From Classroom to Enterprise: How Entrepreneurial Education Shapes Learning Outcomes through Self-Efficacy
Muhammad Awais Bhatti
Department of Management, School of Business, King Faisal University, Al-Ahsa 31982, Saudi Arabia.Suzanie Adina Mat Saat
Department of Marketing, Prince Sultan University.Abstract
The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of entrepreneurial education (EE) on entrepreneurial learning outcomes (ELO) among university students, while investigating the mediating role of entrepreneurial self-efficacy (ESE) and the moderating role of the learning environment (LE). The study aimed to provide a comprehensive understanding of how educational, psychological, and contextual factors interact to enhance entrepreneurial learning. A quantitative, cross-sectional research design was adopted, and data were collected from 237 university students enrolled in entrepreneurship-related programs at Saudi universities. Well-established and validated instruments were used to measure EE, LO, SE, and LE. SmartPLS 4 was employed for data analysis to assess the measurement and structural models, ensuring the reliability and validity of the constructs and testing the hypothesized relationships. The results revealed that EE significantly and positively influences ELO and ESE. ESE was found to mediate the relationship between EE and learning outcomes. Furthermore, the LE significantly moderated the relationship between EE and ESE, indicating that supportive environments amplify the educational impact. This study contributes to entrepreneurship education literature by integrating social cognitive theory (SCT) and experiential learning theory (ELT) to explain how education enhances learning through ESE and contextual support. The findings offer practical implications for designing entrepreneurship programs that combine experiential learning with supportive educational environments.