Current challenges:
It is difficult to assess entrepreneurship competence as there is no shared understanding of what it contains. Moreover, the contents and objectives of various entrepreneurship courses are varied, emphasising teachers’ subjectivity in the assessment of competence. When assessing how the competence matches the objectives of the course, it is important that the course descriptions are competence-based and clearly describe what should be learned during the course.
It is also difficult to assess competence acquired outside higher education studies on a grading scale without any pre-planned criteria. Moreover, students often acquire other types of competence in the courses that may not be mentioned in the course description. The course teacher may consider this type of learning so important that the course cannot be replaced by the recognition of (prior) learning, or accreditation of learning demonstrated in some other manner.
These are often so-called transferable skills, such as skills related to teamwork, studying or communication. It should also be noted that experiential learning will only transform into formal learning when it is combined with theoretical knowledge of general applicability.
In order to solve the challenges related to the assessment of entrepreneurship
competence, we recommend:
- The learning objectives of the course are made visible in terms of conceptual and theoretical, practical and transferable skills (such as skills in teamwork, studying, communication, etc.).
- In the recognition of (prior) learning and accreditation of learning demonstrated in some other manner in a specific course, it is ensured that the
student’s competence is compatible with the objectives of the course, regardless of how the competence has been acquired. - In order to turn experiential learning into formal learning, the recognition of (prior) learning or accreditation of learning demonstrated in some other manner should always include reflection.
- Assessment criteria will be drawn up for the assessment of competence in connection with the recognition of (prior) learning and accreditation of learning demonstrated in some other manner.
