Jaana Seikkula-Leino, Timo Satuvuori, Elena Ruskovaara and Heikki Hannula
The purpose of this paper is to ascertain how the people who train Finnish teachers implement entrepreneurship education in the guidance they provide. The authors show how…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to ascertain how the people who train Finnish teachers implement entrepreneurship education in the guidance they provide. The authors show how learning through, for and about entrepreneurship manifests in the self-evaluations of Finnish teacher educators.
Design/methodology/approach
Data were collected in spring 2012 with a quantitative survey questionnaire to 100 teacher educators and training teachers for vocational and general education, to rectors and managers.
Findings
The teacher educators used a relatively large number of the pedagogical models and methods pursued in entrepreneurship education, such as problem based learning, experiential and practical descriptions of situations, and they also encouraged their students to take responsibility and to be self-directed. These can be seen to specifically support learning for entrepreneurship. On the other hand there would still be room for improvement as regards the teacher educators’ guidance through entrepreneurship.
Practical implications
It would be appropriate in entrepreneurship education to take account of prospective teachers’ authentic experiences of entrepreneurship. For example, in teacher training greater use could be made of practice enterprises, co-operative operations, on-the-job learning and methods such as the Young Enterprise business incubator.
Originality/value
The European Union places particular emphasis on the further development of entrepreneurship education in teacher training. The study opens up perspectives on what kinds of skills teacher educators impart to prospective teachers who will continue in working life until the 2070s.
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Elena Ruskovaara and Timo Pihkala
This study aims to highlight the entrepreneurship education practices teachers use in their work. Another target is to analyze how these practices differ based on a number of…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to highlight the entrepreneurship education practices teachers use in their work. Another target is to analyze how these practices differ based on a number of background factors.
Design/methodology/approach
This article presents a quantitative analysis of 521 teachers and other entrepreneurship education actors. The paper first examines the overall picture of entrepreneurship education practices. Then, after a factor analysis, the paper builds new sum measures of entrepreneurship education practices. Finally, the paper studies the teachers’ background information to further analyze the entrepreneurship education practices.
Findings
The findings provide information on which methods appear to be used the most frequently in basic and upper secondary education, and how these practices vary between different school levels. The results also indicate that the perception teachers have of their own entrepreneurship education skills is closely connected to the implementation of entrepreneurship education. Moreover, the findings present the connection between teacher training and the implementation of entrepreneurship education.
Originality/value
Teachers’ entrepreneurship education practices and related teaching and working methods are important in many respects. As research has primarily focused on higher education where the transferability of the results to basic and upper secondary education seems vague, this paper concentrates on the teachers’ role and especially their practices in lower education. The authors consider that their article has a special value in exploring and opening dialogue in this area.
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Jaana Seikkula‐Leino, Elena Ruskovaara, Markku Ikavalko, Johanna Mattila and Tiina Rytkola
The aim of this paper is to show how entrepreneurship education focuses on the teacher's learning and reflection and how, according to the data, undeveloped reflections impede the…
Abstract
Purpose
The aim of this paper is to show how entrepreneurship education focuses on the teacher's learning and reflection and how, according to the data, undeveloped reflections impede the development of entrepreneurship education.
Design/methodology/approach
The data were collected through content typing in 2008 from 29 teachers at the basic, upper secondary and vocational educational levels. The focus is on self‐reflection – how and what teachers reflect on when writing about entrepreneurship education.
Findings
The teachers stress the need for coordination between subjects in developing a more entrepreneurially oriented working community. There appears to be confusion between aims and practices in entrepreneurship education: when asked to give the aims, the teachers describe the practices. Moreover, they “outsource” themselves but refer to aims from the pupils' perspective.
Research limitations/implications
This study only presents preliminary data from the project.
Practical implications/implications
The development of teacher learning in terms of reflection, which should be developed in their basic and in‐service training; the implementation of changes in the educational arena, such as curriculum reform, from the perspective of learning and reflection; and the connection between aims and results in the context of entrepreneurship education.
Originality/value
The approach taken to teacher learning and reflection in the context of entrepreneurship education has so far been an unexplored field of research. Moreover, our article highlights the crucial factor, the development of the teacher's learning, in the context of entrepreneurship education which, according to our results, has received far too little attention in the discourse on entrepreneuship education, and thus also in the strengthening of entrepreneurship. Our article introduces new trends for international research on entrepreneurship and entrepreneurship education, in which increasing attention should be paid to the learning processes of teachers and instructors.
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Kaarina Sommarström, Elena Oikkonen and Timo Pihkala
The purpose of this paper studies the role of paradoxes in the adoption of entrepreneurship education (EE) in schools.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper studies the role of paradoxes in the adoption of entrepreneurship education (EE) in schools.
Design/methodology/approach
Qualitative research methods were used, and the data were collected via semi-structured interviews with Finnish teachers and principals.
Findings
Paradoxes are an important factor slowing the adoption of EE. Paradoxes appear to arise from teachers' misunderstandings, high personal standards of pedagogy and an unwillingness to change their routines. In schools, principals still regard EE as a newcomer that is easily abandoned should any difficulties emerge. The principals show unwillingness to take responsibility for managing EE or to establish relationships with companies.
Research limitations/implications
The study represents Finnish practice in basic education. Due to the qualitative methodology applied, the generalizability of the results is limited. Quantitative research on the teachers' and principals' behaviour related to paradoxes in EE is needed. Furthermore, the pedagogical prioritization related to the introduction of EE warrants more research.
Practical implications
The results suggest good opportunities exist in training to prepare teachers and principals to anticipate the difficulties of EE.
Originality/value
The study introduces a new understanding of the difficulties in the adoption of EE. Paradoxes are important factors to take into account in the promotion of EE. Paradoxes stem from teachers' misunderstandings, misconceptions and their unwillingness to change. Principals seem unwilling to assume their responsibilities in managing EE. The study highlights opportunities for managing the emergence of these paradoxes by preparing teachers and principals better on the difficulties and unexpected outcomes of EE.