Abstract
The purpose of this research is to design a curriculum based on entrepreneurial thinking (case study: second secondary schools in the west of Gilan province). According to its purpose, the research method is applicable, with an inductive approach; and in terms of the method of implementation, it is qualitative, based on thematic analysis method. The statistical population of the research includes 10 principals of second secondary schools in the west of Gilan province. The sample size was carried out with the purposeful sampling method, and the interviews continued until reaching theoretical saturation. A semi-structured interview was used to collect information. Thematic analysis and MAXQDA 20 software were used to analyze the data. Research findings show the impact of factors, appropriate educational resources, experts and entrepreneurs, encouraging creative thinking and innovation, providing practical opportunities, regular evaluation and feedback, cultivating communication and cooperation skills, training time and resource management, problem-solving ability, Technical and specialized skills training, and encourage critical thinking.
Introduction
Curriculum based on entrepreneurial thinking is an educational program that helps students understand and develop entrepreneurial skills and innovative thinking. These programs are usually designed to promote ideas, develop skills, and strengthen students' motivation and creativity. In addition to helping students develop their entrepreneurial skills, these programs also prepare them for startups and manage their own businesses. These programs can act as a bridge between school and industry, and help students to turn their ideas into action and be successful in the field of entrepreneurship (Kimencu, 2021). One of the basic components in the education system is the curriculum based on entrepreneurship. Curriculum refers to formal and informal content, and overt and hidden training, through which students under the guidance of the school acquire the necessary knowledge, acquire skills, and change their attitudes and values. Researchers believe that the curriculum based on entrepreneurship is a small part of what schools teach. A large part of students' entrepreneurship is the result of their dynamic interaction with the culture or the set of relations and relationships, rules and regulations and the atmosphere that governs the school, which is from unintentional and mainly value-based, normative and attitudinal learning, and is considered a part of the a hidden lesson programs (MoazemiGodarzi, 2015). Curriculum can help students to understand its existence and potential impact (Neve et al, 2018). Curriculum is one of the most important tools and elements for the realization of educational goals and missions; therefore, efforts are made to transfer different types of knowledge and skills to students through the design and formulation of a specific curriculum, and prepare them to assume their roles and responsibilities. When it comes to the curriculum, there is always the impression that the teacher and students work hard in designed learning, with the hope that students will become entrepreneurial human beings (Nourozichegini et al, 2018). The main question of the research: How is the curriculum based on entrepreneurial thinking in the second secondary schools in the west of Gilan province?
Theoretical framework
Curriculum planning
The process-oriented curriculum tends to be student-centered, and the teacher and the student have new roles in it. As an expert and a small thinker, the student is a decision-maker, he is a self-leader in the process of learning, a communicator, a negotiator and a responsible person in order to work in group work. He supports other members of his group; therefore, he shows human traits in action (Savin & Major, 2014).
Entrepreneurial thinking
Entrepreneurial thinking is not only a skill, but also a spirit and attitude that encourages people to identify and take advantage of opportunities and create value. This type of thinking helps people to create and improve opportunities by themselves instead of growing in existing situations. An entrepreneur can work in any field; from starting a new business to making changes and innovations in existing products and services. To have an entrepreneurial mindset, people must have characteristics such as creativity, initiative, perseverance, flexibility and tolerance for mistakes. They should be able to see challenging situations as opportunities for growth and development, and look for innovative solutions to various problems (Tiberius et al, 2023).
Curriculum and entrepreneurship education
The curriculum and entrepreneurship education consists of different steps that allow students to acquire the necessary skills to start and manage a business. An introduction to entrepreneurship is provided so that students get to know the concept and importance of entrepreneurship and learn about the successes of great entrepreneurs and their impact on society. Students are taught basic entrepreneurial skills that include communication skills, collaboration, time and resource management, creative thinking, and problem solving (Maydiantoro et al, 2021. (
Tiberius et al, (2023) in a study of the curriculum analysis of the highest ranking entrepreneurship MBA programs in the best entrepreneurship education; investigated the objectives, learning and teaching contents, as well as evaluation methods as the four main dimensions of the entrepreneurship curriculum of graduates. The results show that the programs are mainly commercial and managerial, with a relatively small share of self-entrepreneurship. Specific goals of entrepreneurship are entrepreneurial attitudes and competencies, such as entrepreneurial leadership, entrepreneurial mindset, entrepreneurial skills, opportunity creation, opportunity identification, and turning uncertainty into opportunity. Educational content also focuses on business, management, and law, while entrepreneurship content includes entrepreneurial failure, entrepreneurial management, entrepreneurial thinking, and entrepreneurship in general.
Zanganeh et al, (2024) investigated the design of the curriculum model of virtual schools in the second period of secondary school in Khaf city. The results showed that school curriculum design includes 6 components: curriculum goals, curriculum content, curriculum evaluation, curriculum learning-teaching flows, curriculum strategies, and degree of curriculum suitability; and the results of model fit statistics show that the obtained values for each of the indicators shows a very good fit of the model.
Research methodology
According to its purpose, the research method is applicable, with an inductive approach; and in terms of the method of implementation, it is qualitative, based on thematic analysis method. The statistical population of the research includes 10 principals of second secondary schools in the west of Gilan province. The sample size was carried out with the purposeful sampling method, and the interviews continued until reaching theoretical saturation. A semi-structured interview was used to collect information.
Research findings
Thematic analysis and MAXQDA 20 software were used to analyze the data. Research findings show the impact of factors, appropriate educational resources, experts and entrepreneurs, encouraging creative thinking and innovation, providing practical opportunities, regular evaluation and feedback, cultivating communication and cooperation skills, training time and resource management, problem-solving ability, Technical and specialized skills training, and encourage critical thinking.
Conclusion
The current research was conducted with the aim of designing a curriculum based on entrepreneurial thinking (case study: second secondary schools in the west of Gilan province). The results of this research are in agreement with the researches of Zanganeh et al, (2024), Tiberius et al, (2023), Mastali et al, (2023), Mortazavi Amiri et al, (2023), Iqbal et al, (2022), Tayeb Nia et al, (2022), Yarmohamadian et al, (2021), Iwu et al, (2021), and Maxwell et al, (2018). Yarmohamadian et al, (2021) showed that the entrepreneurship framework has validity. Entrepreneurship includes three general cognitive, skill and attitudinal components. According to the findings of the research, the goals of entrepreneurship are familiarity with the concepts of knowledge, motivation, and entrepreneurial skills. Its content is the theoretical foundations of entrepreneurship; learning and business management and communication, and characteristics and personality skills of entrepreneurs. Active teaching approaches; direct and applicable presentation methods are appropriate. Also in evaluation approaches; the methods of evaluating the field of knowledge, attitude, and skill are important, and finally, the state of entrepreneurship is below average.
According to the indicators of the curriculum based on entrepreneurial thinking, the following suggestions can be considered:
Creating and developing educational resources and teaching materials designed from the point of view of entrepreneurship and creative thinking can have a significant improvement in the learning process of students.
Holding workshops, lectures and meetings with experts and successful entrepreneurs can take advantage of their experiences and increase students' motivation to pursue business courses.