How self-directed experiential learning shapes the development of entrepreneurship competences: insights from reflective practice in an internship context

Purpose The purpose of this study is to explore the development of entrepreneurship competences (EC) shaped by self-directed experiential learning (SDEL) within business and entrepreneurship studies internships. Design/methodology/approach The investigation applied deductive qualitative research guided by SDEL framework. Students' weekly reflections on entrepreneurship internships were analyzed to identify enabling and constraining behavior, affecting EC development. Seventeen undergraduate students provided their written consent to the use of their reflections for this study. Lists of keywords were then inductively derived from the coded data to characterize empirically confirmed SDEL patterns. Keyword distribution was analyzed throughout the reflections on EntreComp-defined competences. Findings The study identified distinct patterns through which self-directed learning (SDL) would either enable or limit the progression across Kolb's experiential learning (EL) phases in the development of EC. SDL manifested unevenly across EL phases, with strengths in dealing with concrete experience and reflective observation, along with notable limitations in engaging with conceptualization and experimentation. Contextual factors, task design and learner readiness had significantly shaped these outcomes. Originality/value The research advances a theoretical understanding of SDEL by mapping the emergence of its enabling and limiting elements in the SDL-EL interaction. Lists of keywords, assigned to the SDEL framework, propose a replicable tool for analyzing reflective texts, offering a way to anticipate, support and evaluate learning behaviors in educational contexts. The findings occurred in a natural learning environment, as students were not prompted to consider SDL or EL concepts. The disclosures represent authentic and spontaneous manifestations of SDEL occurrence in actuality.