The role of learning theories in EE
| Theory | Description | Relevance to EE | Supporting Literature |
|---|---|---|---|
| Behaviourist Theory | Involves positive reinforcement of the entrepreneur’s behaviour in discussing the nature of the problems, looking for possible solutions, and testing the outcomes of actions by facilitating a critical and analytical feedback process that contributes to assessing impact and potential corrections. | Behaviourism helps learners to form a basis of “hard” or technical skills and become a part of the practical approach to entrepreneurial education, as everything taught has to lead to taking opportunities and actions of venture creation and development. | Bates, (2015); Thorndike, (1999) |
| Cognitive Theory | Aims to explain how learners can learn and focus on thinking and problem-solving. | Integration of this concept in the EE is essential so that new knowledge is based upon prior experience and helps to improve critical thinking and problem framing and solving strategies. These skills are valuable competencies in entrepreneurship that can be achieved by sharing experiences and expertise. | Bruner, (1971); Gagne et al. (1992); Lewin, (1951) |
| Humanism Theory | This theory considers humans as an essential part of the learning process, and believes in an individual’s potential for learning, self-determination and freedom to choose. | Humanism, mainly focused on personal growth and the full development of individual potential, contributes to EE by developing intellectual, emotional, creative, and physical skills and monitoring the learner’s progress thus forming a foundation of a lifelong learning approach. | Bates, (2015) |
| Constructivist Theory | People construct knowledge instead of receiving it. As an active participant in the educational process, the learner stays operational, applies existing knowledge, reflects and assesses the outcomes, and then starts the cycle again thereby connecting to the cycles associated with action learning and the circularity of knowledge. | The integration of Constructivist principles benefits current enterprise demands by developing students’ problem-solving, collaborative, networking, and self-awareness skills to succeed in a constrained socio-economic and environmental context. | Piaget, (1970) |
| Connectivism Theory | Addresses the interaction where people can exchange knowledge, information, skills, and experiences and learn from each other. | Connectivism theory can add value to EE by promoting participation in the learning community, and distributing knowledge through the network. | Cui and Bell, (2022) |
Main EIS indicators in Ireland
| Ireland | Performance relative to EU in 2023 | Performance change 2016-2023 | Performance change 2022-2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Human resources | |||
| Population with tertiary education | 217.3 | 3.6 | 3.6 |
| Lifelong learning | 99.0 | –19.8 | –19.8 |
| Investments and support | |||
| Government support for business R&D | 114.8 | –61.8 | 0.1 |
| R&D expenditures in the business sector | 54.9 | –18.5 | –5.4 |
| Employment impacts | |||
| Employment in innovative enterprises | 104.8 | –25.4 | 56.5 |
| Innovative expenditures per employee | 148.3 | 52.8 | 18.0 |
Entrepreneurial Mindset and Learning Theories
| Entrepreneurial Mindset (EM) Concepts | Learning Theory | Authors |
|---|---|---|
| Individual Level | ||
| Behaviourism - change of behaviour, set of skills and competencies | Daspit et al. (2023) |
| Audretsch et al. (2015); Kuratko et al. (2021) | |
| Haynie et al. (2010); Ireland et al. (2003) | |
| Handayati et al. (2020) | |
| Behaviourism - change of behaviour, set of skills and competencies | Kuratko et al. (2021); Mawson et al. (2023); McMullen and Shepherd, (2006); Morris et al. (2013) |
| Cui and Bell, (2022) | |
| VENTURE LEVEL - Connectivism theory (networks, interaction and communication) | ||