Teachers as entrepreneurial role models: The impact of a teacher's entrepreneurial experience and student learning styles in entrepreneurial intentions

Abstract

This article uses Social Learning Theory and the Role Model Theory to address the issue of the impact teachers have as role models regarding the development of the entrepreneurial intentions of their students. We also tested whether this impact varies based on the students' learning styles. We conducted a survey of 50 teachers and 560 undergraduate students from 26 campuses of a private university in Mexico. Data collection occurred before and after a mandatory entrepreneurship course. Students with converging learning styles have a significantly higher increase in entrepreneurial intentions when teachers with entrepreneurial experience taught the course. For the other students, the teachers' entrepreneurial experience does not influence the formation of entrepreneurial intentions. To the best of the knowledge of the authors, this is the first time that empirical research considers the effect of both a teacher?s entrepreneurial experience and the students' learning style when evaluating the impact of entrepreneurship education programs.