A problem-based learning approach in entrepreneurship education: promoting authentic entrepreneurial learning

In response to the positive impact of entrepreneurship on the economy, many institutions of higher learning offer entrepreneurship education to address the manpower development needs. This article determines the effectiveness of the traditional lecture-tutorial entrepreneurship education in promoting entrepreneurial learning. It argues for a change in the content and process of entrepreneurship education to provide for authentic entrepreneurial learning that can better equip the graduates to be ready for entrepreneurship. This article describes the experiences of the faculty at a polytechnic in Singapore in their effort to help their students become entrepreneurs by transforming the entrepreneurship curriculum using problem-based learning. It describes how they implemented the problem-based learning approach. Evidence of the success of the new curriculum is provided.