Experiential Learning Guide: Entrepreneurship 

Where does this sit on the Experiential Learning Continuum?

Learning through work: an experience premised around an authentic scenario that simulates elements of a professional role or broader aspects of an industry/sector.

What is it?

This activity invites students to work individually or in teams to develop and pitch entrepreneurial ideas or business innovations such as products, services or business models. The aim is to encourage students to apply their subject knowledge to real-world challenges, explore commercial or social enterprise opportunities and develop a range of future skills. 

Students will engage in a structured process that includes ideation, research, planning and pitching. The activity culminates in a formal pitch to a panel of academics, industry professionals or peers. It can be embedded within a module or delivered as a co-curricular experience. 

This activity is suitable across disciplines and can be tailored to reflect sector-specific challenges or opportunities. It supports students to connect their academic learning with the world of work and explore entrepreneurial thinking as a career pathway or mindset.

How does it work?

students to explore innovation, enterprise or entrepreneurship. This should be based on real-world issues such as a sector-specific opportunity or industry area like sustainability or digital transformation. 

Students receive a clear brief outlining the challenge, expectations, learning outcomes and assessment criteria. Include guidance on how the activity links to course content and employability. 

Students work through stages of ideation, research, planning and development. Workshops, mentoring, or online resources can support this process. Encourage collaboration, creativity and critical thinking. 

Students present their ideas to a panel, either through a live event or recorded presentation and receive constructive feedback.   

Other example activities could be hackathons or innovation prints, where students rapidly develop solutions, design thinking workshops where students prototype products and services or a case study challenge based on current industry issues. 

Students complete a reflective task (e.g. journal or report) to evaluate their learning, the skills they developed (both future and disciplinary) and how the experience connects to their future career aspirations.

Does it work?

If well designed, this activity can support learning by: 

  • Encouraging students to apply academic knowledge to real-world problems 
  • Developing entrepreneurial thinking and innovation  
  • Enhancing future skills such as communication, teamwork, and presentation skills 
  • Building confidence and resilience through iterative development and feedback 
  • Increasing awareness of enterprise and self-employment as career pathways 
  • Supporting students to articulate their skills and experiences to future employers 

What the research says: 

An article by Mason & Arshed (2013) details a case study of an experiential learning assignment, which was part of a first-year entrepreneurship course. The article describes the assignment as an "effective learning experience for the students, complementing and reinforcing prior classroom learning through application. It facilitated learning about the real world of the entrepreneur, something which would otherwise not have been possible, and had a positive impact on entrepreneurial intentions." 

The book, Experiential Learning for Entrepreneurship: Theoretical and Practical Perspectives on Enterprise Education (Hyams-Ssekasi & Caldwell, 2018), brings together international case studies and theoretical perspectives on enterprise education. It highlights how experiential learning can helps students to develop practical entrepreneurial skills in a supported environment; encourage risk-taking, creativity, and opportunity recognition; and can bridge the gap between academic theory and business practice. 

An article by Black, Perry & Lahm (2023) describes an experiential-based learning program that was integrated into a course to help students develop entrepreneurial skills. The authors suggest that "... it is through experiences putting the characteristics, dimensions, and features into action (i.e., by working on and improving one’s entrepreneurial skills and reflecting on experiences) that develops an entrepreneurial mindset."

What do I need?

To deliver a successful activity, you will need: 

  • A clear challenge aligned to course content 
  • Guidance materials for students (e.g. brief, templates, timelines, assessment criteria) 
  • Access to support resources (e.g. workshops, mentors, online tools) 
  • A structured pitching format and feedback mechanism 
  • A reflective task to consolidate learning 

You may also wish to consider: 

  • Collaboration with external organisations or industry professionals to develop the activity and resources. 
  • Opportunities for formative feedback throughout the process 
  • Integration with assessment (e.g. group project, presentation, reflective report) 
  • Risk assessments and safeguarding if involving external partners 
  • Mechanisms to evaluate impact and gather feedback

References and further reading

  • Mason, C., & Arshed, N. (2013). Teaching Entrepreneurship to University Students through Experiential Learning: A Case Study. Industry and Higher Education, 27(6), 449-463. https://doi.org/10.5367/ihe.2013.0180 

Author

Bernie Critchley