Since the 1990s the education sector has been called upon to create more 'entrepreneurs' to find solutions to global problems (Acs and Audretsch, 2010) leading to entrepreneurship education (EE). EE is considered to be at an early stage of development, regarded by some as confusing or marginal, with work needed to make it more effective and available (Lackéus, 2015). Expectations of EE “may have spiralled beyond what is both realistic and possible” (Henry, 2013, p.836). The educator is key in this relationship, but research has largely neglected their experiences. This study directly addresses this gap. EE can be categorised into four learning approaches: (1) knowledge 'about' entrepreneurship; (2) human and social capital 'for' entrepreneurship; (3) entrepreneurial attributes 'through' EE; and (4) 'embedded', where EE is inculcated within wider learning outcomes. An interpretative phenomenological approach was employed to study UK based Higher Education EE educators. This study provides an original contribution to knowledge by proposing a conceptual model of the essence of EE educators' experiences identifying: shared values; multiple identities; and innovative practices. It finds something personal and inherently 'good' about EE, beyond knowledge of entrepreneurship, which attracts certain educators. These educators are entrepreneurial with a need for change, distinctiveness and action, which can lead to marginalisation from the traditional educational establishment. They are found to be highly efficacious when a HEI is developing EE, and it is argued, could act as significant enablers for wider HEI institutional change. Despite substantial EE policy, within HEIs the EE agenda can go 'in and out of fashion', causing frustrations and difficulties for educators. Policy implications are advocated to create enabling HEI environments and future research is recommended to develop a clearer understanding of what EE, and in particular EE educators, require to make a significant and measurable impact for students and wider society.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:bl.uk/oai:ethos.bl.uk:760026 |
| Date | January 2018 |
| Creators | Langston, Carol |
| Contributors | Williams, Russell ; Heywood, Ian ; McMurtry, David |
| Publisher | University of Aberdeen |
| Source Sets | Ethos UK |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation |
| Source | http://digitool.abdn.ac.uk:80/webclient/DeliveryManager?pid=239373 |
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