Abstract
PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore whether participating in an entrepreneurship education programme with short-term international placements can help pre-service teachers to identifying the characteristics of entrepreneurial competence from a wide definition of entrepreneurship (Lackéus, 2015) rather than from a business centred definition, to be developed by entrepreneur teachers.Design/methodology/approachA three-year longitudinal qualitative study was carried out. In-depth interviews were conducted using open-ended questions with 17 pre-service teachers from the University of Deusto (Spain). They were participating in a European project with short-term international placements at five different European higher education institutions.FindingsThere is no consensual definition of the term entrepreneurship, which varies depending on the context. Entrepreneurship could be considered to be both a mindset and a lifestyle. The characteristics of entrepreneurs that were mentioned the most included: being creative, team players, open-minded, innovative, passionate, motivated, hard-working and risk-takers; being able to overcome challenges; having initiative; being proactive, organised and persevering; having leadership skills, communication skills, the ability to adapt; having a positive attitude and, being decision-makers. Short-term placements contribute to personal development, improved foreign language competence, increased awareness and understanding of other cultures, and acquiring entrepreneurship competence.Originality/valueResearch on the characteristics of teacherpreneurs is still in its early stages. The vast majority of studies focus on entrepreneurs and teachers of entrepreneurship education programmes aimed at those who wish to start up new businesses. This study contributes to a better understanding of the term entrepreneurship, to identifying the current characteristics of teacherpreneurs, and to outline certain variables that could be considered during pre-service teachers training plans. It also proposes further research into in-service teacherpreneur education.
Highlights
The European Commission first noted the importance of entrepreneurship education (EE) in the Green Paper on Entrepreneurship in Europe (Commission of the European Communities, 2003)
(1) Self-motivation (2) Self-confidence (3) Self-efficacy (4) Commitment (5) Tenacity (6) Perseverance (7) Sense of responsibility (8) High internal locus of control (1) Ability to act on their own initiative (2) Ability to be autonomous (3) Having an entrepreneurial spirit (4) Creativity (5) Innovation (6) Leadership skills (7) High tolerance for uncertainty (8) Risk-taking ability (1) Ability to adapt to the environment (2) Being flexible and adaptable to change (3) Open-mindedness (4) Project management skills (5) Ability to use active, innovative methodologies (6) Decision-making skills (1) Verbal and written communication skills (2) Digital skills (1) Ability to work in a team
Throughout the longitudinal study, the first two questions were always the same: (1) What do you understand by entrepreneurship?
Summary
The European Commission first noted the importance of entrepreneurship education (EE) in the Green Paper on Entrepreneurship in Europe (Commission of the European Communities, 2003). As it will be stated later, we understand EE as a key competence for pre-service teachers, which development will contribute to their personal and professional fulfilment as facilitators of the comprehensive training of active citizens, especially children, during their. The full terms of this licence may be seen at http://creativecommons.org/licences/by/4.0/legalcode
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