Exploring Teaching ‘Methods’ and their Value in Achieving Learning and Teaching Outcomes

Katie WrayTeaching Fellow in Enterprise

SAgE Faculty Office

What do entrepreneurship educators care about?

How can we educate students to:1. Start New Ventures2. Create High Growth Firms3. Solve a broad range of societal

problems entrepreneurially4. Adopt an entrepreneurial mindset

Blenker, P et al. (2011)

Exploring Teaching ‘Methods’..

Blenker, P et al. (2011)1. How-to-do-it (business plans)2. Pairing entrepreneurship (teams/patents/IP

etc)3. Finding motivations (financing etc)4. Entrepreneurship as a method for all

• Teaching ‘through’ entrepreneurship

Entrepreneurial behaviours

Entrepreneurial Attributes

Entrepreneurial Skills

Opportunity seeking Self confidence Problem solvingCreative problem solving Achievement orientation PersuadingGrasping/organising opportunities Autonomy Negotiating Taking initiatives ‘Natural’ leadership Strategic thinkingManaging interdependence ‘Fixer' Articulating ideasAmbition Determination Selling Seeing things through Getting things done Proposing

Rapid use of judgement HardworkingDecision making under ccccccuncertainty

Taking calculated risks Commitment Holistic task management Social networking Action oriented Social skills

PerseveranceStrong ego

Entrepreneurship as a ‘method’

Teaching week plan (SPG8015)• Pre-School assignment• Day One: Defining the teaching

– Getting to know each other– How has our thinking changed– Testing the traits– Identifying problems

• Day Two: Entrepreneurial Lab– Food for thought scenarios– Application– Testing the traits

• Day Three: Creativity and Ideas– Techniques– Discussing problems

– Developing solutions– Presenting solutions

• Day Four– The role of entrepreneurship in the

economy and society– Rise Up Apprentice-style challenge

• Day Five: Entrepreneurship on the inside– The role of innovation in business

design; Prof Max Robinson (EiR)– The business case– Entrepreneurship legacy theory

(tying the knots); Prof Allan Gibb

..their Value in Achieving Teaching and Learning Outcomes

“As Maste

r's stu

dents my peers a

nd I envisa

ged that w

e had

experienced th

e most innovative methods w

e were going to.

However, in week 1 of o

ur course we were all p

leasantly

surprised”.

“we developed cohesion and interview skills without

realising”

“Katie managed to keep a group of Master's students

engaged for a whole 2 weeks - an impressive task!”

“activities encouraged critical thinking, evaluation, creation

and innovation whilst ensuring the whole group were

engaged with a stimulating activity”.“Even the theory was delivered in an interesting format”

“Presenting innovative teaching methods, guest speakers

and assessment has allowed us to learn even more

effectively than more whilst enjoying our contact time.”

“methods that w

ould stimulate all learning preferences”

“We have taken some of the methods out of the class room

to complete other assignments and group tasks

demonstrating that the learning outcomes are beyond that

of solely SPG 8015”

“Fully engaging classes with interactive methods I have not

seen before”

Discussion Topic• Is it because I teach Enterprise and

Entrepreneurship or do students ‘apply’ innovative thinking from my modules to technical modules to gain a ‘professional’ outcome?

• Questions I ask:– Are you a ‘professional X’ when you get a degree?– Do students create a University journey?– Could these methods achieve your outcomes to any

extent?