Student attitudes to and engagement with enterprise education (QAA5) #EERPF

Objective:

• enable students to reflect on their understanding of, experiences of and attitudes towards enterprise and entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial education activities. 
• support students in recognising and articulating what they value, have gained and/or want from entrepreneurial education activities.
• generate evidence to guide staff in increasing student engagement in, and strengthening the provision of, entrepreneurial education activities.   

Overview:  

The focus within these activities is to enable students to reflect on their understanding of, experiences of and attitudes towards enterprise and entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial education activities, and to recognise and articulate what they value, have gained and/or want from entrepreneurial education activities. The outputs of these reflective activities also support staff in tailoring the design and communication of entrepreneurial education activities to enhance students’ understanding of the value of these experiences (where the outputs suggest this may be lacking) and to appeal to students’ prioritise and wants within the scope of entrepreneurial education activities (as revealed in the outputs), so as to increase student engagement. Additionally, the outputs of these reflective activities provide qualitative and quantitative evidence of what students value with respect to entrepreneurial education activities, and the forms of entrepreneurial education activities which are indicated to be more and less effective, which can support staff in making a case for increasing/expanding, and augmenting/strengthening, provision of entrepreneurial education activities.

Activity: 

This activity is comprised of two parts: a questionnaire (part 1) and a focus group discussion guide (part 2). 

Both activities were designed to be used with students in the arts, humanities and sciences, to facilitate student reflection on and articulation of preconceptions of (where relevant), attitudes towards and experiences of enterprise and entrepreneurship education. These subject areas were targeted based on evidence of lower engagement of students in these subject areas with enterprise and entrepreneurship education in comparison to students of business-related subject areas (e.g., Department for Business, Innovation and Skills 2013), and with the objectives of gaining a better understanding, among education providers, of the motivations towards and barriers against engagement among these students, thereby being able to better work with where the students are ‘starting from’ to enhance engagement. However, both activities are equally applicable to students of business-related subject areas, and provide the same gains for students in terms of self-reflection, evaluation, and communication of pre-professional identities with respect to enterprise and entrepreneurship competencies. 

The dataset arising from the use of this activity at Oxford Brookes University and at the University of Birmingham in spring and summer 2022, as part of the Enterprise Educators EUK Research Project ‘Increasing Engagement with Enterprise Education in the Arts, Humanities and Sciences’, is available online (see references - Macrae, Hook and Scrob 2022). An associated project report summarising the analysis of the research findings, based on these data, will be published online by Enterprise Educators UK in summer 2022. 

If you use this resource, the authors would greatly appreciate it if you could get in touch to outline the use and impact, to support impact tracking. Please email Dr. Andrea Macrae at andrea.macrae@brookes.ac.uk if so. Thank you. 

The questionnaire (activity part 1) takes most students around 15 to 20 minutes to complete. There are two variants of the questionnaire: a screening question solicits whether students feel that they have engaged with enterprise and/or entrepreneurship within their degree course and/or through extra-curricular activities, in which case they are given questionnaire variant B, or if they feel that they have not or are not sure, in which case they are given variant A. The two variants are presented below. The questionnaire was pilot tested and ethically approved at the University of Birmingham (ERN_22-0560 and ERN_22-0561) and Oxford Brookes University (UREC L20241), and subsequently conducted with undergraduates at both institutions (n=238) in the spring and summer of 2022.  

Screening question:

Please tick the statement which is true for you. 

  A. I have learned about enterprise and/or entrepreneurship within my university degree course (e.g., within a module).

  B. I have learned about enterprise and/or entrepreneurship through extra-curricula activities (e.g., through volunteering, student societies, sports, etc.).

  C. I have learned about enterprise and/or entrepreneurship both within my university degree course and through extra-curricular activities.

  D. None of the above apply - I have NOT learned about enterprise and/or entrepreneurship ether within my university degree course or through extra- 

  curricular activities.

  E. I am not sure about any of the above. 

Questionnaire variant A (for students who feel that that they have not engaged with enterprise and/or entrepreneurship within their degree course or through extra-curricular activities, or are not sure, i.e., those who select responses D or E to the screening question):  

1. What is your degree course? (e.g., Geography, English Literature, etc.) 

2. We would like to know what you understand by the term ‘enterprise’. What do you associate with this term? Please write five words that you associate with this term. 

3. We would like to know what you understand by the term ‘entrepreneurship’. What do you associate with this term? Please write five words that you associate with this term. 

4. Please list up to five skills that you think are enterprise skills. 

5. Please list up to five skills that you think are entrepreneurship skills. 

6. Beyond your university degree course and extra-curricular activities, where do your current ideas about enterprise and entrepreneurship come from? For example, where else have you encountered things related to enterprise and entrepreneurship? 

We are interested in your experiences learning about enterprise and entrepreneurship within your university degree course and extra-curricular activities. This learning may have involved listening to talks, taking part in activities, doing particular kinds of assessments, and more. It may have been explicitly described as enterprise or entrepreneurship learning, or it may not have been explicitly described this way.

7. Please describe one of your experiences within your university degree course and extra- curricular activities in which you learned about enterprise and/or entrepreneurship. Please write a few sentences describing this experience - what you did and what you learned. 

8. Looking back on your experiences learning about enterprise and/or entrepreneurship within your university degree course and extra-curricular activities, what do you feel could be improved with regard to the enterprise and/or entrepreneurship education opportunities you have experienced or been offered? 

9. Looking back on your experiences learning about enterprise and/or entrepreneurship within your university degree course and extra-curricular activities, what do you think worked well (for example, what was a well-designed and/or enjoyable activity, what did you learn the most from, etc.)? 

10. We are interested in how far you feel enterprise and/or entrepreneurship are relevant to you and to your degree. Please answer the following four questions. 

11. Please select the statement that is true for you: 

  A. I would like more opportunities to learn about enterprise and/or entrepreneurship during my time at university.   

  B. I would like fewer opportunities to learn about enterprise and/or entrepreneurship during my time at university.

  C. I think the number of opportunities I have had to learn about enterprise and/or entrepreneurship during my time at university is adequate. 

12. How important are the following generic skills and competencies to you? That is, how much do you want to be good at these skills and have these competencies?

13. How important are the following generic skills and competencies to you? That is, how much do you want to be good at these skills and have these competencies? 

14. How important are the following generic skills and competencies to you? That is, how much do you want to be good at these skills and have these competencies? 

15. How important are the following to you? 

16. Please indicate how far you agree with the following statements. My experience learning about enterprise and/or entrepreneurship at University has helped me learn how to... 

17. How important are the following to you? 

18. Please indicate how far you agree with the following statements. My experience learning about enterprise and/or entrepreneurship at University has helped me learn how to... 

19. Please read the following description for a hypothetical academic module, and then answer the question below it: 

‘The Product Development and Prototyping module is intended to emphasisethe creative aspects of product/service design. It delivers the message that imagination, teamwork and responsibility are essential attributes for successful professionals. 

Working in groups, students use brainstorming techniques to generate ideas for new products and services, while considering ethical, economic, and societal implications of these proposed innovations. 

Each group will then filter these ideas and develop one or more to the point of producing a business plan for its realisation. Students who have completed this exercise have fed back comments such as ‘I enjoyed the creativity involved in this exercise’ and ‘This helped me learn about developing a business plan’.

Would you take this module as part of your degree?

 A. Definitely not           

 B. Probably not

 C. Possibly                

 D. Probably              

 E. Definitely

20. Please read the following learning opportunities, and then rank them according to how much they appeal to you. Drag and drop them to place the one you find most appealing is at the top (becoming number 1), and to place the one you find least appealing at the bottom (becoming number 4).

A. Use of authentic assessments within some modules: modules use assessments which are directly relevant to the world of work,

e.g., writing a blog post to communicate complex concepts, curating an exhibition, creating a strategy document, writing a policy white paper. 

B. Entrepreneurial Skills module: students work in groups to design a products/service, from ideation up to pitching to a panel of industry experts. The module covers all stages of business development, from creating a business concept, to customer

discovery, financial optimization, digital marketing and prototyping. The assessed output is a Business Plan for the product/service. 

C. Civic Engagement module: students work in groups and in collaboration with external stakeholders on a challenge set by a community organisation. The module covers principles of civic engagement and leadership, researching a social issue, evaluating existing provision, and designing recommendations. The assessed output is a Policy Brief to be submitted to the community organisation. 

D. Sustainability Challenge module: students work in groups on a sustainability challenge situated within the local context. The module covers researching a sustainability issue in a local context, considering key stakeholders, and evaluating existing initiatives. The assessed output is a Proposal for a new development or initiative to address this challenge, directed towards relevant stakeholders. 

21. With regard to the four options in the previous question (Authentic assessments; Entrepreneurial Skills module; Civic Engagement module; Sustainability Challenge module), considering the option that appeals to you the most, please explain why it appeals to you. 

22. With regard to the same four options (Authentic assessments; Entrepreneurial Skills module; Civic Engagement module; Sustainability Challenge module), considering the option that appeals to you the least, please explain why it does not appeal to you. 

23. Please use this space to make any further comments on anything covered in these questions. (Optional)

END OF QUESTIONNAIRE VARIANT A 

Questionnaire variant B (for students who feel that they have engaged with enterprise and/or entrepreneurship within their degree course and/or through extra-curricular activities (i.e., those who select responses A, B or C to the screening question):  

1. What is your degree course? (e.g., Geography, English Literature, etc.) 

2. We would like to know what you understand by the term ‘enterprise’. What do you associate with this term? Please write five words that you associate with this term. 

3. We would like to know what you understand by the term ‘entrepreneurship’. What do you associate with this term? Please write five words that you associate with this term. 

4. Please list up to five skills that you think are enterprise skills. 

5. Please list up to five skills that you think are entrepreneurship skills. 

6. Where do your current ideas about enterprise and entrepreneurship come from? For example, where have you encountered things related to enterprise and entrepreneurship? 

7. We are interested in how far you feel enterprise and/or entrepreneurship are relevant to you and to your degree. Please answer the following four questions. 

8. Please select the statement that is true for you: 

  A. I would like more opportunities to learn about enterprise and/or entrepreneurship during my time at university.   

  B. I would like fewer opportunities to learn about enterprise and/or entrepreneurship during my time at university.

  C. I think the number of opportunities I have had to learn about enterprise and/or entrepreneurship during my time at university is adequate. 

9. How important are the following generic skills and competencies to you? That is, how much do you want to be good at these skills and have these competencies? 

10. How important are the following generic skills and competencies to you? That is, how much do you want to be good at these skills and have these competencies? 

11. How important are the following generic skills and competencies to you? That is, how much do you want to be good at these skills and have these competencies? 

12. How important are the following to you? 

13. How important are the following to you? 

14. Please read the following description for a hypothetical academic module, and then answer the question below it: 

‘The Product Development and Prototyping module is intended to emphasisethe creative aspects of product/service design. It delivers the message that imagination, teamwork and responsibility are essential attributes for successful professionals. 

Working in groups, students use brainstorming techniques to generate ideas for new products and services, while considering ethical, economic, and societal implications of these proposed innovations. 

Each group will then filter these ideas and develop one or more to the point of producing a business plan for its realisation. Students who have completed this exercise have fed back comments such as ‘I enjoyed the creativity involved in this exercise’ and ‘This helped me learn about developing a business plan’. 

Would you take this module as part of your degree?

 A. Definitely not           

 B. Probably not

 C. Possibly                

 D. Probably              

 E. Definitely 

15. Please read the following learning opportunities, and then rank them according to how much they appeal to you. Drag and drop them to place the one you find most appealing is at the top (becoming number 1), and to place the one you find least appealing at the bottom (becoming number 4).

A. Use of authentic assessments within some modules: modules use assessments which are directly relevant to the world of work,

e.g., writing a blog post to communicate complex concepts, curating an exhibition, creating a strategy document, writing a policy white paper.

B. Entrepreneurial Skills module: students work in groups to design a products/service, from ideation up to pitching to a panel of industry experts. The module covers all stages of business development, from creating a business concept, to customer

discovery, financial optimization, digital marketing and prototyping. The assessed output is a Business Plan for the product/service. 

C. Civic Engagement module: students work in groups and in collaboration with external stakeholders on a challenge set by a community organisation. The module covers principles of civic engagement and leadership, researching a social issue, evaluating existing provision, and designing recommendations. The assessed output is a Policy Brief to be submitted to the community organisation. 

D. Sustainability Challenge module: students work in groups on a sustainability challenge situated within the local context. The module covers researching a sustainability issue in a local context, considering key stakeholders, and evaluating existing initiatives. The assessed output is a Proposal for a new development or initiative to address this challenge, directed towards relevant stakeholders. 

16. With regard to the four options in the previous question (Authentic assessments; Entrepreneurial Skills module; Civic Engagement module; Sustainability Challenge module), considering the option that appeals to you the most, please explain why it appeals to you. 

17. With regard to the same four options (Authentic assessments; Entrepreneurial Skills module; Civic Engagement module; Sustainability Challenge module), considering the option that appeals to you the least, please explain why it does not appeal to you. 

18. Please use this space to make any further comments on anything covered in these questions. (Optional) 

END OF QUESTIONNAIRE VARIANT B 

Further notes on the questionnaire design: 

The questionnaire was designed using the survey platform Qualtrics but it can be replicated on paper or using other survey platforms with minimal adjustments. If conducted on paper or on a survey platform with limited functionality, questionnaire variant B, question 14, and questionnaire variant A, question 20, in particular, which has a ‘drag and drop’ response type, will require adjustment.

The sample entrepreneurial education activities used in the questionnaire (questionnaire variant B, questions 13 and 14, and questionnaire variant A, questions 19 and 20) can be replaced with other entrepreneurial education activities (e.g., some used at the institution adopting the questionnaire, or some which are under consideration for future use) and can be presented in greater or lesser detail. Option B, the Entrepreneurial Start-up module, is a brief summary of a module which was co-designed between Dr Mircea Scrob (Liberal Arts and Natural Sciences, UOB), Helen Hook (Careers Network, UOB) and various industry partners, including Mr Raj Mack, Head of Digital City and Innovation for Digital Birmingham, though this version de-emphasises the digital element. Option C, the Civic Engagement module, is drawn from a module designed by Dr. Lloyd Jenkins (Liberal Arts, UOB) and Dr. Julian Paenke (Liberal Arts, UOB).  

The list of competencies presented in questionnaire variant B, questions 9-11, and questionnaire variant A, questions 12-14 are based on those presented in ‘EntreComp: The Entrepreneurship Competence Framework’ (Bacigalupo et al. 2016). 

FOCUS GROUP DISCUSSION GUIDE (ACTIVITY PART 2) 

The focus group discussion guide (activity part 2) is designed to facilitate reflective discussion between small groups of students, as a follow up activity after completion of the questionnaire. Using the guide, the discussion takes, on average, between 45 and 90 minutes. There are two variants of the focus group discussion guide: a screening question solicits whether students feel that they have engaged with enterprise and/or entrepreneurship within their degree course and/or through extra-curricular activities, in which case they take part in a focus group which uses the focus group discussion guide variant B, or if they feel that they have not or are not sure, in which case they in which case they take part in a focus group which uses the focus group discussion guide variant A. The two variants are presented below. The focus group design was pilot tested and ethically approved at the University of Birmingham and Oxford Brookes University, and subsequently conducted with undergraduates at both institutions in the spring and summer of 2022.  

Focus group discussion guide variant A (for students who feel that that they have not engaged with enterprise and/or entrepreneurship within their degree course or through extra-curricular activities, or are not sure):  

[Opening remarks; invite participants to introduce themselves.] 

To start with, we’re going to share with you some definitions of enterprise education and entrepreneurship education, just to make sure that when we discuss these during the focus group we all have a shared understanding of what we mean.

_____________________________________________________________________________ 

Enterprise Education provides students with a) an enhanced capacity to generate ideas, and b) the behaviours, attributes, and competencies to make them happen.

Enterprise competencies:

• include things like identifying opportunities, creative problem solving, innovating, decision making, strategic thinking, flexibility, negotiating and influencing. 
• can be embedded in any discipline, through activities such as experiential learning (e.g., simulations, live projects), authentic assessments (e.g., a white paper), and small-scale focussed activities (e.g., group creative problem solving). 

_____________________________________________________________________________

Entrepreneurship Education builds upon and applies enterprising competencies to the process of designing new business ventures or start-ups. 

Entrepreneurship competencies:

• build on enterprise competencies by adding knowledge of business, finance, intellectual property and legal awareness, digital marketing, risk management, negotiation skills and influencing/networking skills. 
• can sometimes be found in standalone modules which are more focussed on innovation/start-up, self-employment and/or growing an existing venture. 

_____________________________________________________________________________

1. What kinds of experiences of learning about enterprise and/or entrepreneurship, if any, have been available to you as part of your university course or extra-curricular activities so far? These experiences might have explicitly mentioned enterprise or entrepreneurship, or they might have just involved some of the competencies and attributes involved in enterprise or entrepreneurship, without explicitly mentioning those things. 

2. What, if anything, do you think would make learning about enterprise and/or entrepreneurship more appealing for you? For example, particular kinds of learning opportunities or experiences, or alumni talking about how it has been valuable for them? 

3. What, if anything, puts you off engaging with enterprise and entrepreneurship education? 

4. Here are some examples of enterprise and entrepreneurship education opportunities, and some of the ways in which they are communicated to students. Which do you think are appealing, and why? Which do you think are not appealing, and why?

[four examples presented via screen sharing] 

5. Imagine that we are tasked with creating an enterprise education opportunity that appeals to as many undergraduate students as possible. What advice would you give us about what kinds of activities it could involve to be most appealing, and about how we could tell students about it in the most engaging way? 

[Summary and closing comments] 

END OF FOCUS GROUP DISCUSSION GUIDE VARIANT A 

Focus group discussion guide variant B (for students who feel that they have engaged with enterprise and/or entrepreneurship within their degree course and/or through extra-curricular activities) 

[Opening remarks; invite participants to introduce themselves.] 

To start with, we’re going to share with you some definitions of enterprise education and entrepreneurship education, just to make sure that when we discuss these during the focus group we all have a shared understanding of what we mean.

_____________________________________________________________________________

Enterprise Education provides students with a) an enhanced capacity to generate ideas, and b) the behaviours, attributes, and competencies to make them happen. 

Enterprise competencies:

• include things like identifying opportunities, creative problem solving, innovating, decision making, strategic thinking, flexibility, negotiating and influencing. 
• can be embedded in any discipline, through activities such as experiential learning (e.g., simulations, live projects), authentic assessments (e.g., a white paper), and small-scale focussed activities (e.g., group creative problem solving). 

_____________________________________________________________________________

Entrepreneurship Education builds upon and applies enterprising competencies to the process of designing new business ventures or start-ups.

Entrepreneurship competencies:

• build on enterprise competencies by adding knowledge of business, finance, intellectual property and legal awareness, digital marketing, risk management, negotiation skills and influencing/networking skills. 
• can sometimes be found in standalone modules which are more focussed on innovation/start-up, self-employment and/or growing an existing venture. 

_____________________________________________________________________________

1. What kinds of experiences of learning about enterprise and/or entrepreneurship have you enjoyed, and why? 

2. What, if anything, do you think would make learning about enterprise and/or entrepreneurship more appealing for you? For example, particular kinds of learning opportunities or experiences, or alumni talking about how it has been valuable for them? 

3. What do you think stops some students engaging with enterprise and entrepreneurship education? 

4. Do you think most of your experiences in learning about the things involved in enterprise and entrepreneurship have explicitly talked about and used the words enterprise and entrepreneurship, or have those words been in the background or not mentioned at all? 

5. If you were asked to talk about your enterprise and entrepreneurship skills and experience at an interview, what kinds of things do you think you might say? 

6. Here are some examples of enterprise and entrepreneurship education opportunities, and some of the ways in which they are communicated to students. Which do you think are appealing, and why? Which do you think are not appealing, and why? 

[four examples presented via screen sharing] 

7. Imagine that we are tasked with creating an enterprise education opportunity that appeals to as many undergraduate students as possible. What advice would you give us about what kinds of activities it could involve in order to be most appealing, and about how we could tell students about it in the most engaging way? 

[Summary and closing comments]

END OF FOCUS GROUP DISCUSSION GUIDE VARIANT B 

Further notes on the focus group discussion guide design: 

The definitions of enterprise and entrepreneurship education and competencies used in the opening section of the discussion guide are taken from QAA (2018). 

The sample entrepreneurial education activities used in the focus group discussion guide (focus group discussion guide variant A, question 4 and focus group discussion guide variant B, question 6) are presented as part of an associated Enhancing the Curriculum Case Study resource. These activities can be drawn from those used at the institution adopting the focus group discussion guide, or can be some which are under consideration for future use, and can be presented in greater or lesser detail.

Skill Development: 

These activities support students in self-reflection, evaluation, and communication of pre-professional identities with respect to enterprise and entrepreneurship competencies.

Resources:  

The questionnaire (part 1) can be conducted on paper or digitally, depending on resources available. If on paper, students will need pens. If digital, students will need access to a device (mobile phone, laptop, etc.). 

The focus group discussion guide (part 2) was designed for facilitation in online contexts. However, if conducted face to face, additional resources such as post its and pens can be useful. It is advised that, as a minimum, the QAA definitions of enterprise and entrepreneurship education and the sample of entrepreneurial education activities for review are presented using slides to help students process the content. 

References: 

Bacigalupo, M., Kampylis, P., Punie, Y. and Van den Brande, G. (2016). ‘EntreComp: The Entrepreneurship Competence Framework’. Luxembourg: Publication Office of the European Union. Available at: europa.eu/!rq73WN 

Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (2013). Enterprise Education Impact in Higher Education and Further Education: Final Report. Available at:

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/208715/bis-13-904-enterprise-education-impact-in-higher-education-and-further-education.pdf 

Macrae, A., Hook, H. and Scrob, M. (2022). Increasing Engagement with Enterprise Education in the Arts, Humanities and Sciences EEUK Research Project Dataset [Data set]. RADAR, Oxford Brookes University. Available at: doi.org/10.24384/epye-sj79  

QAA (2018). Enterprise and Entrepreneurship Education: Guidance for UK Higher Education Providers. Gloucester: The Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education.