Entrepreneurial Learning/Audience

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By research into the certainty with which students indicate that they want to start their own business [1] about one quarter of them is entrepreneurial. In view of the social developments, entrepreneurship no longer needs to express itself in becoming an entrepreneur, but it can also show itself in entrepreneurial employees, for which there is an increasing demand from the market.

Another indication for this percentage is found in test psychologists who use a normal distribution for the interpretation of performance motivation tests (PMT-A), as a result of which 23% of the population falls into the category high performance motivation . Some argue that while a high performance motivation will have a strong relationship and positive impact on the other characteristics of entrepreneurship, it does not guarantee entrepreneurship. On the other hand, others argue that someone with an average performance motivation could also be a good entrepreneur because he or she excels at other characteristics. These characteristics in themselves can eventually increase performance motivation when stimulated by the environment. Would test psychologists test entrepreneurship again they would use a normal distribution to distinguish a high level of entrepreneurship from a medium or low level of entrepreneurship. In other words, the percentage of Dutch people who are entrepreneurial could be a question of drawing a line. Education is familiar with this method of determination (CITO or the way in which many teachers standardize the grading of their students.

Focus

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Customer

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In education, a large majority of schools will state that the learner is central. In entrepreneurial education, where the customer is central, this choice can also be understood, although strictly speaking the government is the paying party. It is the learner's choice though to participate that determines the institution's revenue.

Learner

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The success of an entrepreneurial school is partly determined to what extent it is able to put the learner first. This appears to be more difficult with educational organizations that have existed for a long time. They need a vast cultural change. This can be hard in situations where it really revolves around a choice between the interest of the school or teacher and that of the learner. An example of this is taking into account differences and learning difficulties of the learner. After all, that requires a lot of effort and often also the gathering of missing expertise. And in a "busy" job, people are not always willing to put in that extra effort. The same can be seen if the learner makes a justified appeal to a fair treatment, but this entails too much hassle or work for the education professional; "you are right but I am not doing anything about it".

Teacher

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An educational organization that wants to become more entrepreneurial will have to help its professionals to recognize that this is a different way of working but not necessarily means more work. In fact, entrepreneurial education requires an initiative-oriented attitude from the learner, which, if used well, will only lead to a reduction in teacher's effort. It is therefore questionable whether for the management in entrepreneurial education the learner should be central, or the ones who take care of the primary process, the teacher.

Learner

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The entrepreneurial learner wants to be "the pilot in the plane" and be able to give self-direction to his own education. The enterprising learner wants to think up and determine as much as possible himself, pursues his own happiness by taking action himself. Sees the usefulness of developing knowledge, skills and attitude especially in the light of his own passions and how to achieve this effectively, preferably immediately.

Entrepreneurial students usually have a high motivation to perform if the learning activities exactly match their passion. The student can be tempted to learn by challenging them to set the bar high. Entrepreneurial students can be challenged well on personal development, entrepreneurial knowledge and skills, delivering a product / service with high customer satisfaction and on helping another student.

Entrepreneurial students often have a different view of reality. This special view may have been created by talent (nature) or experiences (nurture). In entrepreneurial learning, the student is invited to use that individuality effectively.

The entrepreneurial student prefers to use his learning to come up with new ideas and apply them in reality. He selects his favorite subject, produces his own reality from it and has the wish to realize it. Those learning preferences appeal to higher cognitive and affective learning levels. Giving the subject its own meaning requires analysis, appreciation and attitude. If, like entrepreneurial learning, this will transformed into an own creation, this requires in-depth reflection and an entrepreneurial attitude. Entrepreneurial learning thus stimulates effective learning strategies.

School

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A entrepreneurial school wants to enable learners to develop entrepreneurial behavior and to regard learning as an "enterprise" in a metaphorical sense. The school is prepared to offer this learner an individual learning path from junior class to the final exam. The learner can determine this learning process (under certain conditions) by himself. The school is prepared to offer freedom for self-invented projects (that meet certain criteria), interaction with the world outside the school, which may lead to starting an own company.

The school places itself more firmly in its community with entrepreneurial learning. The students make through their businesses the connection with the local community. The local community can contribute to education by offering passion and expertise for entrepreneurship, for example in the role of a master during a masterclass.

References

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  1. Gibcus_2010