Assessing the Effectiveness of Entrepreneurial Education Programs from a Multi-level Multi-dimensional Perspective with Mental Models

Andrew Borchers; Sung Hee Park

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Conference: 2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition
Location: Vancouver, BC
Publication Date: June 26, 2011
Start Date: June 26, 2011
End Date: June 29, 2011
ISSN: 2153-5965
Conference Session: Research and Assessment
Tagged Division: Entrepreneurship & Engineering Innovation
Page Count: 10
Page Numbers: 22.243.1 - 22.243.10
DOI: 10.18260/1-2--17524
Permanent URL: https://peer.asee.org/17524
Download Count: 463

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Paper Authors

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Andrew Borchers Kettering University

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Andrew Borchers is an Associate Professor of Business and Department head at Kettering University in Flint, MI.

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Sung Hee Park Kettering University

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Sung-Hee "Sunny" Park is an assistant professor of information systems in the Business Department at the Kettering University where he teaches various topics. Prior to Kettering, he served as a lecturer of management science at the Moore School of Business of the University of South Carolina. He received his Ph.D. in IS from the University of South Carolina in 2007. He has considerable prior consulting experience in IT and IB which he brings to bear in both his teaching and pragmatic research. His scholarly interest include: Information Technology Adoption, Information Technology Management, Operational Safety/Sustainability, and Entrepreneurial Education. He has published in numerous high quality proceedings and journals including the Int. Journal of Operations & Production Management, and the Information & Management.

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Abstract

Assessing the Effectiveness of Entrepreneurial Education Programs From a Multiple Level, Multiple Dimension PerspectiveThe assessment of entrepreneurship education programs often cover a large range of topicsincluding knowledge, skills, and attitudes as well as the impacts of such programs to go beyondthe classroom. Because of the extent of these inclusions and the broad range of effects, assessingthe effectiveness of entrepreneurship education programs is challenging. Based upon Block andStumpf (1992)’s idea of a “hierarchy of criteria”, the main purpose of this research is to providea multi-level, multi-dimensional model that systematically investigates factors related to thesuccess of entrepreneurship education programs and, in turn, stimulation and success of newenterprises.While we propose a multi-level, multi-dimensional model, we also introduce a mental modelmeasurement as a critical component of the model. According to Rouse and Morris (1986),mental models are the mechanisms whereby humans generate descriptions of system purpose andform, explanations of system functioning and observed system states, and predictions of futuresystem states. Consequently, a mental model can play a major role in understandingentrepreneurial mindset because one’s beliefs, intentions, and behaviors profoundly influenceone’s mental model.In this paper, we first provide an updated review of recent literature for assessment ofentrepreneurship education programs as well as for measurements of mental models. Second, weprovide a comprehensive assessment model of entrepreneurship education programs to informand direct stakeholders of entrepreneurship education programs. Third, we present empiricalresults from a testing of our model in an entrepreneurship education program at a small mid-western private engineering school.We suggest measurements of mental model as appropriate assessment tools for assessment ofentrepreneurship education programs. We also suggest that a multi-level, multi-dimensionalmodel could be empirically testable for interactions between students, his or her teachers,relationships within the institution, and the society and economy, by adding the shared mentalmodel construct into the research model.

Citation
Format

Borchers, A., & Park, S. H. (2011, June), Assessing the Effectiveness of Entrepreneurial Education Programs from a Multi-level Multi-dimensional Perspective with Mental Models Paper presented at 2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Vancouver, BC. 10.18260/1-2--17524

TY  - CPAPER
AB  -                     Assessing the Effectiveness of Entrepreneurial               Education Programs From a Multiple Level, Multiple                                  Dimension PerspectiveThe assessment of entrepreneurship education programs often cover a large range of topicsincluding knowledge, skills, and attitudes as well as the impacts of such programs to go beyondthe classroom. Because of the extent of these inclusions and the broad range of effects, assessingthe effectiveness of entrepreneurship education programs is challenging. Based upon Block andStumpf (1992)’s idea of a “hierarchy of criteria”, the main purpose of this research is to providea multi-level, multi-dimensional model that systematically investigates factors related to thesuccess of entrepreneurship education programs and, in turn, stimulation and success of newenterprises.While we propose a multi-level, multi-dimensional model, we also introduce a mental modelmeasurement as a critical component of the model. According to Rouse and Morris (1986),mental models are the mechanisms whereby humans generate descriptions of system purpose andform, explanations of system functioning and observed system states, and predictions of futuresystem states. Consequently, a mental model can play a major role in understandingentrepreneurial mindset because one’s beliefs, intentions, and behaviors profoundly influenceone’s mental model.In this paper, we first provide an updated review of recent literature for assessment ofentrepreneurship education programs as well as for measurements of mental models. Second, weprovide a comprehensive assessment model of entrepreneurship education programs to informand direct stakeholders of entrepreneurship education programs. Third, we present empiricalresults from a testing of our model in an entrepreneurship education program at a small mid-western private engineering school.We suggest measurements of mental model as appropriate assessment tools for assessment ofentrepreneurship education programs. We also suggest that a multi-level, multi-dimensionalmodel could be empirically testable for interactions between students, his or her teachers,relationships within the institution, and the society and economy, by adding the shared mentalmodel construct into the research model.
AU  - Andrew Borchers
AU  - Sung Hee Park
CY  - Vancouver, BC
DA  - 2011/06/26
PB  - ASEE Conferences
TI  - Assessing the Effectiveness of Entrepreneurial Education Programs from a Multi-level Multi-dimensional Perspective with Mental Models
UR  - https://peer.asee.org/17524
DO  - 10.18260/1-2--17524
ER  -