Making problem-solving the core of learning forms a vital foundation 
for working life. This also means the ability to explore new possibilities and improve performance. Both when it comes to action as well as interaction. The aim of pedagogy would be to train the student’s entrepreneurial skills in real-life situations.
Entrepreneurial pedagogical methods
Joseph A. Schumpeter defines an entrepreneur as follows:
“An entrepreneur is a person that is willing and has the ability to transform a new idea or invention to successful innovation, and at the same time create new products and business models, which is the basis to the dynamics on workplaces and longtime economic growth.”
This definition works perfectly as an ideal both for an employed as well as a business owner. Creative with loads of ideas with the ability to solve problems and transform ideas into functional solutions are skills that are demanded. The driving force behind this development is the profound economic, social and technological structural transformation. Where this development has been in progress for past decades, which demands new adapted educational methods. In order to be effective, this means the use of information- and communication technology, i.e. edtech and knowledge management system etc. Another pillar is a network-based learning-context, and dialogue before lessons/lectures is the third pillar.
Problem-solving – Core of Learning
How then can you unlock entrepreneurial capabilities to meet the global challenges of the 21st Century? The following categories of pedagogical methods for modern working life lead the way:
+Practical case studies – crucial for effective and progressing learning. Where information- and communication technology has a great set of tools to achieve goals. The goals and content in the course determine the mix of different applications.
+Group- and teambuilding techniques with a focus on improving communication, create new ideas and development. In other words, work and learn in a creative environment, where e.g. role play is one workable method.
+Gaming technology and simulations – that works perfectly for self-studies but also work for group exercises.
+Seminars with entrepreneurs and intrapreneurs, which means people that have practical knowledge about the subject of the course.
+Integrated learning in project-tasks.
Dialogue
Dialogue is as mentioned above an important pillar in today’s and the future working-life-pedagogy. This does not only mean in group-activities. But also the response the student receives and gives in an eLearning-exercise. For instance, it could be a simple multiple-choice-exercise with feedback, a simulation or gamified tasks. However, within this low-risk environment traditional educational methods, such as lecturing, do not correlate well with the development of entrepreneurial thinking and acting. There is a need for more interactive, interdisciplinary and proactive learning approaches, in which the teacher becomes more of a moderator than a lecturer.
One of the main challenges with this collaborative pedagogy is to develop content that encourages this method. Where terms like dialogue, feedback and network are important parts. This means for instance that to learn from mistakes is one of the main possibilities for competence development (trial and error). Thereby, collaborative learning is action-based and takes place in real-time. Where the student has to handle new situations and solve new problems without introduction. In the next step, this leads to improvements in areas like communication, development of ideas and better skills to effectively find new solutions to upcoming problems. The working life’s new demands and technology development is the driving force in this transformation on behalf of learning.
Written by
LarsGöran Boström©
STORYTELLER FOR BUSINESS – FOR SENSIBLE INTELLIGENCE AND LEARNING
Learning Design in Practice for Everybody
Opens in a new tab