Teaching and learning
This section outlines the facilitative role of teachers in Enterprise Education, encouraging active learning. It also illustrates work in progress examples of teaching and learning.
Ofsted has noted evidence of pupils being motivated by enterprise learning in schools where teaching and learning are characterised by clearly defined aims and objectives, with pupils taking responsibility for their own actions and having sufficient autonomy to tackle relevant problems.
Some didactic teaching may be appropriate. However, Enterprise Education mostly requires teachers to adopt a facilitative role — to encourage active learning through, for example:
- doing, performing and making
- problem-based approaches
- collaborative and cooperative activities
- coaching, and mentoring
- resources that take account of different styles of learning, including use of ICT — multi-media
- examples of teaching and learning activities from the Pathfinder Education project can be found below.
The acquisition of enterprise knowledge, skills and attitudes can occur through
subjects across the curriculum, discrete teaching of enterprise and pupils'
wider activities. But Enterprise Education also requires pupils to have
opportunities to apply what they have learnt through the enterprise process. Examples of delivering enterprise education through curriculum subjects
can be found on the QCA website.
Examples of teaching and learning
The examples below of teaching and learning illustrate work in progress from a sample of enterprise pathfinder schools.
Example 1
Students in Year 11 at an 11 to 16 comprehensive school in the Midlands were given the task of organising a 'Finding Out About Construction' event for students in Year 9 who were about to make their option choices for their Key Stage 4 courses. The Year 11 students had to plan, design and run the event which had to highlight the main features of the construction industry and the current career routes and opportunities open to trainee's post-16. Materials had to be produced for both the pupils and their parents who were also invited to attend.
From a menu of career focused possibilities, each team selected a topic from which they created an 'exhibit' for the event. These were intended to explain the different parts of the industry such as wood, trowel or decoration skills and career opportunities they offered to young people. Teams decided how to present their topic, for example, by putting on 'live' demonstrations, posters, videos, displays and talks. The whole group produced a publicity brochure for the event, with each sub-group providing a promotional summary about their topic.
Each team was responsible for their exhibition stand, and for meeting the pupils and parents, describing the different jobs and tasks and answering questions. Pupils in planning and producing their projects demonstrated creativity, responsibility, and key skills. The assignments also enabled them to build up their self-confidence, practise presentations and develop their ability to communicate ideas to others.
Example 2
All subject departments in a Midlands based Business and Enterprise College were tasked to develop enterprise activities within their main stream curriculum or as an additional extra-curricular activities. Each department were given additional funding which could be used to buy time for members of their team to develop materials or to purchase equipment. The Director of Business and Enterprise reviewed progress and wrote a report which highlighted some of the activities undertaken.
In Business Studies Year 10 pupils set up mini-enterprises and sold their goods at a mini-fair held in school. Geography students took part in sessions run by the Construction Industry Training Board including a team activity on location and another on the effects of a disaster in Venuezela. In technology the Army visited the school to run a catering session with Year 10 food technology students. Outdoor cooking with a huge wok produced some excellent stir fry. In PSHE and R.E. units on world poverty and the environment have been developed to highlight the role of business in these areas.
Modern foreign languages organised a joint languages and business course Links were made with local firms with foreign connections. The science department developed links with a local car manufacturer focusing on industrial processes and contributed to PSHE courses on teambuilding. The drama department established a theatre company on commercial lines as a separate entity from the performance side of drama productions. In P.E. the department set up a coaching academy for netball, football and rugby where Year 10 students assisted key stage 3 students by coaching and refereeing events such as tournaments.
Example 3
It was traditional for Year 11 GCSE leisure and tourism students in an 11 to 16 mixed comprehensive school in the East Midlands to organise the year's leaving party at the end of the summer term party at a nearby leisure centre. The students had total responsibility planning and managing the event.
Originality and cost were identified as key factors to be aware of when planning the event. The group drew up a team plan for the event indicating targets, important issues to take note of, a planning flow chart, resources, contingency plans, role allocations, briefings and an evaluation process. They also consulted the rest of the year for their views.
Representatives from the planning group visited the centre, to talk to leisure centre staff about their needs and what the centre could provide. They returned to school with interview notes, promotional materials, sample buffet menus, theme events that had been successful on other occasions and the costs of providing it all. Nothing was left to chance and a local security company was hired for the night.
They finished up organising a 'pop idol' theme night (prizes for the
best outfits), with music from a local disco and a light buffet. The cost was
£4 each and over 150 people from the school attended, including specially
invited teachers as guests. The pupils found it an enjoyable experience and
learned more about business organisation especially financial costing and
planning.
Published: 28 September 2005
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