Edward Dixon is a lecturer in Social Entrepreneurship in the School of Business and Management at the Five Islands Campus (The UWI). He holds a PhD in Creative and Cultural Entrepreneurship from the Institute of Creative and Cultural Entrepreneurship (ICCE) at Goldsmiths, University of London. He is also a director for the Centre for Entrepreneurship Thinking and Practice (The UWI, Mona) where he currently assists with the strategic direction, operational and research components of the centre’s work. Edward also has extensive experience in the areas of civil society, and sustainable youth and community development, with particular emphasis on violence prevention and alternative livelihoods.
Poster Session Description
“Educational Stakeholders’ Perspectives about Entrepreneurship education in the Primary School Curriculum in Antigua and Barbuda“
In Antigua and Barbuda, as in many other countries, there is a growing recognition of the importance of entrepreneurship education in developing students’ skills and abilities to succeed in the 21st-century workforce, within a rapidly changing global economy. To ensure the successful implementation of entrepreneurship education in primary schools, it is important to gather the perspectives of key educational stakeholders such as teachers and administrators. This study explored the views and opinions of educators and educational officials on the inclusion of entrepreneurship education in the primary school curriculum in Antigua and Barbuda. The research was conducted in seven public primary schools within one educational district, with a sample of 56 instructors and 11 educational administrators, which included school principals and curriculum officers at the Ministry of Education. The researchers collected data through questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. Data analysis included descriptive statistics and thematic content analysis of interview transcripts . The findings suggest that although opinions on the implementation of entrepreneurship education differ, the participants collectively agreed on its potential to foster critical thinking and problem-solving skills, promote creativity, and encourage social responsibility. Overall, this study highlights the importance of entrepreneurship education in Antigua and Barbuda and provides valuable insights for future policies and academic research on the topic in the Caribbean, where limited research has been conducted. Further studies could explore the impact of entrepreneurship education on developing 21st-century skills at all educational levels, and help to ensure that students are well-equipped and thrive within the 4th Industrial revolution.