-oriented epistemologies and ontologies. The goal of this entrepreneurial learning activity was to develop students’ entrepreneurial competencies through interaction and cross-boundary entrepreneurial problem-solving between university students from western and non-western origin. The results underpin that it is very worthwhile for higher education teachers—who look for new, cost-effective “wide” entrepreneurship education programs—to adopt such events. The results show that the program not only contributes to short-term impact (e.g., joy of learning and collaborating, confidence in the own expertise, and seeing where to contribute) but also enables longer term impact (e.g., moving from intention to an actual start-up). Moreover, the activity produces actual solutions that, in this case the cheese maker can implement, can help the business to grow and survive.

Preparing Primary Education Teachers to Teach Civic Education in the Indonesian Elementary Schools

“…Furthermore, this study also showed that the course material was intended to focus on material contained in an epistemological and ontological manner that was oriented towards Elementary School. Lans et al (2020) emphasise that learning innovation originates from the latest learning activities. According to Mayes (2015), certain methods for promoting ideal learning have confirmed their effectiveness in learning achievement.…”

Lighthouse as a Transdisciplinary Boundary-Crossing Learning Innovation

“…First, offering entrepreneurship education outside the classroom provides increased accessibility. For Lans et al (2021, p. 529), “Entrepreneurship education has to go beyond simply channeling students through a western entrepreneurship funnel, paying little attention to the diversity”. Offering entrepreneurship education outside the classroom is increasingly being employed outside business schools to engage with the challenge of real-world wicked problems (Turner & Gianiodis, 2018).…”

“…Third, context needs to be valued. There are increasing calls for the situated nature of opportunity and entrepreneurial practices to be recognized (Lans et al, 2021; Welter, 2011; Woods et al, 2022). This requires valuing local and Indigenous knowledge, values, and experiences.…”

“…Pedagogical boundaries include the walls of a classroom and the structures of higher education. Increasingly, those working in the discipline of entrepreneurship are noting how recognizing the situated nature of opportunity, and entrepreneurial practices invite change (Lans et al, 2021; Welter, 2011; Woods et al, 2022). The offering of entrepreneurship education outside the academic structures of higher education has multiple benefits.…”

Influence of Film Role on the Positive Development of College Students’ Entrepreneurial Behavior Using Positive Psychology

“…In the information age, the influence of the developing media has been paid ever-more attention by the public. Under the influence of various forms of media, the influence of film is more direct and profound ( Lans et al, 2021 ). The development of film will have a certain impact on people’s way of thinking, behavior, and lifestyle ( Vidmar, 2020 ).…”