The Future of Education

The paper that we propose is based on the assumptions, methodology and results of a supramunicipal project in entrepreneurship education, promoted by a broad set of partners representing all the municipalities of Baixo Alentejo (Portugal) and coordinated by the Polytechnic Institute of Beja (IPBeja), that was carried out in Elementary Schools (1st to 3rd Ciclos) and kindergartens of Baixo Alentejo. The benefits of entrepreneurship education in nurturing competences such as autonomy, creativity and proactivity have been proven. Raposo & Do Paço, 2011 argue that education, rather than focussing merely on knowledge, must aim to change attitudes, and to leverage creativity and the ability to generate new value added solutions. Framed by this theoretical referential, the project: Promoting Entrepreneurship Education at the Schools of Baixo Alentejo (PEEBA) was conceived as an experience focused on the promotion of planning, action and reflection competencies in children and youngsters, aged 3-12, rooted in a supramunicipal/regional working plataform that aims to create a shared educational ecosystem favourable to entrepreneurship education.
In the three years of existence, the project involved the training of over 1.600 students and 90 teachers and municipal technicians of Baixo Alentejo and ensured the validation of a teaching and learning methodology. The final results included several entrepreneurial projects designed by children and youngsters, adjusted to the reality of each municipality/school. The projects developed presented solutions to collective needs emerging from the training contexts of the target population. They focussed on collective problem solving, which implied the commitment of all the children/youngsters involved, with individual tasks consensually assigned and agreed upon by the whole group. Due the success of this real regional work platform we consider that it could be seen as a benchmark model for others, interested in the development of similar regional, collaborative projects to foster entrepreneurship education and entrepreneurship competencies. In low socioeconomic density territories, such as Baixo Alentejo, the structural weaknesses require greater need for the joint efforts of entities. The PEEBA celebrates the collective and congregates, in fact, participants from various entities, with the ultimate goal of contributing to regional development, investing on education, in particular entrepreneurship education.

Keywords: Entrepreneurship education; collaborative learning; collaborative educational process.

References:

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