Integrating work placements into entrepreneurial education: A student perspective

Background: Effective teaching methods are essential for equipping students with entrepreneurial skills. While higher education institutions and educators aim to foster innovative entrepreneurs, the effectiveness of current teaching methods and co-curricular activities in achieving this remains unce...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Chanté Botha, Daniella Teles Amaral
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: AOSIS 2025-04-01
Series:The Southern African Journal of Entrepreneurship and Small Business Management
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Online Access:https://sajesbm.co.za/index.php/sajesbm/article/view/1021
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Summary:Background: Effective teaching methods are essential for equipping students with entrepreneurial skills. While higher education institutions and educators aim to foster innovative entrepreneurs, the effectiveness of current teaching methods and co-curricular activities in achieving this remains uncertain. Aim: This study investigates students’ perspectives on incorporating work placements into entrepreneurial education (EE). It also explores their views on the effectiveness of teaching methods and co-curricular activities within this context. Setting: The research focusses on higher education students enrolled in programmes with an entrepreneurial component. Methods: A structured questionnaire was administered to 105 higher education students to evaluate their perspectives on work placements, teaching methods and co-curricular activities in EE. Data were analysed using SPSS, which included demographic statistics and statistical analyses comprising one-sample t-tests and paired-sample tests. Results: Students showed a preference for innovative teaching methods over traditional approaches. They highly valued job shadowing, considering it effective as both a teaching method and a co-curricular activity. However, students expressed a preference for work placements to be included as co-curricular activities rather than formal teaching methods. Conclusion: The findings underscore the importance of integrating practical and experiential learning methods to align with student preferences and enhance the quality of EE. Contribution: This study offers actionable insights into student preferences, advocating for a shift towards experiential learning. By aligning teaching strategies with these preferences, higher education institutions can create more impactful EE environments.
ISSN:2522-7343
2071-3185