The Role of Entrepreneurial Education in Enhancing Innovative Teaching Practices among Prospective Teachers

Abstract

The aim of the current study was to analyze the role of the entrepreneurial education to improve innovative teaching practices in the prospective teachers studying in B.Ed. (Hons) 4-Year program in the Department of Education, University of Poonch Rawalakot. Quantitative approach was used in this research, descriptive and correlational research design was used to gather data involving 120 prospective male and female teachers in the sample, by administering a questionnaire, with the questionnaire being designed in a structured manner. Levels of entrepreneurial education exposure, entrepreneurial competences, and innovative teaching practices were analyzed with the help of descriptive statistics, and the relationships between the variables and their predictive role among them were investigated with the help of the inferential statistics. It was found that prospective teachers had moderate to high exposure to entrepreneurial education and showed positive entrepreneurial skills especially in terms of being creative, recognizing opportunities and taking initiative. Findings also revealed that there are strong, positive and significant association between entrepreneurial education and innovative teaching practices. Regression analysis revealed that the entrepreneurial education and entrepreneurial competences were also of great predictors of innovative teaching practices. There were no notable differences in gender in innovative teaching practices. The paper finds that entrepreneurial education is a significant part of developing innovative teaching praxis in the introductory stage of teacher preparation and suggests their appropriate systematization in teacher education programs to equip prospective teachers with the chances to deal with the challenges of modern education.