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Thematic Working Group on Entrepreneurship Education
Entrepreneurship Education and the Future of Learning
Thematic Report Vienna: 17-19 April 2013
May 2013
Entrepreneurial teaching and learning in the curriculum
Contents
1 Introduction .........................................................................................................1 1.1 Purpose and agenda of the meeting ........................................................................................ 1 1.2 Working methods ..................................................................................................................... 1 1.3 Aims of the thematic report ...................................................................................................... 2
2 Entrepreneurship Education and the Future of Learning ........................................3 2.1 Why should entrepreneurship education be taught? ............................................................... 3 2.2 How can students develop entrepreneurial competences and attitudes? ............................... 3 2.3 The Austrian approach to entrepreneurship education ............................................................ 5 2.4 The examples presented.......................................................................................................... 5 2.5 Key learning points emerging from group work sessions ........................................................ 6
3 Curriculum innovation and entrepreneurial learning methods ..............................7 3.2 Challenges and solutions ......................................................................................................... 9
4 Next steps ............................................................................................................9 4.1 Working tasks for next meeting ................................................................................................ 9
Annex 1 Examples of methods and projects submitted ahead of the meeting ........ 12
The Future of Learning and Curriculum development - Draft Thematic Report
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1 Introduction
The meeting on ‘The Future of Learning and Curriculum Development’ took place in April
2013 in Vienna (AT) and was hosted by the Austrian Federal Ministry for Education, the Arts
and Culture and the Austrian Economic Chamber. The Thematic Working Group on
Entrepreneurship Education - made up of policy makers and EU experts – is developing
policy guidance for entrepreneurship education. This meeting focused on a specific theme of
this policy guidance, exploring how Member States can stimulate the development of
entrepreneurial skills through the learning experience, how entrepreneurship education is
implemented in curricula, and the potential of innovative pedagogies. The Vienna meeting
was planned and coordinated by the Future of Learning subgroup of the TWG.
Supported by several guest speakers and presenters as well a detailed overview of the
Austrian approach, participants explored the role of the entrepreneurial teacher, innovative
pedagogies and their use in the classroom was discussed. The meeting went on to identify
why and how entrepreneurship education, innovative pedagogies and ‘the future of learning’
are linked. The TWG examined challenges and solutions policy makers are facing, and
examples of inspiring practice. The group members then discussed which key messages
can be identified that important for all European countries – including messages for all
countries regardless of the stage of implementation they are in, or messages targeted at
specific countries.
This report gives an overview on the topics discussed during the meeting and presents the
key messages and learning points emerged.
1.1 Purpose and agenda of the meeting
The meeting aimed at giving insights into two themes:
■ Strategies / policy reforms to implement entrepreneurship education in education and
training systems; and
■ Curriculum and pedagogical approaches to entrepreneurship education.
The desired outcome of the meeting was taking a first step towards the development of
recommendations and advice for policy-makers as to:
■ What does an ‘entrepreneurial curriculum’ look like;
■ How can curriculum innovation be stimulated?
■ What type of support is needed from policy makers?
It was stated that the policy recommendations should be applicable to a diversity of
preconditions and conditions in Member States i.e. some recommendations will be relevant
to very advanced countries and others to countries which are only in the beginner’s phase in
this policy area.
1.2 Working methods
During the Vienna meeting, several speakers presented the educational theories and
philosophical principles underlying their concepts of entrepreneurship education; together
with a set of methodical approaches to policy reform aimed at ensuring curriculum reform
and innovation. Through a data collection undertaken in advance, it was possible to look at a
range of practical examples from a broad diversity of countries – both in the advanced stage
and in the beginners’ stage - with a diversity of framework conditions in place. During the
meeting, room for several intensive group work phases was made to grant participants time
to discuss and reflect on possible policy recommendations.
The participants worked towards their general objective of developing recommendations and
advice for policy makers by:
■ Collecting and sharing information via presentations by leading academics and leading
examples of good practice;
■ Collecting a broad range of methods for entrepreneurial teaching and learning;
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■ Analysing the presented examples and a broad range of additional examples collected in
advance - with a focus on identifying different types of successful policy reform and
curriculum innovation – to support policy guidance aimed at;
■ Discussing challenges and solutions for policy makers – what difficulties they encounter
and what recommendations can be made to overcome these.
To enrich the dialogue, gather more information and learn from interesting practice, several
presenters were invited to share interesting practice examples of curriculum innovation,
including representatives of the host country, leading academics and international experts,.
On Day 2, ‘speed networking sessions’ were held. Five very diverse Austrian examples of
innovative action were presented: A Business College, an example of a Public Employment
Service providing entrepreneurship education for the unemployed, an example supporting
innovation and entrepreneurship by cooperating nation-wide on city level, a concept of
methodical innovation offered to schools and a cultural education project.
Representatives of the projects and institutions hosted three consecutive Q&A sessions of
20 minutes; each session following the same principle (brief introduction, followed by
participants’ questions and discussions. Each participant got the chance to speak to all three
out of five hosts.
On the last day, the group reflected on the ideas and examples they were introduced to
during the meeting. Two main questions were posed:
1. Which ideas could I take back to my country and which good practices can be used?
2. Which challenges need to be addressed to implement the idea in my country and what
policy reforms are required for this?
1.3 Aims of the thematic report
This thematic report intends to summarise the outcomes of the meeting and draw initial
conclusions that will be used to formulate preliminary key messages.
More specifically, the report will
■ Highlight the key ideas of each presentation;
■ Summarise the key messages that were identified during the group work sessions;
■ Draw conclusions with regard to the how to facilitate curriculum innovation under diverse
conditions;
■ Outline open questions and the next steps towards the development of policy guidance.
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2 Entrepreneurship Education and the Future of Learning – Presentations and Insights
2.1 Why should entrepreneurship education be taught?
When thinking about the ‘future of learning’, it is obvious that the knowledge and skills
necessary for the next generation might be different from those needed today.
Entrepreneurship Education can help to develop transversal skills in a broad sense - it is
about how to develop a general set of competences applicable to life and work; not simply
about learning how to run a business. Being entrepreneurial may mean 1) being
'intrapreneurial' as an employee, 2) being socially entrepreneurial to create social change or
find solutions to social problems, or to be entrepreneurial in the sense of 3) starting a new
venture or business (for social aims or for personal profit). It is relevant to all forms of
learning, education and training to support the development of entrepreneurial attitudes,
knowledge and behaviours - with or without a commercial objective.
2.2 How can students develop entrepreneurial competences and attitudes?
2.2.1 Entrepreneurial Schools
Stephan Breidenbach, Dean Humboldt Viadrina School of Governance Frankfurt/Oder (DE)
and Member of Vision Entrepreneurs presented the model concept of ‘Schule im Aufbruch’1
(or Schools on the Rise) developed in Germany and currently practiced in circa 150 model
schools. It is based on the idea that – in order to educate the workforce of the 21st century -
schools should move away from the idea of transmission of knowledge; and should rather
pursue an approach of unfolding the potential of students. He advocated the use of practical
projects to challenge young people, working with schools to advise them how innovative
approaches could be implemented within current curriculum structures. He wanted young
people to have ‘magic moments’ where learning became relevant to their lives outside
education or helped them realise their own future potential, stating that these were very likely
to be based within environments where learners feel safe and the teacher-pupil relationship
was based on trust – since ‘fear is not a good companion for learning’.
Students that participate in the model concept that Breidenbach described, learn though
three types of projects/activities:
■ Challenge: For three weeks, students, 13-14 years old, freely choose a challenge that
they will undertake, having to live with a specific amount of money (€150). Accompanied
by an adult they go sailing, hiking etc. Through this experience, students are taught how
to combine an activity with managing resources, and finding ways to satisfy even their
basic needs, such as accommodation;
■ Responsibility: Students are asked to pick a community work. For example, work as
“language ambassadors”, i.e. teaching German to unprivileged children that are usually
of immigrant background. This project lasts for 6 months and it develops a “can do”
attitude to students, while developing a sense of community;
■ The sustainable classroom: In the participating schools, one week is completely
dedicated to a project on making each classroom sustainable, by using a small budget.
During that week, no basic subjects are taught. Through this project, students are taught
how to effectively use the specific budget, but also create links with research. Students
learn to use advanced science tools (3D printing, nano-experiments etc.) The results of
this project are encouraging, given that it has led students even to patents registration.
1 http://www.schule-im-aufbruch.de/
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2.2.2 Entrepreneurship Education for underprivileged students
In his presentation, Sven Ripsas, Professor for Entrepreneurship at the Berlin School of
Economics and Law (DE),2 emphasised that entrepreneurship education should be based on
new paradigms: it should target social entrepreneurship. In Ripsas’ understanding, social
entrepreneurs are ‘those people who bring to social problems the enterprise and imagination
that business entrepreneurs bring to wealth creation.’
Accepting failure is of great importance: big firms or even conglomerates make mistakes and
fail, why can’t a start-up? It must be accepted that student/nascent entrepreneurs cannot
necessarily write a business plan that will be fully realised in all its detail. For Ripsas, there
lies the difference between business plan development and entrepreneurial success -
entrepreneurship is not just about planning. Although university professors promote the idea
of the business plan as synonym to success, since a business plan can be easily assessed,
but it is just a tool for the allocation of resources.
Hence, entrepreneurship educators should encourage students to discover what their market
really is, to seek information and broaden their understanding. Entrepreneurship teaching
should be less about providing knowledge, but about enabling students to learn how to find,
discover and select the necessary information.
According to Ripsas, everybody can become an entrepreneur - this is not a matter of
financial background, university or school grades. Some basic competences are needed, like
enthusiasm, willingness to learn, things that make a person move- attitudes every person
has – or should have. For Ripsas, the future of entrepreneurship education will see an
increasing focus on social entrepreneurship, generated by young people.
In order to create an entrepreneurial society, four elements are of importance: Education,
businesses, a supporting political environment, and the engagement of the community
administration. The latter can enable entrepreneurship at a broader level, by helping local
schools and local entrepreneurs.
2.2.3 Entrepreneurship education as an existential challenge
Bengt Johannison, Senior Professor in Entrepreneurship at Linnaeus and Jönköping
Universities (SE)3 pointed out that he sees entrepreneurship as genuinely human faculty and
an existential challenge to enhance life. For him, it is mainly a social phenomenon,
embedding economic activities. He raised the concern that entrepreneurship education has
been overtaken by the concept of teaching management rather than entrepreneurship. He
also advocated that there is a strong social dimension.
Johannison emphasised that children are born entrepreneurs through their process of
experimenting, imagining and learning, and invited teachers to co-construct entrepreneurship
as a mode of creating new knowledge. He underlined that 'entrepreneuring' should be
viewed as social projecting.
According to Johannison, entrepreneurship is networking, since it is a socially oriented
learning. In this context, specific teaching methods can be implemented, such as narrative
learning, presentation of cases that illuminate a student’s ideas etc. Dialogue with experts
and peer learning should also be part of entrepreneurship education, since teachers have no
monopoly of knowledge.
Entrepreneurship and its education are challenged by significant changing forces:
■ The increase in social/societal entrepreneurship: These entrepreneurs create social
values;
■ The penetration of digital technology;
2 http://www.schule-im-aufbruch.de/
3 http://www.mastersportal.eu/studies/8658/strategic-entrepreneurship.html
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■ The awareness of challenges that go beyond the local or even national level: There are a
number of global challenges that can have impact.
For Johannison, establishing a culture of appreciation and mindful relationships helps to
create an educational setting that supports children in maintaining their entrepreneurial
selves.
2.3 The Austrian approach to entrepreneurship education
The host country of the meeting, Austria, introduced their approach to entrepreneurship
education. When looking at their educational system, Austrian experts identified it as a
weakness that students and young graduates are not sufficiently prepared for self-
employment, business and social entrepreneurship. Instead, they are rather encouraged to
follow the tradition of job-seeking. This analysis formed the main driver in Austria to
implement entrepreneurship education on several levels of education. The rationale is that
entrepreneurial can-do attitude does not only develop in business life, but should be
encouraged early on – and education is in the position to trigger and support these
processes.
Dieter Wilcek from the Vienna Board of Education emphasised that in Austria,
entrepreneurship is seen as a broad concept. It aims at supporting
■ Self-employment (independence of own lifestyle)
■ An individuals’ sense of citizenship (independence of the mature, jointly responsible
citizen);
■ Vocational independence (independent thinking and acting as a professionally
competent employee), and
■ Entrepreneurial independence (independent entrepreneurial activity – facilitation of equal
opportunities).
Entrepreneurship Education is seen as an integral part of Austria’s lifelong learning strategy.
It tackles several levels of education and is supported by a variety of actions, a range of
which was introduced in a ‘speed-networking session’ on Day 2 of the meeting.
2.4 The examples presented
The table below gives an overview on the main points addressed by those speakers who
presented a concrete practice example, project or action.
Table 2.1 Key messages regarding practice examples
Presenter Affiliation Title of presentation Main points
Katarzyna
Bordziuk
Pwn.pl –
multimedia
software for
education,
Coordinator of the
Entrepreneurship
project (PL)
To be
entrepreneurial –
learning through
action. An
innovative
programme for
teaching
entrepreneurship
in secondary
schools
Passive way of learning is a hindering
factor. Active learning through the use of
technology can engage teachers and
learners and promote entrepreneurship
education.
Erika
Hammerl
Expert for Team-
Coaching at
Schumpeter
College (AT)
Schumpeter
College concept of
practice firms
The concept of practice firms as
implemented in several secondary
schools in Austria gives students the
opportunity to develop and pursue their
business ideas over four years duration.
Moreover, the school uses several cross-
curricular methods of entrepreneurship
education.
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Presenter Affiliation Title of presentation Main points
Clemens
Ragl
Head of Unit
Entrepreneurship,
Coordinator of the
Business (AT)
Start-up
Programme the
Public
Employment
Service in Vienna
The Start-up programme was very
successful in encouraging unemployed
persons to transit to self-employment. It is
very successful especially with older
persons (from 25 years on) and has high
survival rates 73% still in business after 5
years.
Stuart
Simpson
Coordinator of the
SMART seven-city
hubs for innovation
and
entrepreneurship
training
SMART seven-city
hubs
Austria has established hubs in 7 cities
which support entrepreneurship and the
development of ideas. The hubs work
together to implement best practice
training, to support development of new
trainers and to identify and mentor new
start-up business by young people.
Barbara
Wimmer
Centre for
Cooperative Open
Learning
The idea of COOL The centre is sponsored by the Federal
Austrian Ministry of Education and was
founded with the goal to spread the idea
of the Cooperative Open learning (COOL)
concept, which is based on three
principles: 1) Freedom to choose what is
learned and when – all within a student’s
own responsibility, 2) Co-operation with
other team-members, 3) Time – planning
and self-organisation. Teachers are
trained on the COOL training methods
through on-the-job training. The centre
involves partners in networking-activities
and continuously improves the concept.
The centre works with schools in
Germany and Italy.
Monika Mott Head of
Department,
Educational
Cooperation
KulturKontakt
Austria (KKA)
KulturKontakt Austria (KKA) supports
developing creativity in the field of culture
It is a European centre of competence
and resources whose core areas of
activity are cultural education in Austrian
schools, international educational
cooperation, and international residency
programmes for artists from abroad.
KKA also has the ECONET project which
supports the introduction of virtual
companies in VET. KKA supports the
curriculum development and works with
head teachers and supports the
communication of schools with parents
and companies through the
“advertisement” of the implementation of
those virtual companies. The teachers
involved are trained to become a coach to
the virtual company.
2.5 Key discussion points emerging from group work sessions
In several group work sessions, the groups analysed the practice examples presented.
One main point of learning was here that the future of learning might require re-
discovering traditional values and qualities of education – like dedicating attention to the
individual needs of every child; and providing an educational setting that values a culture of
appreciation and mindful relationships. However, this should go together with using modern
teaching methods and ICT-based tools.
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Several speakers underlined that children are ‘born entrepreneurs’. Therefore, in primary
and /lower-secondary school entrepreneurship education is a lot about encouraging the
students’ playfulness and spontaneity, whilst in secondary and higher education, stimulating
entrepreneurship can be seen as an attempt to regain students’ lost identities as
entrepreneurs. This can be done by organising projects where the students work in teams
and cross boundaries. On the next level, in higher education, a supportive structure should
be provided that helps the students to launch commercial, social or cultural ventures,
building bridges between the academic and other communities in society.
Social entrepreneurship was seen as key to ’sell’ entrepreneurship to Teacher
Colleges, especially for teachers that don’t teach business.
Digital/ICT-based learning was also stressed as a way to promote entrepreneurial
learning. Methods such as digital story-telling can be used across subjects. Given that
younger learners belong to the digital generation, ICT has to be integrated into the learning
environment. Digital learning also allows for collaboration outside of the school. However,
the engagement of teachers may be a challenge: Teachers often do not feel comfortable
with “new” materials, or older teachers may be not familiar with technological learning tools.
Appropriate training of the teachers is therefore mandatory.
However, teachers interested in entrepreneurship education come from all
fields/subjects. Projects can also engage IT and foreign language teachers, since trading
with foreign virtual companies makes a proficient use of English necessary.
3 Entrepreneurial learning methods and Policy Messages
During the PLA entrepreneurial teaching and learning methods were collected, together with
policy actions that could drive and support entrepreneurship education.
3.1.1 Teaching methods
These were divided into the following levels:
Micro level – methods that can be introduced easily and immediately
Meso level – methods that may need wider agreement/resources
Macro level – methods that require changes to the curriculum
3.1.1.1 Micro level
For teacher methods, micro level refers to relevant initiatives that can take place in a
classroom. Those methods do not necessarily require the engagement of the whole school
or regulatory reforms from local/regional/national authorities. Such short interventions that
can easily be included in existing lessons or subjects were suggested. For example:
■ Blending ICT with entrepreneurship: A more intensive use of ICT, e.g.
– digital story-telling;
– blogging;
■ Real practice examples;
■ Group puzzles
■ Action learning;
■ Self-oriented learning.
Their adoption from teachers depends on the age group, the type of subject and other
parameters.
3.1.1.2 Meso level
Going one scale up, meso level teaching methods are methods that could require (or be
more effective with) the involvement of the whole school, support from stakeholders or other
additional resources.
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Such approaches were identified by the TWG members and overall underlined the need to
promote students’ curiosity and eliminate fear. More specifically:
■ debate clubs,
■ exercises involving marketing and selling,
■ interviews with entrepreneurs
■ creative idea generation and development
■ plan games
■ run opinion surveys to develop students ownership about their learning
■ use simulation methods
■ promote voluntary work
For assessment, it was stated that it should be possible to use unusual methods – e.g. direct
observation of the teacher – but that it should be possible to assess against milestones and
objectives already set in the curriculum.
3.1.1.3 Macro level
Some of the ideas and methods suggested referred to the macro level. Their implementation
requires curriculum frameworks that allow for this to be made part of the curriculum on a
loca/regional/national policy level. The teaching methods identified included:
■ practice firms in schools
■ mini/junior companies
■ outdoor training
■ whole school approaches such as COOL (see case study section above)
■ project learning
■ introducing a “learning office” at school level to coordinate entrepreneurial activities
3.1.2 Policy messages
The implementation of entrepreneurial teaching and learning methods, particularly in schools
and VET, requires structural change in most countries. In higher education, where learning
approaches are not driven by national policy, introductionof entrepreneurial teaching and
learning depends on the institution making a cultural change.
The policy messages identified below highlight the links between the themes being
addressed by each sub-group i.e. teacher education, stakeholder engagement, learning
outcomes and the future of learning. These macro level messages underline overall
objectives that should be attained, to promote entrepreneurship education overall. Countries
may differ on the specific steps needed in their national context.
■ Make entrepreneurship compulsory for each student;
■ Develop a reference framework for entrepreneurship skills and attitudes [learning
outcomes];
■ Create an entrepreneurial ecosystem in educational institutions – to allow for a holistic
approach that includes cultural change across the institution and involves stakeholders
as well as teaching and learning;
■ Foster flexible curricula which can allow teachers to respond to the needs and interests
of their learners;
■ Introduce personalised learning approaches
– learning should be orientated at each students’ individual capabilities and previous
learning outcomes – but can still be implemented on a school basis.
■ Embed ICT and social media tools into teaching and learning. ICT is also recognised as
a tool to foster both personalised learning and team learning.
– Simultaneously, introducing ICT into teaching can be a challenge for some teachers.
Relevant teacher training should be introduced (if not there).
– Teachers can use students as “digital experts”: in this way, teacher training can be
enhanced and students will be actively engaged.
■ Entrepreneurship education has two sides: What to teach and how to teach; besides a
changed or open curriculum, teachers should be trained on entrepreneurial learning
methods
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■ Focus on entrepreneurship education that fosters social inclusion
■ There is a need to train teachers both during their initial training and in continuous
development programmes;
– Teacher training in entrepreneurship should include ICT
– Teacher training should also include placement in companies
■ ICT should be a core element in pan-European entrepreneurship projects
■ Students should be assessed on their entrepreneurial skills, attitudes and knowledge.
Include entrepreneurial assessment methods. The role of assessment should not be to
create fear to learners, but rather to create confidence.
■ Evaluation and monitoring should be built into projects, with qualitative and
quantitative metrics to understand impact and effectiveness. Relevant
policies/strategies should be assessed regularly, and have a feedback loop that will
ensure that relevant adjustments/improvements take place.
The primary policy message for those countries who are not yet developed in the area of
entrepreneurship education is that the implementation of teaching and learning
methods needs to be coupled with policy approaches that will promote
entrepreneurship education.
3.2 Challenges and solutions
Based on the groups’ analysis of all practice examples (including those submitted earlier),
the following challenges were identified (NB not an exhaustive list):
■ How to get from good practice small scale/pilots to implementation on a broad scale;
■ Insufficient involvement of stakeholders (particularly business / community);
■ Monitoring of programmes and methods;
■ Lack of data for alumni/start-ups;
■ Impact assessment to guide policy makers;
■ Assessment not suitable to methods / outcomes; and
■ Lack of interest.
The following solutions were mentioned (NB not exhaustive and list does not respond to all
challenges mentioned above):
■ Start from a young age;
■ Communicate the broader definition of EE (steer away from business focus and broaden
perception);
■ The integration of ICT and EE can aid learning;
■ Provide a safe environment where students are allowed to make mistakes and fail;
■ Develop a national strategy linked to economic growth and integrated across wider
education policies.
4 Next steps
The ‘Future of Learning’ sub-group will continue working on refining their conclusions,
building on the challenges and solutions identified during the PLA. In their final form, these
will feed into a policy guidance document on entrepreneurship education published by the
European Commission, responding to the 2013 Annual Growth Survey which has highlighted
the particular importance of entrepreneurial skills for EU citizens.
4.1 Working tasks for next meeting
During the next meeting (13-15 May 2013), the group will continue to work on the task they
have set for themselves:
■ The analysis of the strategies / policy reforms to implement entrepreneurship education
in education and training systems; and
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■ The collection and analysis of curriculum and pedagogical approaches to
entrepreneurship education.
The desired outcome of the group work is to develop recommendations and advice for
policy-makers as to:
■ What does an ‘entrepreneurial curriculum’ look like;
■ Possible typology of entrepreneurial methodologies;
■ How can curriculum innovation be stimulated;
■ What type of support is needed from policy makers
The challenges and solutions identified above will provide a starting point for this.
In the box below, some guiding questions are listed which might stimulate the debate leading
to the aforementioned recommendations:
Guiding Questions for group work in May meeting
Curriculum innovation:
■ Which examples of curriculum innovation / implementation do we know?
■ What are their main characteristics?
The entrepreneurial curriculum:
■ Define: What is an entrepreneurial curriculum?
■ Can examples be grouped into different types .
■ What are the characteristics – as to content, learning outcomes and assessment
Entrepreneurship education in current curricula:
■ Where can we typically find EE in national curricula?
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Annex 1 Examples of methods and projects submitted ahead of the meeting
A1.1 Example from Northern Ireland/UK
Title Learning for Life and Work – (LLW )
Educational Sector Post Primary – KS 4 (14 – 16)
Objectives Area of Learning includes the contributory elements of
■ Employability,
■ Local and Global Citizenship and
■ Personal Development.
Policy Context Revised N.I. Curriculum
Teaching method/s Active, experiential learning
Description As a general concept, Learning for Life and Work is involved in all meaningful experiences
in education.
As a specific subject area, it provides practical tools to
■ think independently,
■ make informed choices and
■ act responsibly in today’s world.
Assessment Coursework:
■ Reports
■ Controlled assessment
■ Terminal examination GCSE
Outcomes Pupil should be enabled to: Sample 3 each only)
Re Employability,
■ explore self-employment and identify relevant sources of support;
■ examine the impact of globalisation on employment;
■ investigate the recruitment and selection process, taking into the rights and
responsibilities of employees and employers
Re Personal development
■ reflect on, and respond to, their developing concept of self, including managing
emotions and reactions to on-going life experiences;
■ recognise, assess and manage risk in a range of real-life contexts;
■ develop further their competence as discerning consumers in preparation for
independence;
Local and Global Citizenship
■ respond to the specific challenges and opportunities which diversity and inclusion
present in Northern Ireland and the wider world;
■ identify and exercise their rights and social responsibilities in relation to local, national
and global issues;
■ develop their understanding of the role of society and government in safeguarding
individual and collective rights in order to promote equality and to ensure that
everyone is treated fairly;
Scope/breadth of
participation
Open to all pupils - not compulsory
Timeframe Two Years (14 – 16)
Preparation Personal Development and Mutual Understanding PDMU KS 1 & 2 (7 &11)
Education for Employability KS 3 (14)
Sources/Links http://www.ccea.org.uk/llw/
Contact Name Ms Vivienne Bannon
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A1.2 Example from Lithuania
Title Economics and entrepreneurship education
Educational Sector Lower secondary / vocational/ upper secondary (15-19 years)
Objectives More students develop
■ entrepreneurship skills,
■ economic thinking mind set,
■ skills of economic literacy
To make the learning programme more practical
Policy Context The new General Curriculum Framework for primary and lower secondary education was
updated in 2008. For upper secondary education, it was updated in 2011.
Within the General Curriculum Framework and with required confirmation, school has the
autonomy to design school and class level curriculum.
Lithuanian Junior Achievement (LJA) programs are taught in 40% of Lithuanian secondary
schools.
Teaching method/s ■ Experiential learning
■ Business mentoring
Description Active teaching and learning methods, which stimulates student self-sufficiency, critical
thinking and collaboration, tutorial, project work, student mini company, student mini
companies fairs, work presentations, young fellow-day hands-on training, forums,
contests, competitions, trips, lectures, discussions, excursions, games, business
simulations and workshops
Assessment Summative assessment for participation in various activities, criterion-referenced
assessment.
No nationally standardised test or examination in entrepreneurship
Outcomes Students
■ Fosters a creative, entrepreneurial, inquisitive, sophisticated, intelligent.
■ Learn what they need in real life.
■ Develop economic literacy.
■ Develops knowledge and understanding of economical processes in Lithuania and the
world.
■ Raises skills of personal financial sense, entrepreneurship competence.
■ Purposefully learns and plans professional and personal life.
■ Creates academic knowledge based on perception of changing economic conditions.
■ In addition to the theory gets practical things.
■ Some students at school by a business deal in learning because they understand the
importance.
■ Some students at school are developing their own business.
Scope/
Breadth of participation
A compulsory separate subject named 'Economics and entrepreneurship education'
subject for grade 9 or 10 (15-16/17 years).
An optional subject economics and entrepreneurship education for grade 11-12 (17/18-19
years)
Timeframe One hour every week for one year in 9 or 10 grade.
Two hours every week for one year in 11 and 12 grade.
11-12 grade students may choose a different number of hours.
Preparation Good preparation of the pedagogical and didactical aspects is very important.
Teachers on the Entrepreneurship module have experience, a good grounding in business
education.
A good supply of good quality teaching tools.
Challenges It is difficult to find business consultants for students the educational companies.
A lot of projects for teachers and students.
Hostile administration's approach.
Pupils' attitudes to the optional subject is flimsy, lack of motivation.
Milestones Preparation phase-idea generation-idea evaluation-idea realization-reflection
Sources/Links General Curriculum Framework
http://www.smm.lt/ugdymas/docs/programos/1_pradinio%20ugdymo%20bendroji%20prog
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Title Economics and entrepreneurship education
rama.pdf (only LT)
http://www.smm.lt/ugdymas/docs/programos/6_Socialinis-ugdymas.pdf (only LT)
http://www.upc.smm.lt/suzinokime/bp/2011/Socialinis_ugdymas_5_priedas.pdf (only LT)
Lithuanian Junior Achievement programs www.lja.lt
Contact Name Marytė Skakauskienė
A1.3 Example from Austria
Title: Practice Firm (PF) – entrepreneurship, innovation and creativity
Level (depends on the specification) Attitude C2, Identifying opportunities B2, Organising B2,
Working together C2, Acting future oriented C1
Short description The practice firm is the model of a real company, enabling the operational procedures of
an actual company to be reproduced to varying degrees of complexity, with the aim of
making them transparent for learning processes. Just as real companies have business
contacts with other companies within the business world, practice firms have external
contacts, so that students get in touch with their partners’ business culture in their own
country and abroad. PF co-operates with other Practice Firms in a closed network - in
their own economic environment. Each Practice Firm purchases, produces and sells a
specific range of goods in a simulated market. PF workers (students) trade with other
practice firms, make contracts with local and foreign partners. The customers who are
buying the goods are the participants in the network.
A PF imitates all business activities of a real enterprise, but there is no real transfer of
goods and money. All business situations relevant to specific sectors are covered by the
PF, from purchasing through output to sales. The associated business administrative
tasks must be carried out according to business usage and legal requirements. Like in real
life, each practice firm is organized in departments dealing with business management,
human resources, secretarial services, marketing, sales, controlling, auditing, accounts,
logistics, etc. Students rotate jobs in the various departments, where they carry out the
specific tasks.
All employees in the PF receive (virtual) salaries, which must be spent within the network
in order to make the economic circulation function. As contacts are established with other
practice firms all over the world, the employees also handle the export and import of
goods.
PF should cooperate with a real company – partner firm. This close partnership aims to
encourage experience exchanges to simulate company practice.
PF fair as a spectacular event in the PF network and a great opportunity to establish new
business contacts, share experiences, introduce new products, to create an image, to
demonstrate all achievements are organized yearly.
Authorities involved in trade (e.g. customs, freight, payment and taxes) are provided by a
national Central Office.
Objectives The objective of the practice in the PF is to develop entrepreneurship skills of students in
VET organisations. It is considered that PF itself is entrepreneurial education (role of PF)
and creates such skills as motivation, team work and projects as well as basic skills of
running a business, planning business activities, interpreting results and decision making.
Students have possibilities to gain practical professional, social and technical skills in the
imitable activity of the business enterprise.
Knowledge of the national legislation concerning registration of business – registrations in
the registers of the National Central Office. All procedures and documents follow the
requirements that are obligatory for the real business.
Participants 15 to 25 apprentices, aged from 16 to 18, practice firms are also implemented at
universities (especially such for business administration) and in adult educational systems
for vocational retraining.
In Austria practice firms are mandatory in the curricula of several types of VET schools for
business administration.
Time Practice firms should be – once founded - be permanently installed. The recommended
minimum participation duration for apprentices is 10 months, one year of training would be
The Future of Learning and Curriculum development - Draft Thematic Report
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Title: Practice Firm (PF) – entrepreneurship, innovation and creativity
optimal. The apprentices should work one day (3 – 6 hours) a week, but there also exist
practice firms working more than 30 hours a week.
Preparation Work in the PF is only possible, if it is part of a network of PFs, so that a market situation
can be simulated. Additionally it is imperative, that the most important authorities are
simulated and that a practice firm bank is introduced, so that money can be transferred
properly. In order to take part in the international practice firm market, bank clearing must
be offered – this is ensured by joining EUROPEN PEN International.
The trainer should have experience in real business and should also be pedagogically
qualified. Trainers, working in a PF, are often described as leaders, organizers, managers,
experts, consultants, etc. Qualifications in the pedagogical and managerial field play the
main role in preparing students for their practical activities.
Stumbling blocks Budget is needed :Establishment budget should be formed considering:
■ PF premises, furnishing and office equipment;
■ IT equipment and software;
■ Communication costs (telephone connection, internet, post services);
■ Stationery.
The practice firm usually operates in a room, equipped and furnished with adequate office
furniture and equipment for training in the PF. There should be ample room for the
different departments of the practice firm. It is recommended that the practice firm has at
least 12 computer workplaces and an Internet connection. PF establishing costs incur only
once as usually PFs are run for many years.
PF trainers’ preparedness and motivation for work at PF are a precondition.
PF trainees should have some business-knowledge. Preferably training in PF should be
implemented in the last year of students’ business-education.
To guarantee a high level of quality of PF, monitoring and controlling should be
implemented.
Steps Preparation phase, getting familiar with the system and with the most important (online)
services of the national service center – Formation and setup or (mostly) overtaking of the
practice firm by applying for a job in the practice firm, visiting partner firm – ongoing
business operation on the virtual market including all business activities of a real
enterprise and dealing with civil services (such as tax office and social insurance
institution) – handover to the next generation by job advertisement
Source ACT Austrian Center for training firms (practice firms), www.act.at
A1.4 Example from the US
Ice House Entrepreneurship Program TWG Application FINAL.pdf