Bridging metacompetencies and entrepreneurship education

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the concept of metacompetencies in entrepreneurship education through students’ expressions of metacompetencies in their learning processes, aiming to provide assistance embedding metacompetencies in entrepreneurship education. Design/methodology/approach The empirical study is based on qualitative data retrieved from students’ reflections throughout the course, and measures the constructs of metacompetencies in parallel with the acquisition of entrepreneurship course outcomes. The phenomenological analysis is coded to apply Bayesian modelling and statistical validation measures to establish interrelations between metacompetency components and conceptual validity. Findings Different degrees of appearance of students’ metacompetencies and significant correlations between all three components of metacompetencies are identified. An empirical model of connection between metacompetencies and entrepreneurship education is created, which shows a strong relationship between students’ metacompetencies and changes in attitudes, emotions, intentions and interest towards entrepreneurship. Practical implications Practical implications are connected with the entrepreneurship course design, supporting the development of students’ metacompetencies and self-awareness. Social implications Social implications bring learners’ physical participation in the courses into the spotlight, influencing students’ attitudes towards entrepreneurship. Enhancing metacompetencies as a tripartite model assures that cognitive, conative and affective aspects of learning are in corresponding change. Originality/value This paper provides a step forward from theorising metacompetencies, putting this concept in the middle of practice. The empirical model establishes a direct connection between metacompetencies and entrepreneurship education, demonstrating how students’ awareness creation through metacompetencies influences changes in interest and intention towards entrepreneurship.