PROPOSED COURSE DESCRIPTION: ENTREPRENEURSHIP

Entrepreneurship is a subject that I have taught for many years, however, It has always been presented as a series of units inside a broader Business class. This year, for the first time, I have segmented the material and will present it as a standalone semester length course. I have not examined it for potential online elements, and if truth be told, have not even formalized the lesson sequence or finalized the syllabus.  The only concrete language that exists today is the course description from our program of studies:

“Entrepreneurship takes business basics to the next level as students work through starting their own “virtual” business. Students are introduced to fundamentals of business ownership and marketing while developing a detailed business plan.  Students improve their knowledge of the business environment through textbook study and individual projects. Students explore the roles of the business owner, business manager and business leader as well as expand their fundamental computer skills through the extensive use of MS office and the Adobe CS6 Suite.”

My hope is to make the transition as seamless(for me) and as transparent (for my students) as possible, while adding substantial rigor to the existing content.  Project-based learning is essential to the development of necessary 21st Century Skills such as critical thinking and problem solving. My plan is to  incorporate significant tech elements into the new course through an integrated business plan project. The intent is to reinforce content with a hands-on learning experience that will ; reinforce computer skills, build self-confidence and encourage young entrepreneurs.

🙂 KLC

PRACTICUM CLASS DESCRIPTION: ENTREPRENEURSHIP

My practicum class is Entrepreneurship.  My master teacher does an outstanding presentation in the initial course overview and welcome post. She presents the course as a journey  and an adventure and offers multiple definitions and explanations of the concept.

 “Entrepreneurship is the process of identifying, developing, and bringing a vision to life. The vision may be an innovative idea, an opportunity, or simply a better way to do something. The end result of this process is the creation of a new venture, formed under conditions of risk and considerable uncertainty.”

And In her own words, as a further explanation, 

“To become an entrepreneur, then, means that we identify an opportunity and then organize and mobilize our resources to create an organization that produces and/or markets the product or service. And all of these steps are taken with the foreknowledge that the there is a lot of risk involved. For most small businesses, success is equated with planning. The greater the amount … of<planning>, the greater the probability of success and, therefore, the less risk of failure. For this course, the process of learning about entrepreneurship will focus on identifying an idea or opportunity and then developing a plan for the start-up and operation of the resulting business. Preparation of a business plan is the end product for this course…” A clear direction and proposed outcome that then becomes the primary goal of the coursework. The level of detail is appropriate and offers significant insight in order to develop realistic student expectations.

“THE HOOK” is inventive, attention grabbing and speaks for itself:

“Are you interested in starting your own business, or in being your own boss? Do you want to explore what’s involved in being a successful business owner, or do you have a really great business idea? Are you looking for the secret to success in life? Whatever your reasons are for signing up for this course, you will not be disappointed. So, “get in, sit down, hang on”, and prepare for a great adventure, as we explore the world of entrepreneurship!

The learning-centered approach is illustrated through a detailed outline of steps involved in constructing a business plan;

“The road to success is always under construction” is an adage that fairly accurately describes both the process of building a business and the plan for this course. In this entrepreneurship process we can roughly equate building a business with constructing a place of business. In order to be successful, both types of projects must:

• • • begin with a unique idea
    • develop a detailed plan
    • lay a solid foundation
    • build from the ground up
    • incorporate all essential elements, and
    • consider and adjust plans for any risks

And support for the self-reliant learner, is also prepared and presented effectively;

“To be successful at building the plan for your business you need a set of tools:

• • reading, writing and computer skills,
  • ability to stick to a task until it is completed,
  • organization skills,
  • creativity and cooperation skills,
  • ambition,
  • business ingenuity,
  • and any other talents and skills you possess.

Through application of these tools you will learn how to turn your idea into a solid business plan that may ultimately lead to a successful business.”

With the detailed presentation and organization of the course expectations , a detailed syllabus, pre-planned assignments and lessons with pre-determined due dates , a motivated student can easily navigate the terms of the course. This allows for an online learner to develop and perfect time management skills and take ownership of their learning. This independence in the online environment definitely contributes to a self-reliant learner.

INTRODUCTION

• Purpose & Audience:
  • My capstone project is a demonstration of many of the tools and methodologies used to develop and execute a successful online teaching environment. My immediate audience are the participants of this class, my class instructor and master teacher. Ultimately, I hope to expand my audience  to include other professionals in my learning community wishing to gain knowledge of the online pedagogy. I may also utilize this project as an opportunity to demonstrate my online teaching expertise for future employment in secondary- or post-secondary education.
•  Standards & Goals:  
  •  My overall objective for completing this series of Online Teaching courses from VHS was to equip myself with what I feel are the necessary skills to successfully advance my teaching career.  I firmly believe that the future of education is online. Advancements in technology have provided many opportunities to expand education to a variety of learners. Many educational institutions are quickly realizing the advantages of this new educational model.
  • The primary goal of this capstone project , however, is to showcase the development of various projects I have utilized and incorporated into my existing classroom environment. My immediate intention is NOT to become an online teacher, but to seamlessly integrate technology into my current teaching practices. An alternate objective is also to utilize these tools and best practices in the development of a ‘flipped’ classroom. A secondary objective is to share what I have learned with my school colleagues and administration as well as provide examples and ideas within my professional learning community.
  • I also plan to apply the post-grad credits I have  obtained, to a Certificate of Advanced Graduate Studies (CAGS) in Curriculum and Instruction from Plymouth State University. (Note: This may belong in Future goals)
•  Technology:
  •  This Professional Blog, Innovative Learning with Mrs .C is the primary means to communicate thoughts and artifacts within my e-portfolio. I will also use the class wiki to organize necessary information and share required links.  This serves as a learning model and and is an authentic demonstration of my primary learning objectives.