PANELA DE BARRO: Proposta de uma nova metodologia de educação empreendedora

Abstract

Innovation has been recognized as a fundamental process to promote economic growth, sustainable development, and the democratization of opportunities in modern society. In this context, entrepreneurial education emerges as a tool to foster innovation and entrepreneurship, highlighted as a priority in global political, economic, and academic agendas. However, despite its recognized relevance, the implementation of entrepreneurial training faces significant challenges, limiting its effectiveness in society. To help overcome these challenges, this dissertation proposes and analyzes a new entrepreneurial education methodology called Panela de Barro. Aimed at the university environment, this approach integrates various teaching strategies and methodologies from different contexts and countries. The Panela de Barro methodology incorporates elements such as the Double Diamond, the Pressure Cooker, Active Methodologies, and the Agile Approach, aiming to foster the development of technical, personal, and professional skills while strengthening the connection between universities, organizations, and society, thus driving economic growth. The research adopts a descriptive and exploratory methodology, using bibliographic studies, document analysis, and data analysis from questionnaires and interviews. Respondents and interviewees participated in the course "Startup Creation: Agile Approach to Business Problems" (CS:AAPE), offered at the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), including professors, organizations, and students. The applied questionnaires and interviews provided a concrete evaluation and understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the proposed methodology. The results corroborate the importance of entrepreneurial education, which goes beyond developing technical skills to encompass personal and professional competencies, broadening students’ options as entrepreneurs or as more skilled and experienced professionals, as demanded by the current market. Despite the positive results achieved, which highlight the relevance of the Panela de Barro methodology for skills development and the integration of theory and practice, challenges were identified, such as students’ initial difficulty adapting to the methodology, the need for adjustments in the integration dynamics between undergraduate and graduate students, and the variability in the quality of interactions with organizational representatives. These challenges point to opportunities for improvement to enhance the methodology’s effectiveness in different educational contexts. The methodology demonstrates flexibility to be applied both in short-term courses and university disciplines, providing participants with an introduction to the business world and the tools needed to start ventures.