Student Changemakers: Increasing enterprising behaviours and graduate attributes through a Communities of Practice approach

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to gain a deeper understanding of an extra-curricular Enterprise Education program through the delivery of a participative pedagogy based on Community of Practice principles. The program, called Changemakers, aimed to help students become agents of socio-economic change through the development of a place-based change project. The literature review highlighted a gap in our knowledge of developing enterprising behaviours and graduate attributes through EntEd, underpinned with a Community of Practice approach. Qualitative research was carried out through observations, mini semi structured interviews and Facilitator reflections over the program’s 12 month period. Analysis drew upon a value creation framework to map the data across typologies of value and to identify graduate attributes. Three findings are presented, the act of boundary spanning and the role of the CoP, the typology of value and the demonstration of graduate attributes. We discuss how our findings can inform the practice of designing and facilitating EntEd underpinned with participative pedagogies. We propose such programs help students to develop a wider set of graduate attributes and lifelong learning skills.