Teaching Effectuation: from theory to pedagogy
September 1, 2022 @ 3:00 pm - 4:30 pm UTC+2

There is a broad and rather optimistic view of entrepreneurship emerging from Scandinavia. One that embodies creation of all kinds of value. One that recognises the entrepreneurial trait as an intrinsic, very human quality, that allows both students and teachers to almost intuitively talk about effectual processes, changemaking and value creation. This perspective subsequently brings to light one of the biggest challenges of teaching entrepreneurship – how do we teach our students to not just talk the talk, but to actually walk the walk?

Sarah Robinson, our guest speaker for this workshop, has adopted this perspective and closely studied its impact on the theory and pedagogy of effectuation. “We are all familiar with effectual processes” she says, “but have not been ‘schooled’ into them.” In other words, to be knowledgeable about something, and to truly know it, are two different things. It may be easy to talk about effectuation, but to create and commit to the process of learning it is decidedly more difficult.

In this workshop therefore, Sarah will discuss not only the implications of this challenge, but also suggest a solution for how it might be approached. The workshop will unveil the goals, consequences and dilemmas of bringing the theories of effectuation into the intricate confines of practical pedagogy. It will teach ways to unravel these enigmas and introduce a spearheading change-maker model, with the proven potential to act as a stable and useful foundation for teaching effectuation.

This change-maker model brings attention to aspects that are otherwise easily neglected. It supports teachers in creating an education that facilitates the student’s ability to see their learning as a process, to articulate who they are and what they can do. It illuminates the importance of collaboration, curiosity and imagination, of taking risks and dealing with uncertainty. Through learning and discussing all of this you will not only gain fresh perspectives – you will generate new knowledge together, inspire each other and collectively expand upon the vast landscape of entrepreneurship education.

WORKSHOP INSTRUCTOR

Sarah Robinson ​​is Associate Professor and Educational Anthropologist at the Centre for Educational Development at Aarhus University. Her interests lie in the purpose and future of Higher Education and currently, more specifically, in the development of pedagogy through the exploration of academic identity and enterprise education.

MODERATOR

This workshop will be moderated by Karen Williams-Middleton, PhD, Associate Professor of Entrepreneurship at Chalmers University of Technology and 2022 winner of the European Entrepreneurship Education Award.