Description
During on this breakdown, relating to think outside the box with entrepreneurship education in colleges of agriculture.
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Helping Students to Think Outside the Box with Entrepreneurship Education
in Colleges of Agriculture
Liang, Chyi-lyi (Kathleen)
The University of Vermont, Department of Community Development and Applied
Economics, 103 C Morrill Hall, Burlington, Vermont 05405
Phone (802) 656 0754 E-Mail [email protected]
Selected Paper prepared for presentation at the Agricultural & Applied Ecocnomics
Association’s 2011 AAEA & NAREA Joint Annual Meeting, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, July
24-26, 2011
Copyright 2011 by C. Liang. All rights reserved. Readers may make verbatim copies of
this document for non-commercial purpose by any means, provided that this copyright
notice appears on all such copies.
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Let us think of education as the means of developing our greatest abilities, because in each of us
there is a private hope and dream which, fulfilled, can be translated into benefit for everyone
and greater strength for our nation.
John F. Kennedy (1917-1963) Thirty-fifth President of the USA
Background
College education provides a foundation of learning which enhances personal growth, skills,
knowledge, and experiences. However, industry leaders have concerns about how we teach
students to become “scholars” rather than “productive and creative employees”. The structure
and culture of industries have changed significantly over time. Like other industries, agriculture
has become more dynamic and integrated following the development of technology and
information system. Colleges of agriculture in the United States face the challenge of recruiting
and retaining students for specific majors. This situation is not new, and it can be explained
using economic tools such as the theory of demand. The demand for agricultural specialists is
generally derived from the demand for the services that a specialist can provide. If there is no
demand in the market for the skills and knowledge taught in a particular discipline, then the
demand among students for the particular skills and knowledge will decline. The declining
interest among students is associated with two key market trends. First, there has been an
absolute decline in the demand for mainline agricultural skills and knowledge due to the
declining number of businesses within agriculture (both associated with declining relative
importance of the sector and consolidation). Second, the skills and knowledge needed to meet
employers? needs in the market differ from what is taught in schools, and the curricula have not
evolved in a manner consistent with changing demands of the industry in terms of environment,
culture, or structure.
The increasing demand for entrepreneurship education relates to a new vision of what successful
enterprises of the future look like. According to the IBM Global CEO Study in 2008, the traits
for future successful enterprises include - hunger for change, innovation beyond customer
imagination, globally integrated, disruptive by nature, and genuine and not just generous.
Educators in business and non-business schools are searching for innovative and balanced
curricula to help students become more competitive and adaptive in a highly competitive job
market. Questions remain for many educators in colleges university-wide, such as (1) can we
actually teach entrepreneurship? And, if so, (2) how and what should we teach in
entrepreneurship?
An Overview of the Development of Entrepreneurship Education
Entrepreneurship education derives its importance from three themes: the demand for
entrepreneurship education, educational access to the “make-a-job” option, and economic growth
through job creation (Kourilsky, 1995). Kourilsky discussed the General E – the entrepreneurial
generation – identified by a national Gallup poll, through a rigorous sample including high
school students, small business owners, and the general public on their opinions about starting a
business, knowledge of entrepreneurship, and entrepreneurship education. The survey results
supported the importance of entrepreneurship education with respect to personal growth, skills,
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knowledge, and experiences that are different from those provided by traditional educational
models. For example, a significant percentage of high school students wanted to start and run
their own businesses; they believed successful entrepreneurs should give back to their own
communities; they identified a gap between their entrepreneurial dreams and the knowledge they
were taught in high schools; and they were passionate and enthusiastic about learning how
businesses work. While the orientation of many educational models focuses on a “take-a-job”
mentality, the learning process of entrepreneurship education is geared towards the knowledge,
skills and mindset needed to create jobs (make-a-job) by generating innovative ideas, concepts
and new venture opportunities (Kourilsky, 1995; Liang, 2009; Liang & Dunn, 2010).
Creating and implementing entrepreneurship education at the university level is not as easy as
one might imagine, however. For example, there has been a significant growth in the number
and status of entrepreneurship programs in schools of business and management (Katz, 2003;
Solomon, Duffy, and Tarabishy, 2002; Solomon, 2007). The popularity of entrepreneurship
courses has increased dramatically among both graduate and undergraduate students. Alumni
and industry representatives of business schools strongly support the development of
entrepreneurship programs, and these individuals have become a driving force for the creation
and expansion of entrepreneurship programs within business schools. Despite the increase in
popularity and interests in the field of entrepreneurship, there has been considerable resistance
from faculty members in many institutions to the creation or expansion of entrepreneurship
programs. Faculty members within or outside the business schools have been, and many remain,
skeptical about the validity of entrepreneurship as an academic field. Many educators and
researchers have questioned the quality and rigor of entrepreneurship research, and the need to
hire academic faculty to teach and conduct research in entrepreneurship (Kuratko, 2005;
Kourilsky, 1995; Kutatko, 2004).
As many researchers have pointed out, entrepreneurship is a multi-dimensional phenomenon or
activity in terms of personality, traits, skill and training, decision making, organization creation,
team building, management science, and resource allocation. Characteristics affect behavior,
behavior leads to decisions, decisions link to consequences, and consequences reflect changes in
the economy and well being of entrepreneurs and society. Entrepreneurship is an interaction
between actors and actions, beyond the traditional definition and disciplines of business. On the
positive side, entrepreneurship education can be created and implemented successfully in any
college and any discipline, given its interdisciplinary nature. On the other hand, faculty
members outside of business schools lack the information, guidance, support, and resources
needed to start the process of planning, creating, and sustaining entrepreneurship curriculum for
undergraduate or graduate students.
Creating and Implementing a Successful Entrepreneurship Program in a College of
Agriculture
Summary of the Program
The Community Entrepreneurship (CENT) major and minor has been created and implemented
in the Department of Community Development and Applied Economics (CDAE) in the College
of Agricultural and Life Sciences (CALS) at the University of Vermont (UVM) since 2006. The
CDAE department was formed in 1994 due to structural change in CALS, and three departments
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merged to form CDAE: Agricultural and Resource Economics; Merchandising, Consumer
Studies and Design; and Vocational Education and Technology. When CDAE was newly
formed, it offered one major with 3 concentrations: Consumer Economics, International
Development and Agricultural Economics, and Small Business. Between 1998 and 2002, CDAE
faculty modified existing curricula by upgrading and updating course contents and officially
launched two majors within CDAE in 2002: Community and International Development (CID),
and Agricultural and Resource Entrepreneurship (ARE). ARE replaced the old SB program by
introducing many new topics and pedagogy in teaching entrepreneurship; it was one of the
pioneering entrepreneurship programs in U.S. Colleges of Agriculture. Between 2002 and 2006,
ARE courses still focused on agricultural and resource issues related to new venture creation and
expansion. However there was a strong demand on campus and among communities to
introduce the entrepreneurship education to a broader audience. In 2006, the CENT major and
minor replaced the ARE, to respond to the need for creating an innovative and experiential
learning oriented educational program that leads to trainings, skills, knowledge, and experience
for job creation and asset/capacity building for community development.
The objective of the CENT programs is to promote entrepreneurship education by adopting a
non-conventional pedagogy using an integrated, multidisciplinary approach. The faculty in
CDAE integrates different aspects of community development in the curriculum, and focus on
improving the sustainability of local and global communities through the application of
interdisciplinary approaches that are economically sound, culturally appropriate, environmentally
feasible, and socially just. Researchers have argued that some existing entrepreneurship
education programs in the United States miss the heart of entrepreneurship process (Kourilsky,
1995). Many researchers have agreed that the signature of true entrepreneurship is characterized
by three attributes: opportunity recognition, resource commitment in the face of risks to pursue
the opportunity, and creation and operation of an enterprise with a team (Kourilsky, 1995;
Timmons, 1978; Bygrave, D?Heully, McMullen, & Taylor, 1996). The CENT curriculum was
created with the principles of entrepreneurship at the center, while meeting other required
learning elements within CALS and CDAE. Table 1 lists all courses CENT major need to take
in 4 years, and the courses for a CENT minor required before graduation.
The goal of the curriculum of the CENT is to support students to develop their independent
decision-making skills and professionalism. Not every person will choose to become an
entrepreneur. The program does however prepare students for jobs in organizations (nonprofit,
for profit, or government) that they will work for when they graduate. If a students decide to
start their own venture, they will be ready because they are well prepared by the learning process
offered by CENT.
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Table 1. CALS, CDAE and CENT core courses
CALS Core Competencies
Communication Skills (1 writing class, 1 speech class)
Information Technology Skills (1 computer application class)
Quantitative Skills (1 math class, 1 statistics class)
Critical Thinking Skills (CENT curriculum requirement specific)
Interpersonal Skills (CENT curriculum requirement specific)
Knowledge (2 physical & life sciences classes – with or without lab; 2 social science classes
– not including CDAE courses; 2 humanities & fine arts classes)
Values (2 diversity classes – D1 & D2 for different aspects of diversity; environmental
stewardship – CENT curriculum specific; personal growth – CENT curriculum specific)
CDAE core courses
CDAE 002 World Food Population & Development
CDAE 015 Visual Communication
CDAE 061 Community Development Economics
CDAE 102 Sustainable Community Development
CDAE 127 Consumer, Markets & Public Policy
CDAE 250 Research Methods
CDAE internship or service learning
CENT core courses:
CDAE 157: Consumer Laws And Policy
CDAE 166: Introduction To Community Entrepreneurship
CDAE 167: Financial Analysis For Community Entrepreneurship
CDAE 168: Marketing For Community Entrepreneurship
CDAE 253: Macroeconomics For Applied Economists
CDAE 254: Microeconomics For Applied Economists
CDAE 255: Applied Consumption Economics
CDAE 266: Decision Making For Community Entrepreneurship
CDAE 267: Strategic Planning For Community Entrepreneurship (senior capstone)
CENT Minor and free electives:
CDAE 166, CDAE 167, CDAE 168, CDAE 266 and one elective
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The Theory-Based Entrepreneurship Education Framework for CENT
To answer the million dollar question “what should we teach in entrepreneurship?”, the faculty
of CDAE develop a unique pedagogical framework (Graph 1) that directly links to the heart of
entrepreneurship – opportunity recognition, resource commitment, and new venture creation
through teamwork. This unique framework builds on the value of traditional classroom learning,
by incorporating experiential learning as proposed by John Dewey (Dewey, 1997; Liang, 2009).
Graph 1. CENT Pedagogy Framework
The key point is to create a dynamic learning environment in which theory and application are
covered simultaneously. Each student has the opportunity to go through this learning model with
their own learning pace and style, and they make progress in learning about responsibility,
challenges and achievement just as real life entrepreneurs do. In the beginning of the learning
process, students start with traditional way of learning – attending lectures of theories of
entrepreneurship and its relationship to community development. Once students are exposed to
theories, they will be taught a series of cases and examples introduced by community
entrepreneurs who work with various organizations and enterprises (for profit, non profit,
government, etc.) These two beginning levels of learning represent the first phase of
entrepreneurship education – focus on observation and experience. The faculty provides a
concrete, closely guided experience to students early in their educational development. This
phase also prepares students to grow towards more complex entrepreneurship experiences in the
future.
Once students become comfortable and familiar with the concepts of entrepreneurship and
community capacity building, they will engage in discussion and debates in the classroom
facilitated by faculty or community entrepreneurs. Group activities are introduced and initiated
Listen to lectures and take notes
Observe cases and examples
Participate in discussions, Q & A
Engage in activities
IInitiate
Initiate creative
and innovative
project to
apply/test theory
Phase 1 -
Preparation
Phase 2 – Capacity
Building
Phase 3
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by faculty and community partners to further engage students in learning the process of
entrepreneurship. This is the second phase of learning associated with capacity building.
Students are guided and encouraged to take on more responsibility and apply classroom
knowledge to real-life situations by working with community partners. The „quality
improvement? stage of student development sets in as students experiment with greater levels of
critical thinking and interacting in a professional setting. The act of reflection, facilitated by the
instructor/supervisor, is a key tool at this stage of student development to enhance the critical
thinking and learning process.
Finally students generate their own ideas of new venture creation, initiating their own teamwork,
seeking their own resources and funding support, planning for their own ventures, operating and
managing their own ventures for a substantial period of time independently with faculty
supervision, providing assessments on individual as well as team performance, and reflecting on
the overall learning of entrepreneurship. The peer-to-peer routine review and assessment system
gives students full responsibility to be engaged and monitored by team members. This is the
third phase of the entrepreneurship education, in which students actually practice theories and
reflect on gaps between theory and reality. The responsibility of conducting entrepreneurial
activities culminates the learning throughout phase 1 and phase 2, and the focus is on skill
mastery and the most advanced levels of application of entrepreneurial concepts and critical
thinking. By working independently from the faculty, students are empowered to define and
address issues that real life entrepreneurs encounter on a daily bases. Students are also
accountable for venture outcomes related to profitability, venture organization, communication
strategies, and public relation.
Most of the courses offered to CENT majors and minors apply this learning framework to
various degrees. The following section provides a summary description of two required
keystone courses (CDAE 166 Introduction to Community Entrepreneurship, and CDAE 267
Strategic Planning for Community Entrepreneurs) for CENT major and minor to demonstrate the
application of the framework.
Two Bookend Courses for CENT Major and Minor – CDAE 166 and CDAE 267
One particular faculty member in CDAE has taken the responsibility to teach two required
courses offered to CENT majors and minors since 2005. This faculty member has deliberately
designed the curricula for these two courses to connect them with each other. While many
concepts are identical or similar in the two courses, they are taught at two different levels to
provide students different experiences of entrepreneurship. Both CDAE 166 and CDAE 267 are
offered every semester.
The Introduction to Community Entrepreneurship (CDAE 166) is a 3-credit survey course
offered to all majors on campus. The instructor covers basic concepts and theories in CDAE 166
such as exploring opportunities in the market, organizational and management issues, accounting
and finance framework, teamwork, ethics, legal issues, resource management, communication
strategies for internal and external purposes, market and industry research, etc. We use Dollar
Enterprise in CDAE 166 to provide an opportunity for students to go through the entrepreneurial
venture process as a real life simulation on a smaller scale (this is described below). Students
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range from first year to senior, and most are sophomores. There is no level restriction for
students, and there is no pre-requisite for this course.
In Strategic Planning for Community Entrepreneurs (CDAE 267), however, students are guided
to utilize all knowledge and information that they have learned in 3-4 years to actually construct
working business plans for real entrepreneurs. This is the capstone course for the CENT majors
who are seniors only, and CENT minors can also take this course if they are seniors. There are
more challenging and demanding concepts for students to develop in this 4-credit course, such as
intensive research, survey and interviews outside the classroom. At least 5 professional
presentations are arranged for students to communicate with a non-academic audience, such as
investors and vendors.
I ntroduction to Community Entrepreneurship (CDAE 166)
The purpose of this course is to help students learn more about how and why people become
entrepreneurial, how successful entrepreneurs make decisions, why entrepreneurs fail, career
ideas, and existing situations in our society related to entrepreneurial issues by engaging students
in reading, writing, discussion, and activities. The teaching team includes the instructor, guest
speakers, and library support staff and it hopes to bring a broader understanding of
entrepreneurship and the relationship between entrepreneurship and community development
into every learner?s heart and daily life in a safe, comfortable, and interactive learning
environment.
The most unique activity in this course is “Dollar Enterprise”. The objectives of Dollar
Enterprise focus on designing practices and exercises for individuals to apply business
knowledge and personal skills, such as:
Utilize unwanted wastes to create value-added treasure.
Build strong teamwork and work ethics.
Exercise creative thinking.
Enhance analytical skills from all business aspects.
Engage in entrepreneurial process.
Learn network and communication strategies.
Contribute to community organizations.
Have a lot of fun in learning.
The theme of Dollar Enterprise is to promote recycle, reuse, renew, and upcycle. Students are
encouraged to utilize “unwanted wastes”, modify the concepts of this “trash”, and create new
value added “treasure” for others. The instructor gives $1 to each individual (11-12 dollars per
team) as seed money. Dollar Enterprise covers the basics of the formation of a business in the
real world including activities that allow students to develop ideas and teamwork, explore
opportunities, identify niche products and services, generate resources, apply for permits and
licenses, register business names, create coalitions and partnership, build community supports;
and dealing with day-to-day operation, assessment, optimization and time management. The
ultimate goal of Dollar Enterprise is to generate sufficient funds and support to create more
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innovative mini new ventures at UVM that (1) utilize minimum resources to generate maximum
positive impact for our society; and (2) lead students to learn entrepreneurship that combines
business knowledge, critical thinking skills, sustainability, social responsibility and community
development strategies.
This activity runs twice a year in each semester with 120 to 140 students in each semester who
form 11 to 14 teams. It takes one month to help students complete all paperwork required by
UVM and the business start-up more generally. Each team runs their business for 4 weeks (at
least 3 hours every day from Monday through Friday) during the semester in various pre-
reserved locations on campus only.
Weekly team reports and team member?s assessments are completed and returned to the
instructor at the end of each week during the operation period. At the end of the 3-week business
activity, each team concludes with a business report, financial report, self assessment, and final
team member assessment. Each team donates all proceeds to local charities and a Community
Entrepreneurship Education fund that has been established to assist future students who are
interested in becoming successful Community Entrepreneurs.
There are 12 steps in the Dollar Enterprise for each team to follow, and these 12 steps are taught
in parallel to entrepreneurship theories and contents throughout the semester including Dollar
Enterprise operation period:
Brainstorm an idea.
Finalize team members and identify market opportunity.
Finalize and assess products and services.
Identify resources and partnership.
Formulate work routines.
Prepare for an initial business plan and a business model.
Establish rules for team assessment and self-assessment.
Complete and continue weekly reports and team/individual reflections.
Risk assessment and prepare for contingency.
Prepare financial analysis.
Prepare final business report, revision of the business plan, and final assessment/learning
reflections.
Arrange for donations to charity.
Since Spring 2005, Dollar Enterprise had worked with many Vermont organizations such as
Sodexho at UVM, Shelburne Orchard, The Old Bread Bakery, Champlain Orchard, Cheese
Trader, City Market of Burlington, Healthy Living, Hannaford Supermarket, Green Mountain
Coffee, Lake Champlain Chocolate, Miguel Stowe Away restaurant and Klinger Bread. These
community partners generously donated materials/ingredients or offered discounts to students
who needed materials for their products.
To date, Dollar Enterprise has generated more than $2,500 in the Community Entrepreneurship
Education fund at UVM. Total donations to charities exceeded $23,000. Agencies such as Make
A Wish Foundation, American Red Cross, Chittenden County Humane Society, King Street
Youth Center and other youth organizations, NOFA, Food Shelf, Grass Root Soccer, Women
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Helping Battered Women, Greyhound Rescue, Breast Cancer Research, Homeless Shelter, and
others have been beneficiaries of the program.
Table 2. Number of Students Participating in Dollar Enterprise
Gender Year
M F First Year Sophomore Junior Senior
2005 88 87 14 61 45 53
2006 120 90 11 88 57 54
2007* 65 44 5 43 33 27
2008 101 108 6 86 64 50
2009 105 114 8 125 48 36
2010 109 112 25 100 56 38
2011** 59 78 14 88 20 11
Total 647 633 83 591 323 269
Note: *This instructor only taught CDAE 166 in Spring 2007. Another instructor taught CDAE
166 in Fall 2007, but did not operate Dollar Enterprise. **Spring 2011 is still in progress.
Through the years, the number of students in CDAE 166 has increased significantly. Often the
instructor has to relocate the class to a large theater-style lecture hall to accommodate students.
Students come from over 34 majors on campus, including Art, Engineering, Mathematics,
Nutrient and Food Sciences, Microbiology, Education, Nursing, Business, Social Work, English,
Sustainable Landscape, Soil and Plant Sciences, Theater, Music, Physical Education and
Training, History, Chemistry, among others. This course has been voted as one of the most
popular courses on campus, given its unique combination of theory, practices, and interactive
learning. Over 2/3 of the students who have taken CDAE 166 are interested in starting their own
business one day. However a few will decide not to start their own business in the near future,
after they learn and experience the complexity of entrepreneurship process.
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Table 3. Net Profits Donated to Entrepreneurship Education Foundation at UVM and Charity
Organizations
Strategic Planning for Community Entrepreneurs (CDAE 267)
This course has been modified many times since August 1998 as the CENT major/minor evolved
over time. It was taught by a team of 3 instructors between August 1998 and Fall 2000. In the
Fall of 2000, one faculty member became the sole instructor of this course. After attending the
national Rural Entrepreneurship Through Action Learning (REAL) Institute in Austin, Texas, in
2000, the instructor decided to implement the REAL curriculum and Service-Learning concepts
in this course. This decision successfully promoted CDAE and UVM to become one of the few
4-year universities in the U.S. to adapt the REAL curriculum in teaching Entrepreneurship. The
new structure of CDAE 267 included more hands-on activities to learn about entrepreneurship,
more intensive research and communication training, more collaborative teamwork and team
effort with community partners, more invited speakers and mentors from local communities to
Spring 2005 1140.82
Fall 2005 2384.18
Spring 2006 1261.65
Fall 2006 1923.89
Spring 2007 1648.10
Fall 2007 2090.00
Spring 2008 2000.00
Fall 2008 2192.40
Spring 2009 1930.03
Fall 2009 3257.00
Spring 2010 1985.70
Fall 2010 1944.46
Total 23758.23
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guide student teams, and more connection with local organizations which serve and promote
entrepreneurship (such as Small Business Development Center, bankers, etc.)
Students work in teams of 3-4 members in each team for the semester. The goal of CDAE 267 is
to encourage independent learning, through the initiation and construction of a real business plan
for the community entrepreneur. By the time students complete this course, they are expected to:
Be able to adapt critical thinking to entrepreneurial activities.
Understand the necessity of sound planning before embarking on a business venture.
Have acquired specific skills and experience in gathering and analyzing data from
primary and secondary sources as an independent entrepreneur.
Be able to use computer packages to analyze data.
Be able to write and assemble a business plan containing the principle elements needed
by a banker or any investors to evaluate the potential success.
Be confident to explain and defend their business ideas in front of a diverse audience
throughout the semester.
The course structure consists of:
1. Lectures: There are lectures associated with various business concepts that entrepreneurs
must understand in the planning process. From initiating an idea to constructing financial reports,
all of the lectures are designed to apply the fundamental knowledge and skills learned from other
courses in CENT. More importantly, the lectures emphasize creativity, motivation, and critical
thinking; i.e., not only to show students how to apply knowledge, but also to provide
opportunities to develop a decision making process which can be applied in any real enterprise
situation.
2. Library Research: These scheduled sessions are conducted by library faculty members
for exploring library resources that relate to market, industry, marketing, operation, management,
and finance. These research sessions are designed to help students familiarize themselves with
the information/data that can be obtained through various sources.
3. Presentation:
At least 5 presentations are scheduled throughout the semester. A specific topic of each
presentation is assigned for student teams to share information in classes. Students are required
to wear business attire for the presentation. The purposes of the presentation include:
? To practice personal and communication skills, using professional and
constructive approach in front of the audience.
? To demonstrate creativity and innovation by sharing knowledge in
entrepreneurship contents.
? To exchange ideas and information with peers.
4. Business Plan: (at least 5 drafts, corresponding to the schedule of presentations)
Students are required to put together a business plan for a real business. Many students initiate
their own ideas given prior or existing business experiences. The instructor also connects
students with real entrepreneurs who are seeking assistance to prepare for a business plan.
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The following conditions must be followed:
(1) Do not design a Bar or any generic eating and drinking establishments. Do not design a
generic hotel, motel, Bed & Breakfast, or any other non-specific lodging establishment.
(2) Each team must explain clearly why the business idea is innovative, creative, and
exciting to every team member.
(3) Franchises are forbidden.
(4) Each team must use EXCEL to construct financial statements as original work.
(5) Using professional consultants or commercial packages to design the business plans, to
write the plans, or to collect any data, is not allowed.
5. Weekly J ournals:
Each team is required to keep a team journal detailing dates, times, work activities and
accomplishments relating to this course and your project. The instructor sometimes assigns
specific topics for students to write about. The journal can also be used as a “reflection” of the
course. All information in the journal is kept confidential.
6. Weekly Team Meeting with the I nstructor:
Each team is required to meet with the instructor every week for at least 30 minutes. The
meeting is to provide direct feedback to students regarding the process of the planning,
teamwork, and expected outcomes for weekly performance.
This newly modified CDAE 267 was first taught in the Fall 2000 semester, and students
responded extremely positively to the new format and new structure of the course. Students
showed increasing interest in taking the course, more advanced critical thinking and linking with
real world applications, improved creativity and knowledge levels in dealing with entrepreneurial
concepts, and tremendous motivation to respond to challenges. Since 2000, more than 600
students have enrolled in CDAE 267. These students come from at least 4 different colleges
(including CENT major and minor). Student teams have created more than 100 working
business plans and many of the plans have led to successful new ventures.
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Table 4. Number of Students in CDAE 267 by Gender
Semester M F Semester M F
S2000 20 7 F2006 12 1
F2000 14 19 S2007 24 8
S2001 22 14 F2007 17 9
F2001 26 13 S2008 27 14
S2002 20 8 F2008 22 12
F2002 14 6 S2009 23 6
S2003 14 2 F2009 7 5
F2003 11 3 S2010 10 6
S2004 14 6 F2010 21 12
F2004 15 6 S2011 10 3
S2005 18 13
F2005 13 3
S2006 16 4
Grand
Total 413 192
Conclusions
Education is preparation for life. Entrepreneurship education is really no different from other
types of education. Entrepreneurship is a process – a process begins with a dream, which can be
further developed into an idea and a concept of a product/service depending on opportunity in
the market, resource availability, and an entrepreneurial team. Can we really teach
entrepreneurship? This has been a debatable question for many researchers and experts who
hold various perceptions about what entrepreneurship is or should be. The more appropriate
question is: “what can we do to assist those people who are seeking information about what to
do, when they believe that they have the greatest ideas in the world?”
There are many dimensions of entrepreneurship education that we can discuss: to develop
individual?s capacity in entrepreneurial activities, to teach specific skills and knowledge about
new venture creation and operation; to provide guidance and technical support in business
planning; and to provide a nurturing environment where entrepreneurs are well supported. There
are tremendous opportunities for the College of Agriculture to prepare students to live a satisfied
and productive life in school and after graduation. This paper has provided a sample road map
for others to consider how to lead students thinking “outside the box.” Educators often define
the “learning objectives” and the “learning box” for students. It is simply because we were all
educated from a very conventional model – observe, listen, take notes, read, exam, and learning
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shell occur automatically. We are facing a new generation of learners who are very familiar with
technology, who demand quick responses and learning feedback, who are willing to multitask
even though they might not manage time well, and who are more interested in outcome-based
learning style. Entrepreneurship education can occur anywhere in any courses. We just need to
know what we need to do - how we prepare the curriculum that will be effective and level-
appropriate for different types of learners. When educators become entrepreneurial teachers and
we can think outside the box, entrepreneurship education will occur.
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Solomon, G. (2007). An examination of entrepreneurship education in the United States. Journal
of Small Business and Enterprise Development, 14(2), 168-182.
Timmons, J. (1978). Characteristics and Role Demands of Entrepreneurship. American Journal
of Small Business, 3(1), 5-17.
doc_426411169.pdf
During on this breakdown, relating to think outside the box with entrepreneurship education in colleges of agriculture.
1
Helping Students to Think Outside the Box with Entrepreneurship Education
in Colleges of Agriculture
Liang, Chyi-lyi (Kathleen)
The University of Vermont, Department of Community Development and Applied
Economics, 103 C Morrill Hall, Burlington, Vermont 05405
Phone (802) 656 0754 E-Mail [email protected]
Selected Paper prepared for presentation at the Agricultural & Applied Ecocnomics
Association’s 2011 AAEA & NAREA Joint Annual Meeting, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, July
24-26, 2011
Copyright 2011 by C. Liang. All rights reserved. Readers may make verbatim copies of
this document for non-commercial purpose by any means, provided that this copyright
notice appears on all such copies.
2
Let us think of education as the means of developing our greatest abilities, because in each of us
there is a private hope and dream which, fulfilled, can be translated into benefit for everyone
and greater strength for our nation.
John F. Kennedy (1917-1963) Thirty-fifth President of the USA
Background
College education provides a foundation of learning which enhances personal growth, skills,
knowledge, and experiences. However, industry leaders have concerns about how we teach
students to become “scholars” rather than “productive and creative employees”. The structure
and culture of industries have changed significantly over time. Like other industries, agriculture
has become more dynamic and integrated following the development of technology and
information system. Colleges of agriculture in the United States face the challenge of recruiting
and retaining students for specific majors. This situation is not new, and it can be explained
using economic tools such as the theory of demand. The demand for agricultural specialists is
generally derived from the demand for the services that a specialist can provide. If there is no
demand in the market for the skills and knowledge taught in a particular discipline, then the
demand among students for the particular skills and knowledge will decline. The declining
interest among students is associated with two key market trends. First, there has been an
absolute decline in the demand for mainline agricultural skills and knowledge due to the
declining number of businesses within agriculture (both associated with declining relative
importance of the sector and consolidation). Second, the skills and knowledge needed to meet
employers? needs in the market differ from what is taught in schools, and the curricula have not
evolved in a manner consistent with changing demands of the industry in terms of environment,
culture, or structure.
The increasing demand for entrepreneurship education relates to a new vision of what successful
enterprises of the future look like. According to the IBM Global CEO Study in 2008, the traits
for future successful enterprises include - hunger for change, innovation beyond customer
imagination, globally integrated, disruptive by nature, and genuine and not just generous.
Educators in business and non-business schools are searching for innovative and balanced
curricula to help students become more competitive and adaptive in a highly competitive job
market. Questions remain for many educators in colleges university-wide, such as (1) can we
actually teach entrepreneurship? And, if so, (2) how and what should we teach in
entrepreneurship?
An Overview of the Development of Entrepreneurship Education
Entrepreneurship education derives its importance from three themes: the demand for
entrepreneurship education, educational access to the “make-a-job” option, and economic growth
through job creation (Kourilsky, 1995). Kourilsky discussed the General E – the entrepreneurial
generation – identified by a national Gallup poll, through a rigorous sample including high
school students, small business owners, and the general public on their opinions about starting a
business, knowledge of entrepreneurship, and entrepreneurship education. The survey results
supported the importance of entrepreneurship education with respect to personal growth, skills,
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knowledge, and experiences that are different from those provided by traditional educational
models. For example, a significant percentage of high school students wanted to start and run
their own businesses; they believed successful entrepreneurs should give back to their own
communities; they identified a gap between their entrepreneurial dreams and the knowledge they
were taught in high schools; and they were passionate and enthusiastic about learning how
businesses work. While the orientation of many educational models focuses on a “take-a-job”
mentality, the learning process of entrepreneurship education is geared towards the knowledge,
skills and mindset needed to create jobs (make-a-job) by generating innovative ideas, concepts
and new venture opportunities (Kourilsky, 1995; Liang, 2009; Liang & Dunn, 2010).
Creating and implementing entrepreneurship education at the university level is not as easy as
one might imagine, however. For example, there has been a significant growth in the number
and status of entrepreneurship programs in schools of business and management (Katz, 2003;
Solomon, Duffy, and Tarabishy, 2002; Solomon, 2007). The popularity of entrepreneurship
courses has increased dramatically among both graduate and undergraduate students. Alumni
and industry representatives of business schools strongly support the development of
entrepreneurship programs, and these individuals have become a driving force for the creation
and expansion of entrepreneurship programs within business schools. Despite the increase in
popularity and interests in the field of entrepreneurship, there has been considerable resistance
from faculty members in many institutions to the creation or expansion of entrepreneurship
programs. Faculty members within or outside the business schools have been, and many remain,
skeptical about the validity of entrepreneurship as an academic field. Many educators and
researchers have questioned the quality and rigor of entrepreneurship research, and the need to
hire academic faculty to teach and conduct research in entrepreneurship (Kuratko, 2005;
Kourilsky, 1995; Kutatko, 2004).
As many researchers have pointed out, entrepreneurship is a multi-dimensional phenomenon or
activity in terms of personality, traits, skill and training, decision making, organization creation,
team building, management science, and resource allocation. Characteristics affect behavior,
behavior leads to decisions, decisions link to consequences, and consequences reflect changes in
the economy and well being of entrepreneurs and society. Entrepreneurship is an interaction
between actors and actions, beyond the traditional definition and disciplines of business. On the
positive side, entrepreneurship education can be created and implemented successfully in any
college and any discipline, given its interdisciplinary nature. On the other hand, faculty
members outside of business schools lack the information, guidance, support, and resources
needed to start the process of planning, creating, and sustaining entrepreneurship curriculum for
undergraduate or graduate students.
Creating and Implementing a Successful Entrepreneurship Program in a College of
Agriculture
Summary of the Program
The Community Entrepreneurship (CENT) major and minor has been created and implemented
in the Department of Community Development and Applied Economics (CDAE) in the College
of Agricultural and Life Sciences (CALS) at the University of Vermont (UVM) since 2006. The
CDAE department was formed in 1994 due to structural change in CALS, and three departments
4
merged to form CDAE: Agricultural and Resource Economics; Merchandising, Consumer
Studies and Design; and Vocational Education and Technology. When CDAE was newly
formed, it offered one major with 3 concentrations: Consumer Economics, International
Development and Agricultural Economics, and Small Business. Between 1998 and 2002, CDAE
faculty modified existing curricula by upgrading and updating course contents and officially
launched two majors within CDAE in 2002: Community and International Development (CID),
and Agricultural and Resource Entrepreneurship (ARE). ARE replaced the old SB program by
introducing many new topics and pedagogy in teaching entrepreneurship; it was one of the
pioneering entrepreneurship programs in U.S. Colleges of Agriculture. Between 2002 and 2006,
ARE courses still focused on agricultural and resource issues related to new venture creation and
expansion. However there was a strong demand on campus and among communities to
introduce the entrepreneurship education to a broader audience. In 2006, the CENT major and
minor replaced the ARE, to respond to the need for creating an innovative and experiential
learning oriented educational program that leads to trainings, skills, knowledge, and experience
for job creation and asset/capacity building for community development.
The objective of the CENT programs is to promote entrepreneurship education by adopting a
non-conventional pedagogy using an integrated, multidisciplinary approach. The faculty in
CDAE integrates different aspects of community development in the curriculum, and focus on
improving the sustainability of local and global communities through the application of
interdisciplinary approaches that are economically sound, culturally appropriate, environmentally
feasible, and socially just. Researchers have argued that some existing entrepreneurship
education programs in the United States miss the heart of entrepreneurship process (Kourilsky,
1995). Many researchers have agreed that the signature of true entrepreneurship is characterized
by three attributes: opportunity recognition, resource commitment in the face of risks to pursue
the opportunity, and creation and operation of an enterprise with a team (Kourilsky, 1995;
Timmons, 1978; Bygrave, D?Heully, McMullen, & Taylor, 1996). The CENT curriculum was
created with the principles of entrepreneurship at the center, while meeting other required
learning elements within CALS and CDAE. Table 1 lists all courses CENT major need to take
in 4 years, and the courses for a CENT minor required before graduation.
The goal of the curriculum of the CENT is to support students to develop their independent
decision-making skills and professionalism. Not every person will choose to become an
entrepreneur. The program does however prepare students for jobs in organizations (nonprofit,
for profit, or government) that they will work for when they graduate. If a students decide to
start their own venture, they will be ready because they are well prepared by the learning process
offered by CENT.
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Table 1. CALS, CDAE and CENT core courses
CALS Core Competencies
Communication Skills (1 writing class, 1 speech class)
Information Technology Skills (1 computer application class)
Quantitative Skills (1 math class, 1 statistics class)
Critical Thinking Skills (CENT curriculum requirement specific)
Interpersonal Skills (CENT curriculum requirement specific)
Knowledge (2 physical & life sciences classes – with or without lab; 2 social science classes
– not including CDAE courses; 2 humanities & fine arts classes)
Values (2 diversity classes – D1 & D2 for different aspects of diversity; environmental
stewardship – CENT curriculum specific; personal growth – CENT curriculum specific)
CDAE core courses
CDAE 002 World Food Population & Development
CDAE 015 Visual Communication
CDAE 061 Community Development Economics
CDAE 102 Sustainable Community Development
CDAE 127 Consumer, Markets & Public Policy
CDAE 250 Research Methods
CDAE internship or service learning
CENT core courses:
CDAE 157: Consumer Laws And Policy
CDAE 166: Introduction To Community Entrepreneurship
CDAE 167: Financial Analysis For Community Entrepreneurship
CDAE 168: Marketing For Community Entrepreneurship
CDAE 253: Macroeconomics For Applied Economists
CDAE 254: Microeconomics For Applied Economists
CDAE 255: Applied Consumption Economics
CDAE 266: Decision Making For Community Entrepreneurship
CDAE 267: Strategic Planning For Community Entrepreneurship (senior capstone)
CENT Minor and free electives:
CDAE 166, CDAE 167, CDAE 168, CDAE 266 and one elective
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The Theory-Based Entrepreneurship Education Framework for CENT
To answer the million dollar question “what should we teach in entrepreneurship?”, the faculty
of CDAE develop a unique pedagogical framework (Graph 1) that directly links to the heart of
entrepreneurship – opportunity recognition, resource commitment, and new venture creation
through teamwork. This unique framework builds on the value of traditional classroom learning,
by incorporating experiential learning as proposed by John Dewey (Dewey, 1997; Liang, 2009).
Graph 1. CENT Pedagogy Framework
The key point is to create a dynamic learning environment in which theory and application are
covered simultaneously. Each student has the opportunity to go through this learning model with
their own learning pace and style, and they make progress in learning about responsibility,
challenges and achievement just as real life entrepreneurs do. In the beginning of the learning
process, students start with traditional way of learning – attending lectures of theories of
entrepreneurship and its relationship to community development. Once students are exposed to
theories, they will be taught a series of cases and examples introduced by community
entrepreneurs who work with various organizations and enterprises (for profit, non profit,
government, etc.) These two beginning levels of learning represent the first phase of
entrepreneurship education – focus on observation and experience. The faculty provides a
concrete, closely guided experience to students early in their educational development. This
phase also prepares students to grow towards more complex entrepreneurship experiences in the
future.
Once students become comfortable and familiar with the concepts of entrepreneurship and
community capacity building, they will engage in discussion and debates in the classroom
facilitated by faculty or community entrepreneurs. Group activities are introduced and initiated
Listen to lectures and take notes
Observe cases and examples
Participate in discussions, Q & A
Engage in activities
IInitiate
Initiate creative
and innovative
project to
apply/test theory
Phase 1 -
Preparation
Phase 2 – Capacity
Building
Phase 3
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by faculty and community partners to further engage students in learning the process of
entrepreneurship. This is the second phase of learning associated with capacity building.
Students are guided and encouraged to take on more responsibility and apply classroom
knowledge to real-life situations by working with community partners. The „quality
improvement? stage of student development sets in as students experiment with greater levels of
critical thinking and interacting in a professional setting. The act of reflection, facilitated by the
instructor/supervisor, is a key tool at this stage of student development to enhance the critical
thinking and learning process.
Finally students generate their own ideas of new venture creation, initiating their own teamwork,
seeking their own resources and funding support, planning for their own ventures, operating and
managing their own ventures for a substantial period of time independently with faculty
supervision, providing assessments on individual as well as team performance, and reflecting on
the overall learning of entrepreneurship. The peer-to-peer routine review and assessment system
gives students full responsibility to be engaged and monitored by team members. This is the
third phase of the entrepreneurship education, in which students actually practice theories and
reflect on gaps between theory and reality. The responsibility of conducting entrepreneurial
activities culminates the learning throughout phase 1 and phase 2, and the focus is on skill
mastery and the most advanced levels of application of entrepreneurial concepts and critical
thinking. By working independently from the faculty, students are empowered to define and
address issues that real life entrepreneurs encounter on a daily bases. Students are also
accountable for venture outcomes related to profitability, venture organization, communication
strategies, and public relation.
Most of the courses offered to CENT majors and minors apply this learning framework to
various degrees. The following section provides a summary description of two required
keystone courses (CDAE 166 Introduction to Community Entrepreneurship, and CDAE 267
Strategic Planning for Community Entrepreneurs) for CENT major and minor to demonstrate the
application of the framework.
Two Bookend Courses for CENT Major and Minor – CDAE 166 and CDAE 267
One particular faculty member in CDAE has taken the responsibility to teach two required
courses offered to CENT majors and minors since 2005. This faculty member has deliberately
designed the curricula for these two courses to connect them with each other. While many
concepts are identical or similar in the two courses, they are taught at two different levels to
provide students different experiences of entrepreneurship. Both CDAE 166 and CDAE 267 are
offered every semester.
The Introduction to Community Entrepreneurship (CDAE 166) is a 3-credit survey course
offered to all majors on campus. The instructor covers basic concepts and theories in CDAE 166
such as exploring opportunities in the market, organizational and management issues, accounting
and finance framework, teamwork, ethics, legal issues, resource management, communication
strategies for internal and external purposes, market and industry research, etc. We use Dollar
Enterprise in CDAE 166 to provide an opportunity for students to go through the entrepreneurial
venture process as a real life simulation on a smaller scale (this is described below). Students
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range from first year to senior, and most are sophomores. There is no level restriction for
students, and there is no pre-requisite for this course.
In Strategic Planning for Community Entrepreneurs (CDAE 267), however, students are guided
to utilize all knowledge and information that they have learned in 3-4 years to actually construct
working business plans for real entrepreneurs. This is the capstone course for the CENT majors
who are seniors only, and CENT minors can also take this course if they are seniors. There are
more challenging and demanding concepts for students to develop in this 4-credit course, such as
intensive research, survey and interviews outside the classroom. At least 5 professional
presentations are arranged for students to communicate with a non-academic audience, such as
investors and vendors.
I ntroduction to Community Entrepreneurship (CDAE 166)
The purpose of this course is to help students learn more about how and why people become
entrepreneurial, how successful entrepreneurs make decisions, why entrepreneurs fail, career
ideas, and existing situations in our society related to entrepreneurial issues by engaging students
in reading, writing, discussion, and activities. The teaching team includes the instructor, guest
speakers, and library support staff and it hopes to bring a broader understanding of
entrepreneurship and the relationship between entrepreneurship and community development
into every learner?s heart and daily life in a safe, comfortable, and interactive learning
environment.
The most unique activity in this course is “Dollar Enterprise”. The objectives of Dollar
Enterprise focus on designing practices and exercises for individuals to apply business
knowledge and personal skills, such as:
Utilize unwanted wastes to create value-added treasure.
Build strong teamwork and work ethics.
Exercise creative thinking.
Enhance analytical skills from all business aspects.
Engage in entrepreneurial process.
Learn network and communication strategies.
Contribute to community organizations.
Have a lot of fun in learning.
The theme of Dollar Enterprise is to promote recycle, reuse, renew, and upcycle. Students are
encouraged to utilize “unwanted wastes”, modify the concepts of this “trash”, and create new
value added “treasure” for others. The instructor gives $1 to each individual (11-12 dollars per
team) as seed money. Dollar Enterprise covers the basics of the formation of a business in the
real world including activities that allow students to develop ideas and teamwork, explore
opportunities, identify niche products and services, generate resources, apply for permits and
licenses, register business names, create coalitions and partnership, build community supports;
and dealing with day-to-day operation, assessment, optimization and time management. The
ultimate goal of Dollar Enterprise is to generate sufficient funds and support to create more
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innovative mini new ventures at UVM that (1) utilize minimum resources to generate maximum
positive impact for our society; and (2) lead students to learn entrepreneurship that combines
business knowledge, critical thinking skills, sustainability, social responsibility and community
development strategies.
This activity runs twice a year in each semester with 120 to 140 students in each semester who
form 11 to 14 teams. It takes one month to help students complete all paperwork required by
UVM and the business start-up more generally. Each team runs their business for 4 weeks (at
least 3 hours every day from Monday through Friday) during the semester in various pre-
reserved locations on campus only.
Weekly team reports and team member?s assessments are completed and returned to the
instructor at the end of each week during the operation period. At the end of the 3-week business
activity, each team concludes with a business report, financial report, self assessment, and final
team member assessment. Each team donates all proceeds to local charities and a Community
Entrepreneurship Education fund that has been established to assist future students who are
interested in becoming successful Community Entrepreneurs.
There are 12 steps in the Dollar Enterprise for each team to follow, and these 12 steps are taught
in parallel to entrepreneurship theories and contents throughout the semester including Dollar
Enterprise operation period:
Brainstorm an idea.
Finalize team members and identify market opportunity.
Finalize and assess products and services.
Identify resources and partnership.
Formulate work routines.
Prepare for an initial business plan and a business model.
Establish rules for team assessment and self-assessment.
Complete and continue weekly reports and team/individual reflections.
Risk assessment and prepare for contingency.
Prepare financial analysis.
Prepare final business report, revision of the business plan, and final assessment/learning
reflections.
Arrange for donations to charity.
Since Spring 2005, Dollar Enterprise had worked with many Vermont organizations such as
Sodexho at UVM, Shelburne Orchard, The Old Bread Bakery, Champlain Orchard, Cheese
Trader, City Market of Burlington, Healthy Living, Hannaford Supermarket, Green Mountain
Coffee, Lake Champlain Chocolate, Miguel Stowe Away restaurant and Klinger Bread. These
community partners generously donated materials/ingredients or offered discounts to students
who needed materials for their products.
To date, Dollar Enterprise has generated more than $2,500 in the Community Entrepreneurship
Education fund at UVM. Total donations to charities exceeded $23,000. Agencies such as Make
A Wish Foundation, American Red Cross, Chittenden County Humane Society, King Street
Youth Center and other youth organizations, NOFA, Food Shelf, Grass Root Soccer, Women
10
Helping Battered Women, Greyhound Rescue, Breast Cancer Research, Homeless Shelter, and
others have been beneficiaries of the program.
Table 2. Number of Students Participating in Dollar Enterprise
Gender Year
M F First Year Sophomore Junior Senior
2005 88 87 14 61 45 53
2006 120 90 11 88 57 54
2007* 65 44 5 43 33 27
2008 101 108 6 86 64 50
2009 105 114 8 125 48 36
2010 109 112 25 100 56 38
2011** 59 78 14 88 20 11
Total 647 633 83 591 323 269
Note: *This instructor only taught CDAE 166 in Spring 2007. Another instructor taught CDAE
166 in Fall 2007, but did not operate Dollar Enterprise. **Spring 2011 is still in progress.
Through the years, the number of students in CDAE 166 has increased significantly. Often the
instructor has to relocate the class to a large theater-style lecture hall to accommodate students.
Students come from over 34 majors on campus, including Art, Engineering, Mathematics,
Nutrient and Food Sciences, Microbiology, Education, Nursing, Business, Social Work, English,
Sustainable Landscape, Soil and Plant Sciences, Theater, Music, Physical Education and
Training, History, Chemistry, among others. This course has been voted as one of the most
popular courses on campus, given its unique combination of theory, practices, and interactive
learning. Over 2/3 of the students who have taken CDAE 166 are interested in starting their own
business one day. However a few will decide not to start their own business in the near future,
after they learn and experience the complexity of entrepreneurship process.
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Table 3. Net Profits Donated to Entrepreneurship Education Foundation at UVM and Charity
Organizations
Strategic Planning for Community Entrepreneurs (CDAE 267)
This course has been modified many times since August 1998 as the CENT major/minor evolved
over time. It was taught by a team of 3 instructors between August 1998 and Fall 2000. In the
Fall of 2000, one faculty member became the sole instructor of this course. After attending the
national Rural Entrepreneurship Through Action Learning (REAL) Institute in Austin, Texas, in
2000, the instructor decided to implement the REAL curriculum and Service-Learning concepts
in this course. This decision successfully promoted CDAE and UVM to become one of the few
4-year universities in the U.S. to adapt the REAL curriculum in teaching Entrepreneurship. The
new structure of CDAE 267 included more hands-on activities to learn about entrepreneurship,
more intensive research and communication training, more collaborative teamwork and team
effort with community partners, more invited speakers and mentors from local communities to
Spring 2005 1140.82
Fall 2005 2384.18
Spring 2006 1261.65
Fall 2006 1923.89
Spring 2007 1648.10
Fall 2007 2090.00
Spring 2008 2000.00
Fall 2008 2192.40
Spring 2009 1930.03
Fall 2009 3257.00
Spring 2010 1985.70
Fall 2010 1944.46
Total 23758.23
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guide student teams, and more connection with local organizations which serve and promote
entrepreneurship (such as Small Business Development Center, bankers, etc.)
Students work in teams of 3-4 members in each team for the semester. The goal of CDAE 267 is
to encourage independent learning, through the initiation and construction of a real business plan
for the community entrepreneur. By the time students complete this course, they are expected to:
Be able to adapt critical thinking to entrepreneurial activities.
Understand the necessity of sound planning before embarking on a business venture.
Have acquired specific skills and experience in gathering and analyzing data from
primary and secondary sources as an independent entrepreneur.
Be able to use computer packages to analyze data.
Be able to write and assemble a business plan containing the principle elements needed
by a banker or any investors to evaluate the potential success.
Be confident to explain and defend their business ideas in front of a diverse audience
throughout the semester.
The course structure consists of:
1. Lectures: There are lectures associated with various business concepts that entrepreneurs
must understand in the planning process. From initiating an idea to constructing financial reports,
all of the lectures are designed to apply the fundamental knowledge and skills learned from other
courses in CENT. More importantly, the lectures emphasize creativity, motivation, and critical
thinking; i.e., not only to show students how to apply knowledge, but also to provide
opportunities to develop a decision making process which can be applied in any real enterprise
situation.
2. Library Research: These scheduled sessions are conducted by library faculty members
for exploring library resources that relate to market, industry, marketing, operation, management,
and finance. These research sessions are designed to help students familiarize themselves with
the information/data that can be obtained through various sources.
3. Presentation:
At least 5 presentations are scheduled throughout the semester. A specific topic of each
presentation is assigned for student teams to share information in classes. Students are required
to wear business attire for the presentation. The purposes of the presentation include:
? To practice personal and communication skills, using professional and
constructive approach in front of the audience.
? To demonstrate creativity and innovation by sharing knowledge in
entrepreneurship contents.
? To exchange ideas and information with peers.
4. Business Plan: (at least 5 drafts, corresponding to the schedule of presentations)
Students are required to put together a business plan for a real business. Many students initiate
their own ideas given prior or existing business experiences. The instructor also connects
students with real entrepreneurs who are seeking assistance to prepare for a business plan.
13
The following conditions must be followed:
(1) Do not design a Bar or any generic eating and drinking establishments. Do not design a
generic hotel, motel, Bed & Breakfast, or any other non-specific lodging establishment.
(2) Each team must explain clearly why the business idea is innovative, creative, and
exciting to every team member.
(3) Franchises are forbidden.
(4) Each team must use EXCEL to construct financial statements as original work.
(5) Using professional consultants or commercial packages to design the business plans, to
write the plans, or to collect any data, is not allowed.
5. Weekly J ournals:
Each team is required to keep a team journal detailing dates, times, work activities and
accomplishments relating to this course and your project. The instructor sometimes assigns
specific topics for students to write about. The journal can also be used as a “reflection” of the
course. All information in the journal is kept confidential.
6. Weekly Team Meeting with the I nstructor:
Each team is required to meet with the instructor every week for at least 30 minutes. The
meeting is to provide direct feedback to students regarding the process of the planning,
teamwork, and expected outcomes for weekly performance.
This newly modified CDAE 267 was first taught in the Fall 2000 semester, and students
responded extremely positively to the new format and new structure of the course. Students
showed increasing interest in taking the course, more advanced critical thinking and linking with
real world applications, improved creativity and knowledge levels in dealing with entrepreneurial
concepts, and tremendous motivation to respond to challenges. Since 2000, more than 600
students have enrolled in CDAE 267. These students come from at least 4 different colleges
(including CENT major and minor). Student teams have created more than 100 working
business plans and many of the plans have led to successful new ventures.
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Table 4. Number of Students in CDAE 267 by Gender
Semester M F Semester M F
S2000 20 7 F2006 12 1
F2000 14 19 S2007 24 8
S2001 22 14 F2007 17 9
F2001 26 13 S2008 27 14
S2002 20 8 F2008 22 12
F2002 14 6 S2009 23 6
S2003 14 2 F2009 7 5
F2003 11 3 S2010 10 6
S2004 14 6 F2010 21 12
F2004 15 6 S2011 10 3
S2005 18 13
F2005 13 3
S2006 16 4
Grand
Total 413 192
Conclusions
Education is preparation for life. Entrepreneurship education is really no different from other
types of education. Entrepreneurship is a process – a process begins with a dream, which can be
further developed into an idea and a concept of a product/service depending on opportunity in
the market, resource availability, and an entrepreneurial team. Can we really teach
entrepreneurship? This has been a debatable question for many researchers and experts who
hold various perceptions about what entrepreneurship is or should be. The more appropriate
question is: “what can we do to assist those people who are seeking information about what to
do, when they believe that they have the greatest ideas in the world?”
There are many dimensions of entrepreneurship education that we can discuss: to develop
individual?s capacity in entrepreneurial activities, to teach specific skills and knowledge about
new venture creation and operation; to provide guidance and technical support in business
planning; and to provide a nurturing environment where entrepreneurs are well supported. There
are tremendous opportunities for the College of Agriculture to prepare students to live a satisfied
and productive life in school and after graduation. This paper has provided a sample road map
for others to consider how to lead students thinking “outside the box.” Educators often define
the “learning objectives” and the “learning box” for students. It is simply because we were all
educated from a very conventional model – observe, listen, take notes, read, exam, and learning
15
shell occur automatically. We are facing a new generation of learners who are very familiar with
technology, who demand quick responses and learning feedback, who are willing to multitask
even though they might not manage time well, and who are more interested in outcome-based
learning style. Entrepreneurship education can occur anywhere in any courses. We just need to
know what we need to do - how we prepare the curriculum that will be effective and level-
appropriate for different types of learners. When educators become entrepreneurial teachers and
we can think outside the box, entrepreneurship education will occur.
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