Board Games and Entrepreneurial Skills Acquisition: A Mixed-Methods Study on the Efficacy of the EntreComp Framework in Higher Education

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.34190/ecgbl.18.1.2666

Keywords:

Gamification, Board Games, Entrepreneurship, EntreComp, Active learning methodologies

Abstract

The landscape of higher education has witnessed a paradigmatic shift towards methodologies that are more interactive and engaging. The integration of gamification and board games as active learning methodologies in higher education, as well as the instruction in entrepreneurial competencies, has garnered significant interest for its potential to engage and motivate students, thereby enhancing learning outcomes. Gamification, characterized by the incorporation of game design elements into non-game contexts, offers a captivating and novel learning experience that fosters intrinsic motivation and active participation among students. One of the main ways of applying gamification is through board games, providing hands-on opportunities for students to apply theoretical knowledge in practical scenarios.

A critical aspect of this educational innovation is its contribution to the instruction of entrepreneurial competencies, a domain gaining traction within higher educational settings. The European Entrepreneurship Competence Framework (EntreComp) stands at the forefront of this educational endeavor, offering a comprehensive blueprint for cultivating entrepreneurial skills and mindsets.

This study is anchored in the context described above, with a focused aim to delineate which entrepreneurial competencies, as outlined by the EntreComp framework, are most effectively developed through these novel educational interventions. To facilitate this investigation, the "Game It Away!" project was initiated, encompassing three pilot studies. These pilots innovatively employed board games as the medium through which participants could acquire and hone their entrepreneurial skills. A key component of the learning process within these pilots was the maintenance of a learning journal by the students. This journal, filled with various reflective questions, provided a structured mechanism for participants to document and reflect upon their learning journey throughout the project. In this way, by using qualitative and quantitative methodologies, it is possible to verify the evolution of certain competences.

The integration of gamification and board games within educational settings, particularly through the lens of the "Game It Away!" project, represents a pioneering approach to fostering entrepreneurial competencies among students. This study, leveraging both qualitative and quantitative methodologies, has illuminated the substantial potential of these innovative pedagogical strategies to revolutionize the teaching and acquisition of entrepreneurial skills as outlined by the EntreComp framework.

Author Biographies

Marta Ferreira Dias, GOVCOPP, DEGEIT, Universidade de Aveiro

Marta Ferreira Dias has a PhD in Economics from the University of Warwick, UK, a MSc in Economics from the University of Coimbra and a degree in Economics from the University of Coimbra.
She is an Associate Professor in the University of Aveiro, at the Department of Economics, Management, Industrial Engineering and Tourism. She lectures under graduated and graduated courses of Microeconomics, European Economics, Microeconomic Analysis, International Economics and others, Energy Economics and Energy Policy and regulation.
Presently, she is an integrated member of the research unit on Governance, Competitiveness and Public Policies (GOVCOPP). She is a member of research teams of the University of Aveiro participating in several European sponsored projects in the fields of Social Economy and Competences for graduates. She was the Director of the PhD in Energy Systems and Climate Change and now is director of the undergraduate studies in economics from the University of Aveiro. She is a co-author of scientific articles in peer-reviewed reference journals, books and book chapters in the areas of energy economics, Energy policy, Sustainability, regulation and economics.

Cristiana Alves, DEGEIT, Univeristy of Aveiro

Cristiana Raquel Ferreira Alves has been a research fellow at the University of Aveiro since 2022. She has a degree in Public Administration, with a minor in Public Policy, and a master’s degree in public administration and management from the same institution. Her main research interests focus on entrepreneurship, particularly social entrepreneurship, and active teaching methodologies in higher education. She is currently involved in research projects aimed at empowering students and teachers with the tools needed to learn entrepreneurial skills in a gamified way.

Marlene Amorim, GOVCOPP, DEGEIT, University of Aveiro

Marlene Amorim is Assistant professor at the Department of Economics, Management, Industrial Engineering and Tourism at the University of Aveiro, Portugal and a member of the Research Unit in Governance Competitiveness and Public Policies (GOVCOPP). She served the University as Pro-rector for Internationalization from 2014 to 2018, and as Director and then Vice-Director for the Master in Industrial Engineering and Management. Currently she serves as Coordinator for the research line in Competitiveness Innovation and Public Policies at GOVCOPP.
Marlene received her PhD in Management from IESE Business School of University of Navarra in Spain, and conducts research in the area of service operations and service quality, notably in topics related to service process design and customer participation in service delivery. She currently integrates the editorial team of the International Journal of Supply Chain and Operations Resilience.

Downloads

Published

2024-10-07

Issue

Vol. 18 No. 1 (2024): Proceedings of the 18th European Conference on Games Based Learning

Section

Academic Papers