Report: This research report presents the empirical findings from the qualitative study in the ICEE project. The study consists of a 15-day field study in five schools in five countries - Belgium, Estonia, Finland, Italy and Latvia.
1 I NTRODUCTION
The ICEE project
The mini-company programme
Presentation of this report
Belgium
In Flanders, Flanders Innovation & Entrepreneurship brings together people from higher education for a forum for entrepreneurial higher education. In terms of obstacles, Flanders Innovation & Entrepreneurship mentioned the general organization of the school system and its perception of EE.
Estonia
Finland
Moreover, EE has become entrenched in the core curricula and integrated into the plans of local schools and. Finland is also at the forefront of EE research by developing assessment tools for the schools that have now been translated into several languages.
Italy
The evaluators suggest that the next steps are to involve teachers and school leaders in the implementation strategy by actively developing concrete measures and by offering additional opportunities for EE. In addition, the students are able to fit into different work realities and also realize their idea independently, which is good for the local community.
Latvia
When EE is scaled up to reach a significant proportion of students and teachers at a school, they felt that the main effect on the local community is greater awareness of the world of work by students. Transversal competences, such as creativity, self-initiative, entrepreneurial attitudes, critical thinking and problem solving, are the focus of the new education curriculum prepared by the National Center for Education.
A brief comparative summary
One of the main obstacles is time, as it is not possible to make any quick changes in the education curriculum and a comprehensive reform process takes time. As a result, members of the local communities can be better informed about entrepreneurial opportunities and can be more encouraged to take the initiative and perhaps start their own entrepreneurial activity.
The main actors involved in entrepreneurship education
In the current school year, a selective and gradual approval of this content is taking place in 80 general education institutions. According to the progress model outlined in the report, Latvia is in the pre-strategy stage, with some progress in establishing a strategy in the form of policy documents.
The content of the national strategies on entrepreneurship education
In Latvia, Estonia and Italy, national energy efficiency strategies are not yet in place or have only recently come into force. Estonia and Italy already have policy reforms and a strategy to introduce EE at most levels of education.
A model of the implementation of the national strategy
In Latvia, strategic documents emphasize that entrepreneurial skills should be part of all education and that EE and teacher training should be included in all study programs.
3 R ESEARCH METHODS
Research questions
In the ICEE study, we present the results of the quantitative research and the qualitative case studies separately, as in this report. In the ICEE study, we performed both an effect evaluation (quantitative method) and a process evaluation (qualitative method).
Case studies
It is worth noting that the qualitative study was only a small part of the entire ICEE project. We hope that our qualitative study will inspire a more extensive and in-depth study of the learning process that accompanies it.
The selection of informants
We also conducted a brief email Q&A with the Ministries of Education in each of the five countries.
Focus group interviews
Using an interpreter
Informants who participated in this study were selected by actors involved in the ICEE project (either the schools themselves or JA representatives in the country). We also emphasized the researchers' external role in the ICEE project and assured our informants that all data would be processed.
4 B ELGIUM
Selection and focus
Hindrances and drivers for entrepreneurship education
From the JA perspective, one of the solutions to this problem could be collaboration between the different teachers at the school. Teachers find it difficult to impose MC in other teachers' classes, and parents see the consequences of the lack of integration in the amount of time spent on MC.
Drivers
Preparation and training for the Company Programme
From the perspective of the teachers and mentors
Trust and professional security are important values for teachers who question whether the ICEE project is suffering from haste. Another aspect of this lack of competence from the mentor's perspective is that teachers do not seem to know how to use the mentor, or even what the mentor's role is.
From the perspective of the JA representative
For example, students do not know the programme's timeline; they are unaware of the next milestone and what needs to be done beforehand.
Assessment of the Company Programme as a working method
From the perspective of the students
From the perspective of the teachers
With the activities it's easier - I can even ask them questions, but the economic part is difficult and I feel like I'm losing control of the class. At this moment I have a good contact with them from before; I see the advantages for the student, but not for me.
From the perspective of the parents
From the JA representative’s perspective
We do see teachers sitting next to the students and wanting to tell them the correct way to do it.
Learning process for students
The students are very clear on the point that they have learned a lot by being forced to do things themselves. On the other hand, it was important for them to take responsibility for their own learning process.
Learning outcomes
Communication… because if you don't know what the others want, you can't know what to do. You have to talk to each other in order to do the right things.
From the perspective of the teachers and head teacher
The teachers reflect on the fact that this way of learning is new to their students and it was difficult for them in the beginning, both for the teachers and the students, but now they see that the students have learned by being forced to deal with their own experiences. The parents say students learned a lot from the conflict they had in the company when they were forced to deal with how individuals performed their duties.
5 E STONIA
Hindrances
The most important driver for EE in Estonia, according to teachers, was the fact that it is now part of the national curriculum as a key competence and should therefore be included in every subject. According to a JA representative, they have the finances and the ability to commission teacher training, and the JA organization is now making connections with all of them.
Preparation and training for the JA Company Programme (CP)
The teachers also mentioned that the mini-company program influenced the parents of the students mainly in a positive way. Finally, the teachers were asked about the gender perspective as part of the mini-company program.
Learning process for students and relations with teachers and mentors
I think they know better finance and they know better bookkeeping and that's important. For me, it is also important that they understand that profit is the payment for the risk the entrepreneur takes.
6 F INLAND
Hindrances and drivers for EE
The school has a curriculum with 'a bond of entrepreneurship' within as one of the core values at all levels of the school. The role of the school leader in building competence among the staff is one of the school's core issues.
Strategies to spread entrepreneurship education
One of the most important roles of the teacher is to be a motivator and guide for the students in the MK. The teachers find that students bring different levels of motivation to the program, and see such variability as one of the program's drawbacks now that it is mandatory.
Learning outcomes for students
The parents could not say whether it was due to the product itself, a mistake in the marketing or that the members did not choose it themselves. The lack of motivation among these boys led the parents to question the whole idea of MC as a compulsory program rather than a voluntary program that could prove to be more motivating.
7 I TALY
Hindrances Traditional pedagogy
According to the teachers, they had a maximum of four hours of training in CP. The interview with the teachers focuses on their struggle to include CP in their subjects.
Student-teacher relations
Some of the students also joined EE last year and they help other students in the lower classes. However, some of the students are not mature enough and have problems, especially when it comes to teamwork and responsibility for their own learning.
8 L ATVIA
Head teacher on entrepreneurship education in the school
In this program they can implement something new, and they can gain some practice and take their idea internationally. In any program, for example in business and economics, they can have mini-companies or they can learn about it in theory and just write the business plan without the practical part.
Some drivers and one major hindrance
Regarding the national EE plan in Latvia, teachers said that there are some goals, but mainly at the university level. They go to the teachers and ask them how they can do this and that.
Preparation and training for the CP
Students need to learn how to plan their project and their finances and how. Then the students from the mini-companies can be the driving force for other students to try the same thing.
Learning process and student-teacher relations
In one of the companies there were problems with so-called 'vagrants' who did not do what was expected. We are boys and not girls, so (the teacher) has to talk to us in a rough way. The teacher) has to curse and beat it into us.
Student-mentor relations and dealing with finances
Regarding the learning results of the student companies, we have the opinions of the leader, teachers and the students themselves. Summarizing the learning outcomes for the students, we see that both the teachers and the students themselves admit that they have gained a lot of knowledge and skills related to building a company and personal growth.
9 C OMPARATIVE SUMMARY OF MAIN FINDINGS
Drivers and hindrances
Educational reforms and a national strategy of entrepreneurship education
The main drivers at the school level: head teacher, teachers and students
Other important drivers: mentors and parents
The same can be said of parents, mentors and the JA organisations, but the ministries of education and schools are the most decisive drivers. Without their support, it will be very difficult to implement and scale up EE and CP.
Assessment of the Company Programme
Similarly, at the school level, if the principal, teachers and students are not enthusiastic, they can act as a barrier. This can be especially true if teachers are only used to giving grades.
Preparation and training for the Company Programme by the teachers
When it comes to learning outcomes for students, we find much the same results across the five countries. Both teachers and students emphasize that students have gained considerable knowledge about starting and running a company, not only in theory, but in practice, by actually creating their own company.
Recommendations
In this last chapter, we want to summarize some of the findings from the qualitative research and give some recommendations for the further process of implementing entrepreneurship education in the schools. The teachers must be given proper access to entrepreneurship education and training in the use of Company Program or similar programs.
10 A TTACHMENTS
Checklist for the qualitative study
- Contact information for persons in the research group Eastern Norway Research Institute
- Preliminary time schedule for fieldwork at the schools
- Selection of informants
- Preliminary program for the field study
- List of documents to be sent to us
- Booking of accommodation
In the afternoon, meeting at the hotel with JA representative and the interpreter (and contact person of the school).
Guidelines for the interpreter
