Evaluating the Impact of Social Entrepreneurship Education on Secondary School Students in Hong Kong

Abstract

This study investigates the effects of Social Entrepreneurship Education on the holistic development of 78 Secondary 4 students in Hong Kong using a convergent parallel mixed-methods design. The experiential SEE programme sought to develop six domains of competence: (1) learning and cognitive development, (2) personal growth and self-awareness, (3) collaboration and communication skills, (4) community awareness and civic engagement, (5) entrepreneurial mindset and competency, and (6) future planning and career aspirations. Participants were divided into two groups—20 active students who received extended mentoring and 58 less-active students who attended core workshops. Quantitative results showed that active participants achieved consistently higher mean scores, including a 0.36-point advantage in entrepreneurial mindset and future-planning domains, though none of the differences reached statistical significance (p>0.05). Extremely strong inter-domain correlations suggested limited discriminant validity of the survey instrument. Qualitative evidence revealed more nuanced growth in resilience, humility, empathy, and civic responsibility. By integrating both datasets, the study affirms SEE’s potential to enhance students’ cognitive, collaborative, and reflective capacities. The findings demonstrate that active, experiential participation maximizes developmental outcomes and provide a promising pedagogical model for reconciling academic rigor with personal and community development in exam-oriented education systems.

Presenters

Kwun Hang Lau
Deputy Head of School Development, CCC Tam Lee Lai Fun Memorial Secondary School, Hong Kong

Details

Presentation Type

Paper Presentation in a Themed Session

Theme

Educational Studies

KEYWORDS

Experiential Learning