A Scalable and Adaptable Problem-Based Learning Course in Entrepreneurship
Ralph M. Hanke,
Elizabeth C. Kisenwether,
Anthony Warren, The Pennsylvania State University / University Park
In the pilot offering of Introduction to Entrepreneurship, fifty-five students
developed entrepreneurial skills at PSU using a unique problem based learning
(PBL) approach with all course materials and grading managed on-line. The
course was cross-listed as a business and engineering class (BA/ENGR497G)
to help form interdisciplinary teams from across the university from all majors.
The challenge to each team: develop a new venture concept that could grow
to $50M in annual revenue by year five. Students self-selected into teams
of three to six, typically with no more than two members from one major.
The course had no text: all readings were available on Penn State's on-line
course management system (ANGEL) and rich media content was on a $25
CD-ROM. The overall course objective was to guide students through the new
venture definition process as they grow in attributes of self-efficacy, leadership,
creativity, and comfort with ambiguity.
View the full paper here >> (requires Adobe Acrobat Reader)