Revisiting Entrepreneurship Education Literature: Implications for Learning and Teaching Entrepreneurship

Abstract

Abstract: Courses and programs about entrepreneurship show so much variation that it is hard to identify typical teaching strategies. Although diversity is good, consistency is needed because the value of entrepreneurship education has not been established. A literature review on teaching and learning in entrepreneurship was conducted; three challenges were identified. In the 21st century, creativity, innovation, and entrepreneurship became critical factors for modern prosperity (Carden, 2008). Echoing this trend, there is an unprecedented student demand for business education that provides the skill set needed to succeed in an increasingly divergent business environment (Cooper, Bottomley, & Gordon, 2004). By 1995, over 400 institutions offered entrepreneurship courses in the United States (Vesper, Gartner, & Williams, 1997). Today, more than 2000 institutions offer entrepreneurship courses (Cone, 2008). Despite the increasing energy and resources dedicated to teaching entrepreneurship, no clear relationship has been demonstrated between entrepreneurship education and students becoming entrepreneurs (Hostager & Decker, 1999). In fact, the proportion of people starting businesses shortly after graduation is minimal (Luthje & Franke, 2003). Research has even shown that after four years of entrepreneurship courses, interest in pursuing self-employment tends to dissipate (Whitlock & Master, 1996). The purpose of this paper is to examine the literature on teaching and learning in entrepreneurship education to understand what the current state of teaching and learning is in an effort to determine best practices. The paper is divided into four sections: method, teaching entrepreneurship, entrepreneurial learning, and implications and future research questions. Method An integrative literature review was conducted (Torraco, 2005). All databases relevant to business, professions, education, and social sciences were searched. Data bases included: ABI