The development of research competences through the Lean Startup methodology in student training at the Open University in Costa Rica

Abstract

This study performs an analysis of the Lean Startup method to check whether some of its maxims can be used in the creation of a learning methodology oriented to the development of research competences in the training of students at the Open University in Costa Rica. The reinforcement of this aspect has been highlighted as a priority by university authorities. To do this, we analyse and contrast research on the Lean Startup methodology by American and European experts which covers experiences and their application to teaching. The entrepreneurial skills achieved by working with the Lean Startup methodology help incorporate research actions that should be present in the research training of Open University students. Simultaneously, the acquisition of these research actions relate to the basic competences that every student should have in research (Cuevas and Rocha, 2011; Davison & Palermo, 2015). We consider that the three steps of the Lean Startup methodology—creating-measuring-learning—do not only help train enterprising future teachers but also develop research competencies. This informs us of the effectiveness of adapting the Lean Startup method to the field of teaching, with a view to training future professionals according to a learning methodology focused on the development of entrepreneurial attitudes which, simultaneously, help students acquire research competences from the beginning of their university degrees at the Open University.