Pathways to integrated learning outcomes in professional and entrepreneurship education: Evidence from student perceptions

Jian Zhang, Khalid Usman, Hongmei Yang and Qianqian Yan

PLOS ONE, 2026, vol. 21, issue 9, 1-20

Abstract: Drawing on the resource-based view, constructivist learning theory, and the theory of planned behavior, this study develops a process-oriented framework conceptualized as “resource input-cognitive construction-behavioral engagement” to examine how integrated learning outcomes in professional and entrepreneurship education are associated with multiple educational factors. Using survey data from 584 university students, the empirical analysis indicates that teaching content, teacher competence, student engagement, and university-enterprise resources are all positively associated with integrated learning outcomes. These associations are primarily reflected through instructional practice effectiveness as a key process variable. In contrast, policy support shows no significant direct association with learning outcomes but appears to be related through indirect pathways. By adopting a process perspective, this study highlights how educational resources, instructional practices, and student engagement jointly relate to learning outcomes in integrated education contexts. The findings offer implications for improving curriculum design, strengthening practice-oriented teaching, enhancing teacher competence, and promoting university enterprise collaboration in higher education.

Date: 2026
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0358648 (text/html)
https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id= ... 58648&type=printable (application/pdf)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:plo:pone00:0358648

DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0358648

Access Statistics for this article

More articles in PLOS ONE from Public Library of Science
Bibliographic data for series maintained by plosone ().