Cometa Formazione (IT)

In short: The School-Enterprise Method (SEM), developed by Cometa Formazione, offers experiential learning as a means of connecting young people with the world of work and introducing a real job experience to the classroom which has a positive impact on students’ attitudes to both work and study.

Age group: Students between 14 and 19; NEETs until 25.

Initial challenges: Cometa Formazione started in 2003 as a training centre focused on young people not in education, employment or training (NEETs). This educational challenge required the introduction of innovative learning approaches which led to the School-Enterprise Method (SEM). The SEM introduces a real job experience as a starting point for the whole learning process.

What they did about it: SEM is based on a “reality-based learning process”. Teaching activities take place in workshops open to real customers, where every student learns by following an expert in the process of making a real product for the public. This method gathers soft, basic and technical skills into an integrated curriculum, based on students’ project work. Thus the production process becomes the learning process: design thinking, project, production, evaluation, administration and promotion are the main areas. Workshop subject areas include: two cafeterias, one restaurant and one bakery (catering track); wood decoration, restoration and production of furniture labs (carpentry track); and, one fashion studio and a visual merchandising atelier (textile track).

Results: Several outcomes and impacts have been evidenced, including: 80% of participants gain a placement; 94% of dropouts usually conclude their training; and an average of 95% of students increase their soft skills. The SEM and the reality-based learning have already received international recognition, for example, the European Training Foundation (ETF) awarded the method as one of the 10 best European Program for Entrepreneurship (2016), and it has been included as a best practice in the Pact4Youth program (2017).

Relevance for entrepreneurial teaching: The objectives of the programme are to support the employability of young people. Young people are provided with training to develop their skills and apply them to produce goods and services for commercial sale. They are supported from composing the idea to transforming it into a commercial project or product. This condition allows the student to discover the passion and the spark that makes a person become an entrepreneur. It is the rediscovery of the value attributed to practical knowledge. On completion of the programme, young people have the chance to take up apprenticeships or start their own business.

Applied assessment methods and tools: The most relevant tools concern the assessment of the (soft and professional) skills developed by students during their training, both in school workshops and in companies. A specific didactic unit including several modules based on scenarios, focus groups and tests has been introduced to support students in planning, doing and evaluating their job experience. Cometa Research produces and shares scientific publications on these innovative tools and methods, which are available on request.

Contact information: Paolo Nardi, paolo.nardi@puntocometa.org

Website: https://www.cometaresearch.org; www.puntocometa.org




Colegio Dulce Nombre de Jesús, Dominicas Oviedo

In short: Colegio Dulce Nombre de Jesús is a K-12 publicly-funded private school located in Oviedo city centre (Asturias, Spain)

Age group: 3-18 yrs old

Initial challenges: Historically, Key-competence assessment was carried out by identifying specific learning outcomes in each subject area allegedly linked with the chosen key competence. Weighting factors were used to define the level of importance of competence-related learning outcomes and a final score of competence development was calculated summatively. Yet, the school felt this method was far from perfect so they decided to explore other options.

What they did about it: Encouraged by school leadership and with the support and guidance of an expert teacher, a team of teachers started shaping a whole-school approach to key-competence assessment. The challenge was to strike a balance between the desired state of things and what was possible and doable in a real classroom setting. Coordination across subject areas and school years was a key requirement when the roadmap was first drafted. The process unfolded in three steps:

  1. Build on curricular learning outcomes and try to derive a set of expected and observable behaviours as competence development indicators.
  2. Organise indicators into a developmental learning progressions for each competence (across school years), and review.
  3. Design appropriate assessment tools (rubrics, in this particular case)

Results: The school created common competence-level descriptors for each school year and designed rubrics for assessment.

Relevance for entrepreneurial teaching: This whole-school approach paves the way for a shared understanding of key competence development among teachers from different subject areas. The use of same descriptors and tools across the school results in a more coherent and integrated assessment of key competences.

Applied assessment methods and tools: Learning progressions, rubrics

Contact information: dirpedagogica-oviedo@fefcoll.org

Website: http://www.dominicasoviedo.com/




Björlandagården primary school

In short: This example is based on a primary school in Sweden that improved the feedback from students on their entrepreneurial learning processes by using the e-assessment tool LoopMe for formative assessment of entrepreneurial teaching.

Age group: Students were between 7-12 years old.

Initial challenges: Teaching is a profession with constant time pressure and the need to react to circumstances emerging in day-to-day practice. A lesson passes quickly, and many times students do not get a chance to express their thoughts on what works for them. A key communication challenge is how to follow each individual student’s learning process and adapt accordingly, given the time constraints in teachers’ daily work. All of these challenges are particularly difficult when applying entrepreneurial teaching.

What they did about it: The e-assessment tool LoopMe for formative assessment was implemented in the entire school. Each student could reflect on key learning events in their daily experiences at school. Teachers could follow student reflections in real-time, and chat with those students that provided information of particular importance to the efficiency of the entrepreneurial learning environment.

Results: Necessary changes to the learning environment could be carried out sooner when crucial information about things that did not work for students reached the teachers quicker and from more students. Challenges around dysfunctional teams could for example be resolved more quickly by communicating with students through the digital tool. Bullying instances could also be acted upon more swiftly. Private trustful dialogues could be held between the teacher and individual students on the students’ terms, instead of in a stressful environment full of classmates potentially over-hearing the conversation. Students trained their capacity to put words on their emotions and critical learning experiences in a better way than had been possible previously. The overall impression from participating teachers was that the digital tool helped the teachers in many of the most crucial tasks that they had to manage in related to taking care of their students in various ways, both in terms of regular teaching and more entrepreneurial teaching.

Relevance for entrepreneurial teaching: This example illustrates how e-assessment and formative assessment could help teachers in many of the challenges inherent in entrepreneurial teaching. Examples included keeping track of critical learning events, maintaining trustful dialogues with all students, supervising teamwork at a distance and reacting to unexpected deviations.

Applied assessment methods and tools: This is an example of applying assessment for learning, e-assessment, reflective assessment and self-assessment. This is also an example of applying the e-assessment tool LoopMe.

Contact information: Ulrica Skålberg, E-mail: ulrica.skalberg@vastrahisingen.goteborg.se

Website: http://goteborg.se/wps/portal/enhetssida/bjorlandagarden-f-6




Begoñazpi Ikastola

In short: Begonazpi Ikastola is a primary and secondary school in the Basque Country which is renowned for its entrepreneurial education programs which aim to develop the abilities of its student body. The model for education adopted by the schoolis based on the “Zero Project” of Harvard University and avoidance of the use of exams.. An example of this methodology is the “Service-learning” for 4th grade students.

Age group: 14-16 years students.

Initial challenges: The main challenge for this school was to implement the “Teaching for understanding” philosophy of Harvard University, especially in relation to developing the students as people, including their intellectual development. Students are encouraged to become supportive and committed citizens, wherethe main emphasis is on students being at the service of their surrounding society, with projects that require the development of entrepreneurial skills (social entrepreneurship).

What they did about it: The school implemented the “Project Based Learning” model where, through social entrepreneurship models, the student body designs solutions to real local institutions and companies‘ challenges, forcing the students to work outside of the school.. All of this is framed within the teaching for understanding methodology of Harvard University alongside coaching, STEAM methodologies, and educative robotics, such as LEGO serious play.

Results: Since the inception of these projects, and adoption of learning and teaching methodologies that encourage entrepreneurship, the environment in the school and the motivation of the students has radically increased, particularly with students who were previosuly disengaged.. The general impact on the students has been very positive.

Relevance for entrepreneurial teaching: This education model is an example of how the change from traditional education to one that encourages and assesses entrepreneurial abilities, through social entrepreneurship in this case, has a very positive impact on student motivation, self-confidence and self-efficiency.

Applied assessment methods and tools: Self and peer assessment, teaching for understanding, and e-evaluation (own and simple tools) models, are incorporated in the whole process, and the skills assessment forms part of the student’s final grades.

Contact information: Merkat Bernaola. E-mail: ikastola@begonazpi.net
Website: http://www.begonazpi.org/




Alverno College (US)

In short: Alverno College is an independent, liberal arts college located in Milwaukee (US). Alverno College was selected as a National Institute for Learning Outcomes Assessment (NILOA) due to its innovative and long-standing assessment practices and its commitment to student-centered teaching. For over 40 years, Alverno College has led the way in competency-based curriculum design and the assessment-for-learning approach to education

Age group: 18 +.

Initial challenges: Alverno’s unique approach to assessing student learning began in the early 1970s when faculty established eight core abilities: Communication, Analysis, Problem Solving, Valuing in Decision Making, Social Interaction, Developing a Global Perspective, Effective Citizenship and Aesthetic Engagement.

What they did about it: Abilities are woven into the curriculum across all disciplines and students must demonstrate proficiency at beginning and intermediate levels in all eight abilities, and at advanced levels in two of the eight. Students do not receive grades; faculty use rubrics to assess students‘ learning and provide detailed feedback on assignments. External assessors from business and professional communities help in assessing abilities not linked to a particular course (eg. Problem solving, social interaction)

Results: Alverno students identified four components of the model as particularly positive: explicitly stated learning outcomes, useful feedback, self-assessments and faculty who see the value and purpose of assessment. Students are better able to tell and show potential employers what they know and what they are able to do.

Relevance for entrepreneurial teaching: Each faculty member serves in one of eight Ability Departments, which focuses on implementation and assessment of one of the eight core abilities. This structure provides students with opportunities to demonstrate proficiency in each ability across disciplines and at beginning, intermediate and advanced levels. Assessment processes are collectively designed. Faculty provide students with a thoughtful and thorough analysis of their performance, how students have met the learning outcomes and how they align with Alverno’s eight core abilities. The model creates a heavy workload for faculty and requires significant training and mentoring.

Applied assessment methods and tools: This is an example of applying assessment for learning, self-assessment, constructive alignment and feedback. The Alverno Model and Methods have been explained in depth in several publications and workshops such as the 41st Teaching for Competencies using Performance Assessment Workshop (https://www.alverno.edu/workshop/)

Contact information: assessmentcenter@alverno.edu

Website: https://www.alverno.edu/assessment/