Sharing competencies in entrepreneurial learning, connecting theory with practice Erasmus Project

Project Title

Sharing competencies in entrepreneurial learning, connecting theory with practice

Project Key Action

This project related with these key action: Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices

Project Action Type

This project related with this action type : Strategic Partnerships for Schools Only

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2016

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: ICT – new technologies – digital competences; New innovative curricula/educational methods/development of training courses; Entrepreneurial learning – entrepreneurship education

Project Summary

Erasmus+KA2 programme Cooperation for Innovation and the Exchange of Good Practices, Strategic Partnerships for Schools aimed to develop entrepreneurship learning in the upper-secondary schools with the students aged 14-19. The title of the project was “Sharing competencies in entrepreneurial learning, linking theory with practise “. All partners – Tabasalu Ühisgümnaasium from Estonia, Jelgavas Spīdolas ģimnāzija from Latvia, I.I.S.S. “L. Vanvitelli” from Italy, 2 EPAL TRIKALON from Greece and Framhaldsskólinn í Austur-Skaftafellssýslu from Iceland – teach entrepreneurial subjects at school. Some schools more (Jelgava, Tabasalu, Höfn) some less (Lioni, Trikala).

The challenge for all the schools was
1) how to raise the entrepreneurial teaching level as this subject is relatively new in our curriculum, and
2) how to link theory with practice.

For this reason the aim of the project was to
1) exchange good practices between all partners, combine it with the local entrepreneurial knowledge – visits to the local enterprises, some of the examples: ACCASOFTWARE (Lioni), Tyras (Trikala), Piano factory – Estonia (Tallinn), Skinney-Pinganes (Höfn)
2) offer our students the opportunity to research local enterprises and find out the features of well-functioning examples, student groups of the same school did research mainly about local dairy product companies. Afterwards they compared these results.
3) work out the ideas for students’ small businesses, choose the best ones and put them into work. The challenge for the students was that the main communication when deciding and organizing activities about small businesses should be done online and in English. English was a real challenge for students from Southern European countries. As well following timetable and sometimes accepting partners’ ideas was a challenge. Sometimes teachers needed to be involved to solve problems. Nevertheless all misunderstandings were solved and the final result fulfilled – students’ businesses sold the products at students’ fair in Jelgava.
4) work out an e-lecture (each school created 1 topic) with 5 different topics about certain topics. This way we hoped to involve into schooling these students who could not come to school. The creating of the e-lectures was guided by a specialist and the outcome is available at https://entrepreneur.fas.is/.

We should say that all these aims helped us to link formal education with non-formal education.
The project lasted 24 months, during this time 2 transnational meetings with 17 mobilities were arranged first in Tallinn and the last one in Lioni. 5 learning-teaching-training activities were organized with 111 mobilities. Four of the latter were students’ short-term exchanges with 67 students and 33 accompanying people and 1 short-term joint staff training event with 12 mobilities.
As a result and impact of the project, the quality of learning of entrepreneurship was raised as the theory taught in lessons was combined with local and international practices. Students’ communication skills, language skills and ICT skills were improved, they received great experiences working in international teams, forming international businesses and in the realization of products of their businesses at the students’ fair. Teachers’ communication skills, ICT skills and language skills improved as well. They gained knowledge of how to compile e-lectures. All the information about the project can be followed on the project web-page https://entrepreneur.fas.is/. The main product of the project – the project video showing the outcome of students’ businesses and their participation at the students’ businesses fair – is on display.

All in all, the teachers and students experienced international cooperation. Students could use the experience obtained from the project later in life.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 129555 Eur

Project Coordinator

Tabasalu Ühisgümnaasium & Country: EE

Project Partners

• I.I.S.S. “Luigi Vanvitelli”
• Jelgavas Spidolas Valsts gimnazija
• Framhaldsskólinn í Austur-Skaftafellssýslu
• 2 EPAL TRIKALON