Application of Entrepreneurial Minded Learning Design Projects to Develop First-Year Engineering Students' Entrepreneurial Mindset

The Entrepreneurial Mindset (EM) has become a widely studied topic in the field of engineering education, and is integral in student development and societal advancement. EM interventions into engineering curricula have been shown to positively encourage EM development; however, more research is needed to determine the longitudinal effects of these interventions. This study utilized an indirect assessment through survey responses and a direct assessment through grading rubrics to assess longitudinal outcomes in a first-year engineering program. The survey responses from the beginning and end of the academic year across two first year cohorts (n = 352 paired responses) indicated that students enter their engineering programs believing they already have a strong EM and leave their first year without much change. The direct assessment showed similar results, with both surveys and grading rubrics showing that students struggled the most with Ideation concepts. When analyzing these results in terms of the Kern Entrepreneurial Engineering Network (KEEN) 3Cs (Curiosity, Connections, and Creating Value), it was found that students performed the best in the aspects of projects that focus on Connections, and struggled the most with Creating Value. Overall, engineering students were shown to demonstrate minimal change in their EM over the course of their first-year, indicating the importance of EM integration into courses at all undergraduate levels as well as the significance of studying EM longitudinally. With these findings, educators and researchers can begin to modify first-year curriculum to help students with their ability to generate multiple potential solutions to problems. They can also work with their students to help them understand the value of their designs and the need for this focus as part of the design process.