Impact of digital literacy training on entrepreneurial intention among final-year business education students

Project Abstract

Digital literacy has emerged as a critical enabler of entrepreneurship, shaping how aspiring entrepreneurs access, evaluate, and utilize information to transform ideas into viable ventures. This study investigates the impact of a structured digital literacy training program on the entrepreneurial intention of final-year students in business education, employing a mixed-methods approach to capture both quantitative and qualitative dimensions of intention formation. The research adopts the Theory of Planned Behavior as a guiding framework, positing that digital competencies influence attitudes toward entrepreneurship, perceived behavioral control, and subjective norms, thereby shaping entrepreneurial intention. A quasi-experimental design was implemented with two groups an intervention cohort receiving a 12-week, project-based digital literacy curriculum focusing on digital tools for opportunity recognition, online market analysis, digital marketing, financial technology literacy, and ethical digital practice; and a control cohort continuing with the standard business education curriculum. Data were collected at three points pre-intervention, post-intervention, and a three-month follow-up to assess the durability of effects. Quantitative data were analyzed using ANCOVA to compare post-test entrepreneurial intention scores while controlling for baseline measures, and structural equation modeling tested the mediation effects of attitude, perceived behavioral control, and subjective norms. Qualitative data were obtained through semi-structured interviews with a purposive sample of participants from both groups to explore perceived barriers, enabling factors, and the specific digital skills that most strongly influence entrepreneurial mindset. Findings reveal that participants in the digital literacy training exhibited a statistically significant increase in entrepreneurial intention compared with the control group (p < .01), with attitude toward entrepreneurship and perceived behavioral control partially mediating this relationship. The enhancement in intention is primarily driven by improved confidence in leveraging digital platforms for opportunity discovery, customer outreach, and scalable business model experimentation. The qualitative insights corroborate the quantitative results, highlighting the role of hands-on digital project experience, real-world simulations, and peer collaboration in cultivating entrepreneurial self-efficacy and a proactive orientation toward venture creation. The study also identifies moderating effects of prior digital exposure, gender, and academic performance on the strength of the intervention’s impact. Practical implications include the integration of digital literacy modules into business education curricula to systematically foster entrepreneurial intention, the necessity for faculty development to deliver high-quality digital pedagogy, and the design of scalable, low-cost digital training resources that can be deployed across higher education institutions. Limitations involve the single-institution context, potential self-selection bias, and the relatively short follow-up period. Future research is recommended to examine long-term entrepreneurial outcomes, such as startup creation and venture performance, as well as cross-institutional replication to enhance generalizability. Overall, the study contributes to understanding how targeted digital competencies can accelerate the transition from business education to entrepreneurial action, informing curriculum designers, policymakers, and entrepreneurship educators about effective strategies to cultivate a digitally fluent and venture-ready workforce.

Project Overview

What This Project Is About

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A plain-language overview of the topic and what the project investigates.

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The Problem It Addresses

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What problem or gap this project tackles and why it matters to the field or society.

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Objectives of the Project

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1. Identify how digital literacy training influences students’ plans to start or grow businesses.
2. Measure changes in confidence and practical skills after training.
3. Explore which digital tools most affect entrepreneurial thinking among final-year students.
4. Suggest a scalable training model for business education programs.

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What You Will Do Step by Step

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1. Review existing literature on digital literacy and entrepreneurship.
2. Design a simple digital literacy training module tailored for business students.
3. Recruit final-year business education students and implement the training.
4. Collect data using surveys or quick interviews before and after training.
5. Analyze results to identify trends and effects on entrepreneurial intention.
6. Discuss findings and practical implications for curricula.

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Expected Outcome

Expected outcomes include clearer understanding of how digital skills shape entrepreneurial goals, a practical training outline for programs, and evidence to support curriculum improvements.