Defense in Entrepreneurship, Anne Gustafsson-Pesonen, M.Soc.Sc.

The doctoral thesis of Anne Gustafsson-Pesonen, (M.Soc.Sc.) "Developing and Evaluating Entrepreneurship Education" will be publicly examined on 27 October, 2023.

The public defense will be held at the Mikkeli University campus, Auditorium, starting at 12:00.

Opponent: University Lecturer, Adjunct Professor Lenita Hietanen, University of Lapland
Custos (Chairperson): Associate Professor Ewald Kibler, Aalto University School of Business

Development of working life skills and entrepreneurship skills by means of entrepreneurship education 

Our society is changing. We need new types of working life skills and entrepreneurial skills. In her dissertation, Anne Gustafsson-Pesonen deals with the problem "How to develop and evaluate entrepreneurship education (EE) at different school levels and how to strengthen entrepreneurial attitudes, working life and entrepreneurship skills with the means of EE?" The problem is examined through three case studies. Because society is changing, how to develop teachers' skills to support entrepreneurship pedagogical skills in schools, what should be done at different school levels to improve students' entrepreneurship and working life skills, and how EE projects can support the development of entrepreneurship. 

In her first case study, Gustafsson-Pesonen investigates the effects of coaching for teachers on thinking, attitudes, and actions in relation to entrepreneurship in their own subject. In her second study, she examines national projects of EE and their effects on the development of entrepreneurship. The third case study creates perspectives for the development evaluation of using experiential learning methods through Case MiniMikkeli in primary (basic education) schools (sixth grades) together with higher education and business life. '

Gustafsson-Pesonen's PhD research participates in the discussion of the evaluation and development of EE in relation to entrepreneurship pedagogy, methods and EU recommendations in the development of EE. It focuses on discussions about experiential EE and pedagogical solutions, expands the understanding of the role of experiential EE in the school system, and opens up entrepreneurial ways of thinking, skills, attitudes and behaviours. 

On the basis of the withdrawals made from the materials of the case studies, recommendations can be made for the development of teacher education, the creation of an entrepreneurship path model for different school levels, and withdrawals can be made to support the development of entrepreneurship and working life skills in schools at a few school levels. 

As a conclusion, Gustafsson-Pesonen suggests that it is possible to support the development of working life skills and entrepreneurship skills through the means of EE thanks to the work done by teachers, the development experiences carried out in various projects and the long-term work done at different school levels.

Further information:
anne.gustafsson-pesonen@hotmail.com

040 5425054

The thesis is publicly displayed online 10 days before the defense here.