Active Learning from Personal Experience as an Effective Entrepreneurship Teaching Process

Over the past several decades, in many fields of endeavor – especially STEM - tertiary
education has been pivoting from “passive” (where the students absorb information
passively via lectures), to “experiential” (where the students are more actively engaged
via activities and/or discussion in class). Experiential learning is a dynamic educational
approach that emphasizes hands-on, immersive experiences as a primary means of
learning. It is rooted in the idea that individuals learn best through direct experiences that
engage their senses, emotions, and intellect. Also, during this time, the concept of “active
learning” has been emerging. While experiential learning is centered on real-life
experiences and reflection, often found in professional training, active learning
encompasses a variety of interactive techniques aimed at fostering participation and
critical thinking in the classroom. A great example of this is projects – often found in
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engineering disciplines – wherein student teams engage in design, fabrication, and
testing of a physical or virtual prototype product.
In this talk we will discuss the principle of “active learning” in the context of teaching of
Entrepreneurship, adding the notion of teaching being performed by an experienced
entrepreneur. This involves more than the “concepts” or discussion of entrepreneurial
topics such as ideation, innovation, and failure or success, it involves a team effort in all
aspects of not only creating a Business Plan document but preparing and delivering a
convincing and compelling Investor Pitch for the expressed purpose of raising start-up
funds. And, in addition, why it matters that these efforts are directed by a person who
has experienced entrepreneurial success and failure in their lives. Several examples will
be discussed in the context of active learning from a teacher with personal experience