Howells School, Cardiff

In short: Howells School is an independent school in Wales for girls aged 3 – 18 years and boys aged 16 – 18 years. The Simply Do Ideas tool was used by the Business and Economics Teacher during an enterprise day to facilitate self and peer assessment of learning.

Age group: Year 11 (15-16 years)

Initial challenges: To create employees of the future, ensuring they can work collaboratively and solve problems together.

What they did about it: Students elected to use either the quick fire poster (The Concept Canvas) or the technology of the on-line platform to invent retro products for the modern world. The tool provided a focus for considering customers and competition.

Results: The Simply Do Ideas tool provided a safe environment for the students to work in teams to experiment and take risks in problem solving, allowing them to acknowledge that some things did not work but that as a team they were able to identify solutions.

“Simply Do Ideas platform has had a significant and positive impact on the work we do. It has given our students the opportunity to approach enterprise activities in a fun, visual and creative way allowing them to develop collaborative, confident and creative problem-solving skills…. they’ve got skills that they’re not being given opportunities to show in a classroom environment, but they will show in a smaller team environment.” Rachel Jowett, Howell’s School, Cardiff

Relevance for entrepreneurial teaching: In addition to enhancing creativity, the students acquired listening skills, problem solving skills and communication skills. The students took risks and engaged in actions that took them outside of their comfort zone. Pitching skills were improved as the presentations were more effective than when using tools such as PowerPoint, as the students provided succinct and visual information that stakeholders, such as an investor, would want to know.

Applied assessment methods and tools: This is an example of formative assessment of learning, using reflection for self and peer assessment.

Contact information: r.jowett@how.gdst.net

Website: http://www.howells-cardiff.gdst.net/