Journals and jottings on entrepreneurial learning journeys.

Fulford, Heather; Bailey, Moira

Abstract

Review of relevant literature highlighted that entrepreneurs need help to reflect on, and make sense of, the challenges and opportunities that occur during the entrepreneurial process. For students who are unfamiliar with the entrepreneurial process, the notion of reflection can be even more daunting. The project outlined in this paper was set up to explore the design and development of learning resources to help students make sense of the complexities of an entrepreneur's learning environment, and to develop effective reflection habits as a means to improving their own entrepreneurial practice. A guided approach to reflective practice was devised for students for use as they enact the entrepreneurial process during their venture creation projects. Although a full evaluation of the project is not yet complete, initial results indicate that students are finding the approach helpful, their fluency in reflection is increased and their understanding of the value of 'chewing over' entrepreneurial challenges and opportunities has grown. The breadth and depth of their learning environment seems to be clearer to them, and the importance of developing the habit of reflection is taken on board. Wider application of the project outcomes and outputs is envisaged among nascent entrepreneurs in mentoring / business advisory contexts.;\\$aEntrepreneurship education; Experiential learning; Informal learning; Incidental learning; Professional development; Learning journal; Reflective practice; Enactment

Citation

FULFORD, H. and BAILEY, M. 2014. Journals and jottings on entrepreneurial learning journeys. In Galbraith, B. (ed.) Proceedings of the 9th European conference on innovation and entrepreneurship (ECIE 2014), 18-19 September 2014, Belfast, UK. Sonning Common: Academic Conferences and Publishing International, pages 198-206.

• Presentation Conference Type: Conference Paper (published)
• Conference Name: 9th European conference on innovation and entrepreneurship (ECIE 2014)
• Start Date: Sep 18, 2014
• End Date: Sep 19, 2014
• Acceptance Date: Sep 18, 2014
• Online Publication Date: Sep 18, 2014
• Publication Date: Sep 19, 2014
• Deposit Date: May 4, 2018
• Publicly Available Date: May 4, 2018
• Print ISSN: 2049-1069
• Electronic ISSN: 2049-1050
• Publisher: Academic Conferences and Publishing International
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Pages: 198-206
• Series Title: Proceedings of the ECIE
• Series ISSN: 2049-1050
• ISBN: 9781910309452
• Keywords: Entrpreneurship education; experiential learning; informal learning; incidental learning; professional development; learning journal; reflective practice; enactment
• Public URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10059/2900
• Contract Date: May 4, 2018