1. Kari Kleine (kleine@mci.sdu.dk)
Educating for Technology Entrepreneurship Through Scientist-Student Collaboration
Kari Kleine
SDU Technology Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Mads Clausen Institute, Sønderborg
This research is part of a PhD dissertation regarding technology entrepreneurship education. Amongst others, the focus is on learning processes, technology transfer, and practical implementation of innovative teaching approaches.
What is our problem?
Can students build the bridge towards commercialization?
Barr et al. (2009), AMLE
What is our reference framework?
Commercialization of research outcomes, combination of academic and student entrepreneurship
Collaboration between scientists and engineering students – Learning theories
Scientists as origin of technical prototypes
Scientists act as mentors/technical experts
Students drive the commercialization and product development process
Research question
How do the collaboration dynamics between scientist and students contribute to achieve intended learning outcomes (regarding technology commercialization)?
Method
Embedded multiple-case study in line with Eisenhardt & Graebner (2007)
Micro-level perspective
Cases are independent experiments and therefore allow comparison
Case data
4 teams (students and scientist) – longitudinal data (6 months)
Rich data: reports, evaluations, focus groups and interviews
Mid-term interviews with experts
Mid-term focus groups with students
Concluding focus groups with scientist and students
Initial project proposals by the scientists
Student assessments of the ideas/prototypes (initial and final)
Written group assignments & reports
Preliminary findings
Scientist involvement facilitates a real context for the students, which is used to validate assumptions
The technically advanced status of the scientists´ prototypes enable students to drive the commercialization process and facilitate real feedback loops from potential customers/markets
Scientist-student collaboration contributes knowledge that exceeds regular lecture content in term of applicability
Student motivation depends on the degree of ownership they develop during the project, which impacts the collaborational dynamics
Implications for practice and research
Scientist-student collaboration is a form of ‘learning through’ entrepreneurial practice and is highly useful to achieve intended learning outcomes in technology entrepreneurship
Singular nature of technology entrepreneurship: focus on both the development and commercialization of new advances in science and engineering
Contribution to teaching models that address specific challenges of technology entrepreneurship education
Scientist-student collaboration can be an active driver for technology transfer