Life Skills and Self-esteem in Upper Secondary Level Entrepreneurship Education in Southern Finland : A Study of Teachers’ and Students’ Views

Abstract

Entrepreneurship education programs at the upper secondary level have greatly increased in number in recent years. These courses are often perceived as an effective measure in preparing students for their futures through the development of life skills and self-esteem; however, present-day research is often contradictory in this regard. The current thesis was interested in contributing to a more comprehensive understanding of the impact of entrepreneurship education on life skills and self-esteem in Southern Finland, namely communication, creativity, planning, problem-solving and teamwork. The perspective of teachers and students was considered essential in the endeavor; therefore, the phenomena were explored through mixed methods with these two groups at the core of its design.

Interviews were conducted with both teachers and students, and pre- and post-questionnaires were implemented with students in an experimental and control group. The qualitative findings demonstrated evidence that many students strengthened communication, planning, and teamwork skills as well as experienced an increase in self-esteem. Contrary to previous research, students did not believe problem-solving and creativity were skills strengthened in the course. The quantitative results indicated group selection to be a key determinant of life skill and self-esteem development with communication being the only skill that approached significance. Overall, the extent to which development occurred was dependent upon student attitudes towards entrepreneurship education and the effort put forth in the course.