Enhancing entrepreneurial outcomes: The role of experiential pedagogy in compulsory entrepreneurship education in developing economies

The growing interest in entrepreneurship education (EE) has
fueled debate on when compulsory programs “work.” Drawing
on the theory of planned behavior, this study explores the
relationships between experiential pedagogy used in
a compulsory program, students’ intention to innovate, and
entrepreneurial intent (EI). Using structural equation modeling
to analyze survey data from 361 students in Nigeria enrolled in
compulsory entrepreneurship courses at public and private uni-
versities, we find that compulsory EE alone has limited impact
on EI and innovation intention (Int2Inv). However, experiential
pedagogy, particularly engaging faculty and out-of-class experi-
ences (OCE), significantly influences entrepreneurial attitudes
and behaviors across university types. Notably, OCE enhance
Int2Inv, mediated by behavioral control. These findings under-
score the importance of experiential learning in fostering entre-
preneurial competencies, especially in resource-constrained
settings. This study advances EE scholarship and provides policy
implications for optimizing pedagogy to cultivate EI and Int2Inv
in developing economies.