Teaching entrepreneurship in higher education: The application active based learning activities to environmental protection

Abstract

This proposal, based on curricular innovation, addresses the need to improve entrepreneurship education and the transition from theoretical to hands-on constructivist activities by addressing an unresolved problem such as environmental protection. The descriptive study considers the potential of Problem-Based Learning (PBL) and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) as action-based higher education teaching activities to support advance entrepreneurial education of all students in a set of beneficial practices. Working in teams, students faced the challenge of applying their knowledge in practice and gained the satisfaction of using attractive, innovative and motivating activities to describe and develop prototype eco-friendly shopping bags. The study fills a gap in the literature by providing the precise in-class methodology for applying of a practical exercise with the introduction of the Triple Bottom Line (TBL) and the Triple Helix Model (THM). The principal finding was the students succeeded in acquiring support to sell their prototype bags within the community with the municipality and industry cooperation. This approach would be suitable for application in different teaching environments, including MBA and executive entrepreneurship programs.