Extracurricular Start-Up Classes for Students Teach Them How to be Entrepreneurs

Abstract

The primary aim of this research endeavor is to enhance comprehension regarding the manner in which college students commence engagement in extracurricular pursuits. This study examines the social and contextual learning encounters of students involved in start-up projects, and explores how this environment impacts the approaches and results of entrepreneurial learning. The study focuses on the design, technique, and approach employed in examining numerous cohorts of students who were involved in the Start-Up extracurricular program. This program was run by three partner universities located in the Greater Copenhagen region. In conjunction with project progress reports, observation notes, and survey data, the data underwent inductive analysis through the utilization of semi-structured interviews with students and project administrators. These interviews were done at various points throughout and after the initiation of the start-up program. To conclude, This study presents a process model of entrepreneurial learning that is both theoretically informed and empirically grounded. The model is then applied to extracurricular startup programs, drawing upon the findings of the research. By engaging in assimilation, comprehension, and co-participation within the social practice of entrepreneurship, students have the opportunity to enhance their knowledge frameworks and cultivate a heightened sense of self-confidence in their capacity to effectively engage in entrepreneurial endeavors. The proposed approach delineates three interrelated components that facilitate the provision of entrepreneurship education to students, hence facilitating the cultivation of two distinct sets of skills: venture creation and entrepreneurship.