Evaluation in Entrepreneurial Education: Possibilities and Limits

The general objective of this study was to understand the possibilities and limitations of evaluations in active methodologies in various levels of entrepreneurial education, understanding, as pointed out by Lopes (Ensino de Empreendedorismo no Brasil: Panorama, tendências e melhores práticas. Rio de Janeiro: Alta Books, 2017), the use of methodologies that allow students to learn by doing is the foundation for the development of entrepreneurial competencies. To this end, an exploratory and descriptive research was conducted as a contribution to the discussion on the topic. The research was carried out in the public education network at the infant, primary, secondary, and tertiary levels in the municipalities of Arapiraca, Boca da Mata, and Jacaré dos Homens, all placed in the state of Alagoas, in the Brazilian Northeast. The data collection instrument was developed using Google Forms and sent to a population of 380 teachers. We received 180 valid responses, representing a sample of 47%. The data indicate that the education network studied is mostly composed of female teachers with diverse age ranges, with an increasing age representation concerning the level of education they teach. The level of education also increases concerning their teaching level. The data reveal that 63% of teachers seek to develop entrepreneurial competencies in their students, although only 26% emphasize the use of entrepreneurial education. Active methodologies are used, on average, by 46% of teachers, who use a variety of assessment possibilities at all levels of education. Resource scarcity, adequacy of physical spaces, and the number of students per class were pointed out as limitations.