Entrepreneurship Education in Ghana: A Case Study of Teachers’ Experiences
Abstract
Despite the global popularity of entrepreneurship education in higher education, concerns persist about its heterogeneous, broad, and ambiguous objectives and curricula. Many research studies and papers have highlighted these weaknesses and offered remedies for addressing them. Not much is known about how teachers (who are their primary interpreters and users) actually experience the objectives and curricula. This study addresses this gap by exploring teachers’ lived experiences of the entrepreneurship education objectives and curricula for insights regarding their nature from the perspective of teachers in order to identify more appropriate solutions to enhance them. Adopting the qualitative single case study research approach, primary data was collected from face-to-face interviews with four teachers at a Ghanaian institution offering entrepreneurship education. The data was supplemented by secondary data from course study documents and then analysed using the interpretive and case study analysis methods. The findings indicate that (1) teachers perceive the entrepreneurship education objectives and curricula as heterogeneous, broad, and ambiguous, (2) this placed certain limitations on teaching and learning, and (3) despite their shortcomings, the objectives and curricula were fitting for achieving entrepreneurship education’s broader aims of creating awareness of entrepreneurship, fostering the enterprise culture in students and developing entrepreneurial skills. Teachers indicated that institutional interventions such as continuous teacher education, increased resources, and more credit hours could address the perceived shortcomings. The findings underscore the need for further research on the nature of the objectives and curricula from the lenses of teachers and students in order to enhance policy and practice.
https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.21.6.16
Keywords
Full Text:
PDFReferences
Acs, Z. J., Szerb, L., Lafuente, E., & Lloyd, A. (2018). The global entrepreneurship index 2018. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/322757639_The_Global_Entrepreneurship_Index_2018.
Akinyode, B. F., & Khan, T. H. (2018). Step-by-step approach for qualitative data analysis. International Journal of Built Environment and Sustainability, 5(3), 163-174.
Alberti, F., Sciascia, S., & Poli, A. (2004). Entrepreneurship education: Notes on an on-going debate. [Paper presentation]. 14th Annual International Entrepreneurial Conference, University of Napoli Federico, Italy.
Azim, T. M., & Al-Kahtani, A. (2014). Entrepreneurship education and training: A survey of literature. Life Science Journal, 11(1s), 127-135.
Babbie, E. (2011). The basics of social research (5th ed.). Wadsworth Cengage Learning.
Blundel, R., & Lockett, N. (2011). Exploring entrepreneurship: Practices and perspectives. Oxford University Press.
Bögenhold, D. (2019). From hybrid entrepreneurs to entrepreneurial billionaires: Observations on the socioeconomic heterogeneity of self-employment. American Behavioural Scientist, 63, 129-146. http://doi.org/10.1177/0002764218794231
Bosma, N., Hessels, J., Schutjens, V., Van Praag, M., & Verheul, I. (2012). Entrepreneurship and and role models. Journal of Economics and Psychology. 33, 410–424.
Braun, V., Clarke, V., Hayfield, N., & Terry, G. (2019). Handbook of research methods in health social sciences. SAGE Publishing.
Carlson, B., Braunerhjelm, P., McKelvey, M., Olofsson, C., Persson, L., Ylinenpaa, H. (2012, July 02-05). The evolving domain of entrepreneurship research. Are they different from independent entrepreneurs? Research Network Debate. Swedish Entrepreneurship Forum. [Paper presentation]. 14th International Joseph A Schumpeter Conference, Brisbane, Australia.
Cohen, L. Manion, L., & Morrison, K. (2011). Research methods in education (7th ed). Routledge.
Creswell, J. W. (2014). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-methods approaches (4th ed). SAGE Publishing.
Creswell, J.W., & Creswell, J.D. (2018) Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed- methods approaches. SAGE Publishing.
Drucker, P. F. (1985). Innovation and entrepreneurship. Harper and Row.
Dzisi, S. (2014). Entrepreneurship education: Towards an innovative approach. Journal of Education and Practice, 5(20), 154-164. www.iiste.org/Journals/index.php/JEP/article/viewFile/14258/14566
Fayolle, A. (2013). Personal view on the future of entrepreneurship education. Entrepreneurship and Regional Development, 25 (7-8), 692-701. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/08985626.2013.821318
Fiet, J. O. (2000). The pedagogical side of entrepreneurship theory. Journal of Business Venturing, 16, 101-117.
Greene, F. J., & Saridakis, G. (2008). The role of higher education skills and support in graduate self-employment. Studies in Higher Education, 33(6), 653–672.
Gyamfi, G. P. (2013). Evaluating entrepreneurship education as a tool for economic growth: The Ghanaian experience. British Journal of Education, Society and Behavioural Science, 4(3), 318-335. https://doi.org/10.9734/BJESBS/2014/5857
Hardie, B., Highfield, C., & Lee, K. (2020). Entrepreneurship education today for students’ unknown futures. Journal of Pedagogical Research, 4(3), 401-407.
http://dx.doi.org/10.33902/JPR.202006302
Harrison, J. D. (2014, June 11). Can you really teach entrepreneurship? Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/on-small-business/can-you-really-teach-entrepreneurship/2014/03/21/51426de8-a545-11e3-84d4-e59b1709222c_story.html
Joshi, R. 2014. Entrepreneurship education: Core, context and challenges. Journal of Entrepreneurship and Management, 3(2).
Kigotho, W. (2014). World Bank calls for more entrepreneurship education. University World News, (327). https://www.universityworldnews.com/post.php?story=20140704081803607
Kuratko, D. F. (2005, September). The emergence of entrepreneurship education: Development, trends and challenges. Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, 29(5), 577-598.
Lackéus, M. 2015. Entrepreneurship in education. What, why, when, how. Entrepreneurship 360 Background Paper. OECD. European Commission. https://www.oecd.org/cfe/leed/BGP_Entrepreneurship-in-Education.pdf
Liguori, E., Winkler, C., Winkel, D., Marvel, M. R., Keels, K. J., Van Gelderen, M., & Noyes, E. (2018). The entrepreneurship education imperative: Introducing EE&P. Entrepreneurship Education and Pedagogy, 1(1), 5–7. https://doi.org/10.1177/2515127417737290
Long, H. 2014. An empirical review of research methodologies and methods in creativity studies (2003–2012). Creativity Research Journal, 26(4), 427-438. http://doi.org/10.1080/10400419.2014.961781
McMillan, J. H., and Schumacher, S. (2010). Research in education: Evidence-based inquiry. (7th ed.). Pearson Education.
Maxwell, J. A. (2012). Qualitative research design: Interactive approach. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/43220402
Mohajan, H. K. (2018). Qualitative research methodology in social sciences and theoretical economics. Journal of Economic Development, Environment and People, 7(1), 23-48. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/325673729_Profile_of_Dr_Haradhan_Mohajan
Mordedzi, B. (2014). Teach us to fish and farm: Model for entrepreneurship education in Ghana. Entrepreneurship and Small Business Management. https://www.academia.edu/27742194/TEACH_US_TO_FISH_AND_FARM_MODEL_FOR_ENTREPRENEURSHIP_EDUCATION_IN_GHANA.
Musetsho, T. R., & Lethoko, M. X. (2017). An evaluative study on the effect of entrepreneurial education curriculum on students at the University of Venda, South Africa. The Independent Journal of Teaching and Learning, 12(1), 74- 89.
Mwasalwiba, E. S. (2010). Entrepreneurship education: A review of its objectives, teaching methods, and impact indicators. IEEE Engineering Management Review, 40(1), 72–94.
Nabi, G., Walmsley, A., Liñán, F., Akhtar, I., & Neame, C. (2018). Does entrepreneurship education in the first year of higher education develop entrepreneurial intentions? The role of learning and inspiration. Studies in Higher Education, 43(3), 452-467. http://doi.org/10.1080/03075079.2016.1177716
Neck, H. M., Greene, P. G., & Brush, C. G. (2014). Teaching entrepreneurship: A practice-based approach. Edward Elgar.
Neck, H. M., & Corbett, A. C. (2018). The scholarship of teaching and learning entrepreneurship. Entrepreneurship Education and Pedagogy, 1(1), 8–41. https://doi.org/10.1177/2515127417737286
Ogden, J., & Cornwell, D. (2010). The role of topic, interviewee, and question in predicting rich interview data in the field of health research. Sociology of Health and Illness, 32(7), 1059–71.
Palinkas, L. A., Horwitz, S. M., Green, C. A., Wisdom, J. P., Duan, N., & Hoagwood, K. (2013). Purposeful sampling for qualitative data collection and analysis in mixed method implementation research. Administration and Policy in Mental Health. http://doi.org/10.1007/s10488-013-0528-y.
Patton, M. Q. (2002). Qualitative research and evaluation methods. (3rd ed.). SAGE Publishing.
Patton, M. Q. (2015). Qualitative research and evaluation methods. (4th ed.). Sage Publishing.
Quality Assurance Agency (QAA). (2018). Enterprise and entrepreneurship education: Guidance for UK higher education providers. https://www.qaa.ac.uk/docs/qaas/enhancement-and-development/enterprise-and-entrpreneurship-education-2018.pdf?sfvrsn=15f1f981_8
Ras, P., & Pretorius, M. (2007). An entrepreneurial educational model for the Namibian higher education system. Acta Commercii, 7(1), 327-336. https://repository.up.ac.za/bitstream/handle/2263/5165/Ras_Entrepreneurial(2007).pdf?sequence=1
Robinson, P., & Haynes, M. (1991). Entrepreneurship education in America’s major universities. Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, 15(3), 41-52.
Rubin, H. J., & Rubin, I. S. (2012). Qualitative interviewing the art of hearing data. (3rd ed.) SAGE Publishing.
Sá, C., Kretz, A., & Sigurdson, K. (2014). The state of entrepreneurship education in Ontario’s colleges and universities. doi: 10.13140/2.1.4527.1684
Schramm, C. (2014, May 06). Teaching entrepreneurship gets an incomplete. The Wall Street Journal.
Shaughnessy, J. J., Zechmeister, E. B., & Zechmeister, J. S. (2012). Research methods in psychology. (9th ed.). McGraw-Hill.
Sirelkhatim, F., & Gangi, Y. (2015). Entrepreneurship education: A systematic literature review of curricula contents and teaching methods. Cogent Business & Management, 2(1). http://doi.org/10.1080/23311975.2015.1052034
Supramania, K., & Aumugam, N. 2012. Entrepreneurship education: Insights into students’ learning experience. Asian Journal of University Education, 8(2), 19-32.
Sutton, J., & Austin, Z. 2015. Qualitative research: Data collection, analysis, and management. The Canadian Journal of Hospital Pharmacy, 68(3), 226–231. http://doi.org10.4212/cjhp.v68i3.1456
Valerio, A., Parton, B., & Robb, A. (2014). Entrepreneurship education and training programs around the world: Dimensions for success. World Bank. http://dx.doi.org/10.1596/978-1-4648-0202-7
Vasileiou, K., Barnett, J., Thorpe, S., & Young, T. (2018). Characterizing and justifying sample size sufficiency in interview-based studies: Systematic analysis of qualitative health research over a 15-year period. BioMed Central (BMC) Medical Research Methodology, 18(2018), 148.
Weiming, L., Chunyan, L., & Xiaohua, D. (2016). Ten years of entrepreneurship education at Chinese universities: Evolution, problems, and system building. Chinese Education and Society, 49(3), 198-216. http://doi.org/10.1080/10611932.2016.1218250
Williams, E. N., & Morrow, S. L. (2009). Achieving trustworthiness in qualitative research: A pan-paradigmatic perspective. Psychotherapy Research, 19(4-5), 576-582. http://doi.org/10.1080/10503300802702113
Yin, R.K. (2003). Case study research: Design and methods. (3rd ed.). SAGE Publishing.
Yin, R. K. (2011). Qualitative research from start to finish. Guilford Press.
Refbacks
- There are currently no refbacks.
e-ISSN: 1694-2116
p-ISSN: 1694-2493