Effects of Project-Based Learning on Entrepreneurship Skills and Characteristics of Nursing Students

Entrepreneurship is pivotal globally, reflecting a nation's potential. Effective education management is crucial for fostering an entrepreneurial mindset in nursing students. This cross-sectional quasi-experimental study, using a one-group pretest-posttest design, examines the impact of project-based learning on nursing students' entrepreneurial skills at the Institute of Nursing, Suranaree University of Technology. The sample included 59 fourth-year nursing students from the third semester of the 2022 academic year. A validated proactive teaching and learning management plan based on project-based learning was used. Research instruments were entrepreneurship skills and entrepreneurial characteristics assessment forms, with reliability coefficients of 0.71 and 0.83, respectively. Data collection spanned 6 weeks, analyzed with paired t-tests and ANCOVA to test mean differences after controlling covariates. Findings showed a statistically significant improvement in entrepreneurial skills and characteristics post-learning (p < 0.05). ANCOVA results, accounting for baseline scores and GPA, confirmed the project-based learning intervention's significant and robust impact on entrepreneurial skills and characteristics. Active learning through project-based approaches significantly enhances entrepreneurial skills and entrepreneurial characteristics among nursing students, with potential applicability across diverse disciplines.