Entrepreneurship
Why you should get involved with the entrepreneurs of the future
by Nichole L. Torres
Bright Minds, Entrepreneur.Com, February 2007
by Nichole L. Torres
Bright Minds, Entrepreneur.Com, February 2007
The relationship between creativity and achievement motivation with high school students’ entrepreneurship
by Farshid Ghasemi, Ahmad Rastegar, Reza Ghorban, Jahromi Marvdashti & Roghayeh Roozegar
Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 30 (2011) 1291 – 1296
by Farshid Ghasemi, Ahmad Rastegar, Reza Ghorban, Jahromi Marvdashti & Roghayeh Roozegar
Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 30 (2011) 1291 – 1296
Lessons from the Literature: The Importance of Encouraging Entrepreneurship
In Curriculum 21, Heidi Hayes Jacob (2011) asserts that when students enter their schools they are time traveling back to the 1980s. Returning to the high school where I graduated in 1988 as a teacher in 2000, I can attest to validity of her claim. Turn on any news program, open any educational journal, or delve into any research and there seems to be consensus that the American education system needs to change. However, there is a lack of clarity around what those changes should be and why they are not occurring. Scholar-practitioners and researchers alike are beginning to formulate new and important insights about the lack of reform and change in education today, as well as recommendations for a shift in instructional paradigms.
Major Points from the Literature
In World Class Learners, Yong Zhao (2012) contends that the majority of American schools continue to operate under a traditional paradigm of instruction with the purpose of preparing students for the workforce. Under this paradigm, Zhao explains that schools feed students a prescribed curriculum that demands all students learn the same content and skills. He stresses that this paradigm has been in existence in the United States since the Committee of Ten of the National Education Association in 1894. Over the years, Zhao reveals that various committees and governmental agencies have continued to reinforce this traditional paradigm. Notably, Zhao claims that the Common Core State Standards (2010) is the most recent example of the reinforcement of the traditional paradigm. According to Zhao, “The education paradigm essentially resembles a benevolent dictator who says if you follow his commands, He will reward you” (2012, p. 148). This paradigm no longer works in a global society that is rapidly changing where the trends in the job market are difficult if not impossible to predict.
Zhao (2012) recommends that educators replace the traditional paradigm of education with an entrepreneur-oriented paradigm that is student-centered and builds upon the strengths of the individual student through a personalized approach to learning. Zhao states, “it does not believe children are simply empty vessels ready to be filled with knowledge, but rather it assumes that each child is a purposeful agent who actively interacts with the outside world” (2012, p. 152). Like the traditional model, Zhao (2012) argues that the entrepreneurial model is not new and has its roots in such thought leaders as Rousseau and Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi. Further, this model builds on the constructivist learning approach and work of cognitive scientists such as Vygotsky, Piaget, Pinker and Gardner.
Although there have been moments in history where the constructivist approach has been in the forefront of education, Zhao (2012) asserts that these moments were short-lived. Zhao (2012) and Ghasemi, Rastegar, Ghorban, Marvdashti, and Roozegar (2011) contend that America has been hyper-focused on standardized assessments as the measure of school success for many years. This focus has reached new heights with the obsession to outscore China and other high performing countries on international benchmarking. As a result, Americans cling to the traditional paradigm and its promise that children in the United States are making progress toward their future successes.
Call to Reform
Zhao (2012) stresses that standardized tests are not the one and only true measure of success through a comparison of the number of patents granted in the US as compared to countries who out- perform the US on international benchmarking. Although not easily measured, entrepreneurship is a critical success criterion for students in the 21st Century. In fact, in a study conducted by Ghasemi, et. al (2011), data revealed that there is a direct and positive correlation between achievement motivation and entrepreneurship. Moreover, entrepreneurship requires the characteristics valued by employers, including creativity, fluency, hard work, purposefulness, and perseverance (Ghasemi, et. al, 2011). Unfortunately, educators do not teach, encourage or focus on many of these skills in classrooms that focus on standardized assessments (Zhao, 2012). Ghasemi et. al indicate, “It is high time that educational systems of developed countries have put aside and ignored those educational politics which are based on “convergent thinking” and have dealt with an educational approach called “divergent thinking” (2011, p. 1292). It is only through such “divergent thinking” that students will be able to develop as true entrepreneurs.
Zhao (2012) offers six practical suggestions for reforming education. First, Zhao indicates that we must shift responsibility to the learner. Next, Zhao suggests that educators cultivate the entrepreneurial spirit in learners. Zhao also calls on educators to encourage students to pursue their passions. In addition, similar to Heidi Hayes Jacob (2010), Zhao (2012) reminds educators that to support an entrepreneurial paradigm, they must change the current educational environments, structures and schedules that operated like an assembly line for so many years. Finally, Zhao stresses the need for increased student voice and choice.
Zhao (2012) provides us with hope for the future through illustrations of schools that are fostering creativity, collaboration, critical thinking, and communication in our students. He celebrates the entrepreneurial spirit in these schools where product based learning is the norm, and where students are actively engaged in real-world applications for authentic audiences on a regular basis. Examples of Zhao’s suggestions are present in schools and organizations across the country. For example, Students Advancing Global Entrepreneurship (SAGE) is a non-profit organization that teaches and encourages high school students to become entrepreneurs (Torres, 2007). California State University business professor, Curtis L. DeBerg founded SAGE nearly twenty years ago. The SAGE organization is now an active part of high schools globally, and has expanded into many universities. SAGE connects students with authentic problems and clients, building student creativity, communication, collaboration and critical thinking (Torres, 2007). Closer to home, the Met, a Big Picture Learning school founded by Dennis Littky, builds and encourages student entrepreneurship through internships and problem-based learning. Through an advisory-based approach, the Met allows students to explore their passions and have voice and choice in their educational design and delivery (Littky, 2004). Educators are developing more and more entrepreneurship opportunities for students in specialized schools across America every year. However, educational leaders must now focus on bringing similar opportunities to our public school students.
In the words of Heidi Hayes Jacob (2011), it is time for “new forms” of education. Only through the entrepreneurial spirit of creative and divergent thinking educators will we be able to create those new forms. Our students need opportunities for deeper learning, where they can apply creativity, critical thinking, collaboration, and communication skills to authentic and global problems.
References
Ghasemi, F., Rastegar, A., Ghorban, R., Marvdashti, J. & Roozegar, R. (2011). The relationship between creativity and achievement motivation with high school
students’ entrepreneurship. Social and Behavioral Sciences 30, 1291 – 1296.
Jacobs, H. H. (2010). Curriculum 21: Essential education for a changing world. Alexandria, VA: ASCD Publishers.
Littky, D & Grabelle, S. (2004). The big picture: Education is everyone's business. Alexandria,VA: Association for Curriculum Development.
Torres, N. L. (2007). Why you should get involved with the entrepreneurs of the future. Bright Minds. Retrieved from www.entrepreneur.com
Zhao, Y. (2012). World class learners: Educating creative and entrepreneurial students. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin.
In Curriculum 21, Heidi Hayes Jacob (2011) asserts that when students enter their schools they are time traveling back to the 1980s. Returning to the high school where I graduated in 1988 as a teacher in 2000, I can attest to validity of her claim. Turn on any news program, open any educational journal, or delve into any research and there seems to be consensus that the American education system needs to change. However, there is a lack of clarity around what those changes should be and why they are not occurring. Scholar-practitioners and researchers alike are beginning to formulate new and important insights about the lack of reform and change in education today, as well as recommendations for a shift in instructional paradigms.
Major Points from the Literature
In World Class Learners, Yong Zhao (2012) contends that the majority of American schools continue to operate under a traditional paradigm of instruction with the purpose of preparing students for the workforce. Under this paradigm, Zhao explains that schools feed students a prescribed curriculum that demands all students learn the same content and skills. He stresses that this paradigm has been in existence in the United States since the Committee of Ten of the National Education Association in 1894. Over the years, Zhao reveals that various committees and governmental agencies have continued to reinforce this traditional paradigm. Notably, Zhao claims that the Common Core State Standards (2010) is the most recent example of the reinforcement of the traditional paradigm. According to Zhao, “The education paradigm essentially resembles a benevolent dictator who says if you follow his commands, He will reward you” (2012, p. 148). This paradigm no longer works in a global society that is rapidly changing where the trends in the job market are difficult if not impossible to predict.
Zhao (2012) recommends that educators replace the traditional paradigm of education with an entrepreneur-oriented paradigm that is student-centered and builds upon the strengths of the individual student through a personalized approach to learning. Zhao states, “it does not believe children are simply empty vessels ready to be filled with knowledge, but rather it assumes that each child is a purposeful agent who actively interacts with the outside world” (2012, p. 152). Like the traditional model, Zhao (2012) argues that the entrepreneurial model is not new and has its roots in such thought leaders as Rousseau and Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi. Further, this model builds on the constructivist learning approach and work of cognitive scientists such as Vygotsky, Piaget, Pinker and Gardner.
Although there have been moments in history where the constructivist approach has been in the forefront of education, Zhao (2012) asserts that these moments were short-lived. Zhao (2012) and Ghasemi, Rastegar, Ghorban, Marvdashti, and Roozegar (2011) contend that America has been hyper-focused on standardized assessments as the measure of school success for many years. This focus has reached new heights with the obsession to outscore China and other high performing countries on international benchmarking. As a result, Americans cling to the traditional paradigm and its promise that children in the United States are making progress toward their future successes.
Call to Reform
Zhao (2012) stresses that standardized tests are not the one and only true measure of success through a comparison of the number of patents granted in the US as compared to countries who out- perform the US on international benchmarking. Although not easily measured, entrepreneurship is a critical success criterion for students in the 21st Century. In fact, in a study conducted by Ghasemi, et. al (2011), data revealed that there is a direct and positive correlation between achievement motivation and entrepreneurship. Moreover, entrepreneurship requires the characteristics valued by employers, including creativity, fluency, hard work, purposefulness, and perseverance (Ghasemi, et. al, 2011). Unfortunately, educators do not teach, encourage or focus on many of these skills in classrooms that focus on standardized assessments (Zhao, 2012). Ghasemi et. al indicate, “It is high time that educational systems of developed countries have put aside and ignored those educational politics which are based on “convergent thinking” and have dealt with an educational approach called “divergent thinking” (2011, p. 1292). It is only through such “divergent thinking” that students will be able to develop as true entrepreneurs.
Zhao (2012) offers six practical suggestions for reforming education. First, Zhao indicates that we must shift responsibility to the learner. Next, Zhao suggests that educators cultivate the entrepreneurial spirit in learners. Zhao also calls on educators to encourage students to pursue their passions. In addition, similar to Heidi Hayes Jacob (2010), Zhao (2012) reminds educators that to support an entrepreneurial paradigm, they must change the current educational environments, structures and schedules that operated like an assembly line for so many years. Finally, Zhao stresses the need for increased student voice and choice.
Zhao (2012) provides us with hope for the future through illustrations of schools that are fostering creativity, collaboration, critical thinking, and communication in our students. He celebrates the entrepreneurial spirit in these schools where product based learning is the norm, and where students are actively engaged in real-world applications for authentic audiences on a regular basis. Examples of Zhao’s suggestions are present in schools and organizations across the country. For example, Students Advancing Global Entrepreneurship (SAGE) is a non-profit organization that teaches and encourages high school students to become entrepreneurs (Torres, 2007). California State University business professor, Curtis L. DeBerg founded SAGE nearly twenty years ago. The SAGE organization is now an active part of high schools globally, and has expanded into many universities. SAGE connects students with authentic problems and clients, building student creativity, communication, collaboration and critical thinking (Torres, 2007). Closer to home, the Met, a Big Picture Learning school founded by Dennis Littky, builds and encourages student entrepreneurship through internships and problem-based learning. Through an advisory-based approach, the Met allows students to explore their passions and have voice and choice in their educational design and delivery (Littky, 2004). Educators are developing more and more entrepreneurship opportunities for students in specialized schools across America every year. However, educational leaders must now focus on bringing similar opportunities to our public school students.
In the words of Heidi Hayes Jacob (2011), it is time for “new forms” of education. Only through the entrepreneurial spirit of creative and divergent thinking educators will we be able to create those new forms. Our students need opportunities for deeper learning, where they can apply creativity, critical thinking, collaboration, and communication skills to authentic and global problems.
References
Ghasemi, F., Rastegar, A., Ghorban, R., Marvdashti, J. & Roozegar, R. (2011). The relationship between creativity and achievement motivation with high school
students’ entrepreneurship. Social and Behavioral Sciences 30, 1291 – 1296.
Jacobs, H. H. (2010). Curriculum 21: Essential education for a changing world. Alexandria, VA: ASCD Publishers.
Littky, D & Grabelle, S. (2004). The big picture: Education is everyone's business. Alexandria,VA: Association for Curriculum Development.
Torres, N. L. (2007). Why you should get involved with the entrepreneurs of the future. Bright Minds. Retrieved from www.entrepreneur.com
Zhao, Y. (2012). World class learners: Educating creative and entrepreneurial students. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin.