Author(s): Krisakorn Sukavejworakit, Triyuth Promsiri, Thanaphol Virasa
The recent research in entrepreneurship asserts that entrepreneurial intention is recognized as the best predictor of entrepreneurship activity and its consequences. Entrepreneurship education as a field of research has expanded and contributed to the increase of intentions toward entrepreneurship. This study aims to extend the understanding of entrepreneurial intention (EI) within the context of entrepreneurship education (EE). The effect of opportunity evaluation process on entrepreneurial intention was explored with the application of Experiential Learning Theory. The conceptual framework was developed based on the integrated entrepreneurial intention model. The study then developed teaching model called the application of opportunity evaluation through experiential learning (OETEL). To study the effects of OETEL on EI, we used the experimental research approach. The experiment was designed in the form of pre-test and post-test-controlled group design. Total of 60 students divided for 2 groups joined in the experiment. The results of this experiment revealed that, students who received OETEL produced the higher level of entrepreneurial intention comparing to the students who did not receive the treatment. This study shows how the entrepreneurship education with the application of experiential learning theory affects entrepreneurial intention on would-be entrepreneurs. Educators and practitioners can adapt this learning method in entrepreneurship classrooms and policymakers can strategically encourage the adoption of experiential learning in the entrepreneurship education and training programs.