Tolerance for Critical Thinking via Entrepreneurial Storytelling

Abstract

Abstract I write about an entrepreneurial teaching experiment that created tolerance for critical thinking. I find that the entrepreneurial storytelling method of teaching made more money for the clients of a small business consulting class. The entrepreneurial-storytelling method leads students into a three-step conversation. During each step, they talk to each other in small groups, taking notes from each other. During the first step, the students talk about what they learned from the reading. During the second step, the students criticize the ideas that they read. During the final step, the students find a way to use what they learned despite their criticisms. During this time, the professor works between steps to help the groups talk to each other between steps. The professor also helps small groups while they are talking to each other. This makes it normal to disagree while learning, creates moments where students feel like they control what they know, and leads to tolerance for critical thinking. I discuss the implications this may have for group innovation and stoking social entrepreneurial intentions.