ENTREPRENEURSHIP EDUCATION: DOES A 'ONE-SIZE-FITS-ALL' APPROACH WORK?"

Background: Over the past two decades a key driver has been a growing interest in entrepreneurship education(EE) within Higher Education Institutions(HEIs). It can be argued that this interest has not been sufficiently... [ view full abstract ]

Background:
Over the past two decades a key driver has been a growing interest in entrepreneurship education(EE) within Higher Education Institutions(HEIs). It can be argued that this interest has not been sufficiently translated into a defined body of knowledge that addresses the wider education paradigm.

Educational Philosophy:
General frameworks to guide entrepreneurship educators in supporting students’ entrepreneurial learning have been developed in recent years, however it can be argued that different subject areas require approaches more suited to their professional/subject context.

Pedagogy/educational approach used:
This paper investigates how entrepreneurship education happens in practice and offers a critique of current approaches and generic models of entrepreneurial learning. It questions whether these ideas are appropriate for and sufficiently sensitive to the learning approaches of students within health and social care programmes.

Evaluation:
The authors argue that a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach is inappropriate for the development of student learning across educational programmes and may even be detrimental. The mentality, outlook, and learning approaches of students within health sciences faculties and, indeed, educators in this space, may differ fundamentally from those within other faculties.

Application to Education and Practice:
Implications for theory, policy and practice for entrepreneurship education within HEIs are considered and new insights to the challenges for EE within health sciences faculties are presented. The importance of success in this space is essential for the development of new and innovative ways of working in the health and social care sector to be achieved and sustained.