Using Problem-focused Approach to Nurture Creativity and Entrepreneurship among Students

This paper discusses the use of a problem-focused approach to nurture creativity and entrepreneurship among students in a school setting. The study sample consisted of three groups of students (age 16 years old) from three secondary schools in Malaysia. The participants consist of 25-35 students from each school (n=95). The data collection took place during three workshops, which were conducted using a problem-focused approach, with participants from each school. At the end of each workshop, participants were asked to fill in an electronic diary about their experience. The participants' reflections after the first workshop were analysed to identify the use of a problem-focused approach in the development of students' creativity and entrepreneurship. The findings were reduced into thematic categories representing the participants' awareness of aspects of creativity, innovation, and entrepreneurship. The results of the study highlight the participants' positive attitude towards the use of problem focused approach. As a whole, the participants reported that the activities in the workshop were beneficial and made them aware of the opportunity to innovate using the problems encountered in everyday life. The findings suggest that exposing students to a creative and entrepreneurship-friendly environment through the use of a problem-focused approach nurtures the development of students' creativity and entrepreneurship. (C) 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.