Entrepreneurship education learning experiences and business education postgraduate students’ identity construction in Rivers State universities

Abstract

The study investigated entrepreneurship education learning experiences to determine business education students’ entrepreneurial identity construction in Rivers State Universities. Four research questions and four hypotheses guided the correlation study which has a population of 212 registered postgraduate students that have offered entrepreneurship courses in 2020/2021 session. The study adopted the 212 population as sample through purposive sampling technique. Instruments for data collection titled “Entrepreneurship Education Learning Experiences Questionnaire and “Entrepreneurial identity Construction Questionnaire)” were administered to respondents. The instruments, structured in four-point rating scale were validated and their reliabilities of 0.89 and 0.81established using Pearson Product Moment Correlation Statistics. The findings revealed that venture creation learning approach in entrepreneurship education have a direct influence on postgraduate business education students’ entrepreneurial identity construction in Rivers State Universities. Also, that learning experiences in entrepreneurship education significantly relate to the construction of students’ entrepreneurial identity in business education in universities. Furthermore, business educators should always adopt experimentation teaching method in some cases in entrepreneurship education. This would actively expose and broaden student’s ability to brainstorm for solution and tackle complex problems while the educator facilitates and guide the learning processes.