Enterprising Education
Ideas
It is taking advantage of what might be, rather than accepting what will be. In a business setting it is called entrepreneurialism, but you also need enterprise to run a club, a household, a good classroom or to help yourself and others.
© Paul Kearney 2009
Concepts
Initiative, resourcefulness, planning, problem solving and resilience are empowering. Whether we call these things enterprise or key competencies, personal qualities or life skills - their development is important. Yes?
Alert teachers know that to succeed now and in the future all young people need to be enterprising in all facets of life, not just in the economic context. These teachers see the overwhelming need for life-long learning. This not only requires enterprising skills for managing their own learning but also a positive disposition towards learning - a willingness to learn.
The new demands will weigh heavily, especially if our pedagogies are not refreshed. Simplicity rather than increasing sophistication will refresh our teaching. An enterprising approach is a simple way of guiding our teaching, especially for those who believe that teaching is still an art rather than a new science. An enterprising pedagogy simply means that to a greater degree students use initiative, resourcefulness and other enterprising skills in the very way they learn.
Learning based on our four great progressive traditions of education - ownership, experiential, reflection and cooperation - offer the most opportunities for using initiative, problem solving, flexibility, negotiation, opportunism and other enterprising skills - when learning.
The proposition is simple. Learning in an enterprising way offers two for the price of one!
Firstly an enterprising pedagogy leads to better curriculum outcomes, because students are constantly engaged in useful and authentic learning activities. Secondly, the approach nurtures enterprising attributes, almost as a by-product - because enterprise attributes are better learnt when constantly practised in a range of contexts. And this is what learning the curriculum offers: constancy and variety.
Remember although an enterprising pedagogy is relatively simple, it doesn’t mean it is easy. For example, giving up some of our control over the learning situation requires bravery, prudence and trust - three qualities that could represent the enterprising teacher.
© Paul Kearney 2009
Paul Kearney
Paul Kearney is one of the pioneers of Enterprise Education. His work is respected in Australia and abroad. As an educator, he designed and managed Australia's first Student Enterprise Program that directly linked developing enterprising attributes with learning all parts of the curriculum.
Rather than seeing enterprising education as a kick-start for 'tycoons in short pants,' he sees it as:
* an empowering capacity for all people for all things,
* an inclusive and potent pedagogy.
He has 17 major publications to his credit.
In 2001, Paul was one of only four experts invited to address the Commonwealth of Nations Ministers of Education forum in Canada. His resume includes National Evaluator of Federal Government, Small Business Training Program 1998-2000. Management of 'Making it Happen' the Commonwealth's multi-media Staff Development Pack, along with other significant Federal Government Enterprise Education Initiatives.
Paul has worked extensively in United Kingdom, New Zealand and Canada. He also consulted in Sri Lanka. Recently he researched a number of vocational initiatives in the United States.
Kearney believes that education should be bold, imaginative and transforming.
As a commentator on enterprise at an international level, Paul's work is respected by teachers and academics for its ability to engage students. An emphasis on first-hand learning and students taking responsibility ensures relevance to both the curriculum and students.
Paula Wriedt, MHA, Minister for Education, Tasmania