Assessment: examining practice in entrepreneurship education

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to develop knowledge about the nature of student assessment practice in entrepreneurship education.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper introduces general assessment practice issues and highlights key considerations. It explains prior research on assessment practice in entrepreneurship education and argues that there is too little empirical research on the subject. Finally, it outlines a typology of entrepreneurship education that highlights variation between different: forms; learning outcomes; subjects; and, possible methods of assessment practice. The methodology for the study gathers data from course outlines (syllabi) and explains how these were collected and analysed.

Findings

The results show that educational practice in entrepreneurship education continues to be dominated by the “About” form and highlight that there are different cultures of assessment practice in the UK and the USA. The paper finds compelling evidence that different forms are using assessment in different ways.

Research limitations/implications

This paper identifies that there have been few studies exploring assessment practice in entrepreneurship education and argues that further research is required in this area. It also highlights a need for a focus on assessment practice in disciplines beyond the business school. The work demonstrates that further research could explore other stakeholders in the assessment process and seek to understand how these external assessors affect student learning.

Practical implications

In conclusion, the paper highlights that assessment generally needs to become more innovative, more reflective in nature and include more stakeholders in the process.

Originality/value

Understanding is enhanced because the paper explores what entrepreneurship educators actually “do” when they assess entrepreneurship education and, therefore, the research moves beyond prescriptive accounts and provides a detailed understanding of actual practice.

Citation

Pittaway, L. and Edwards, C. (2012), "Assessment: examining practice in entrepreneurship education", Education + Training, Vol. 54 No. 8/9, pp. 778-800. https://doi.org/10.1108/00400911211274882