DESIGN THINKING ON ENTREPRENEURIAL MINDSETS OF BUSINESS EDUCATION STUDENTS IN FEDERAL UNIVERSITY OTUOKE BAYELSA STATE

This study evaluates the relationship between design thinking and entrepreneurial mindsets among Business Education students at the Federal University Otuoke, Bayelsa State. The research focused on male and female undergraduate students in their third and final years within the Department of Business Education during the 2024/2025 academic session. Adopting a descriptive survey research design, the study targeted a population of sixty-three (63) 400-level students. The findings reveal that design thinking significantly enhances the entrepreneurial mindset of Business Education students. The three core components of design thinking, product testing, prototyping, and ideation were widely acknowledged as instrumental in fostering creativity, opportunity recognition, problem-solving, and the development of viable business solutions. Hypothesis testing indicated no significant gender difference in perceptions of product testing, reflecting a shared understanding of its importance. However, significant gender differences emerged in engagement with prototyping and ideation. It is recommended that lecturers and administrators adopt inclusive teaching strategies, such as mixed-gender group projects, mentorship programs, and innovation labs, to promote balanced participation. The establishment of dedicated design thinking and entrepreneurship hubs, equipped with prototyping tools and idea development resources, is further encouraged to provide a supportive environment for experimentation, feedback, and refinement of business ideas.