Description:

Context : The Scottish Executive has for some time been committed to promoting an understanding of enterprise within learning and teaching to prepare 'young people for the world of work and encouraging an enterprising culture in later life' (SEED 2002a p3). Thus by incorporating enterprise in education, policymakers aim to promote an individuals' ability to adopt an enterprising approach to life and work, and improve their self-confidence, self-reliance and ambition while also contributing to the Nations' economic success. A report, Determined to Succeed: One Year On (Scottish Executive, 2004), revealed initial progress across local authorities concerning commitment to relevant enterprise in education provision and activities. To support these developments relevant materials, qualifications and quality indicators have been devised (HMIe 2004).

Actual evaluations of entrepreneurial programmes have largely been concerned with graduate or business school programmes, rather than those in compulsory education. Studies often note that it is difficult to quantify the long-term learning outcomes (eg Centre for Education and Industry University of Warwick, 2001 p4). Findings on the impact of enterprise findings suggest that such programmes have the potential to contribute to young peoples' wider life skills (eg Casey (1996), Kourilsky & Esfandiari, 1997; Kourilsky,; Walstad & Kourilsky, 2000) Some have indicated positive outcomes including reducing disaffection in young people (McHugh, 1999) and Gorman et al have found that entrepreneurial programmes can have a positive influence on the development of entrepreneurial attributes (Gorman et al, 1997). Description of the paper

The paper highlights some of the key findings and issues emerging from the evaluations of two innovative Scottish enterprise and entrepreneurial education programmes that have emerged from the drive towards promoting Enterprise in schools. The Programmes, the Entrepreneurial Spirit Programme (ESP) and the St Stephen's Enterprise Centre, both focused on promoting participants' skills and life opportunities using entrepreneurial and enterprise courses. The initiatives were supported by the Scottish Executive Education Department's (SEED) Future Learning and Teaching (FLaT) initiative. They involved innovative curricula and were delivered by vocational training personnel and in the case of the ESP, established entrepreneurs. The ESP also aimed to help young people start their own businesses.

The research reported is salient to the debate on the design of curricula and learning environments for Vocational Education and Training (VET) and thus contributes to the objectives of the VETNET network. The findings also highlight wider pedagogical issues concerning engaging with disaffected young people and raise issues concerning the sustainability and longer-term impact of educational pilot projects. It is hoped that the paper will promote discussion and dissemination of findings relevant to researchers, academics and policy makers with an interest in VET within the European research area.

Methodology or methods/research instruments or sources used:

SEED commissioned an external evaluation of the two enterprise orientated programmes as part of a Framework Agreement between SEED and Professor J E Wilkinson of the Faculty of Education in the University of Glasgow. The evaluations were conducted by a team from the University of Glasgow with staff from the Scottish Centre for Research in Education Centre (SCRE) and the Department of Educational Studies. The evaluation of the ESP was conducted from October 2003 to November 2005 and the evaluation of the St Stephen's Enterprise Centre from November 2004 to December 2005.

A range of quantitative and qualitative methods was adopted in both evaluations. Given the research objectives, however, there was an emphasis on qualitative methods to explore in detail the views of various stakeholders to assess whether the programmes had achieved their aims and to explore what factors had influenced their implementation and impact. The main methods included semi-structured focus groups, individual interviews (face-to-face and by telephone), surveys, observations and analysis of secondary data and documentary evidence.

Conclusions or expected outcomes or findings:

The time available for research meant longer-term outcomes of each programme were outwith the scope of the research. Despite this, it was clear that they had both demonstrated more immediate outcomes concerning participants' self-confidence, ICT, social and communication skills and some improvement in 'problematic' pupils' behaviour and progress including increased application and motivation in lessons. Such outcomes fit well with the vision of government policy in recent years concerning enterprising schools and the Determined to Succeed agenda. It is debatable whether such outcomes are long-term or will diminish with time without periodic input. Participants in the two programmes did, however, believe that the beneficial effects of their courses would be long lasting.

In line with the overarching FLaT initiative objectives, the programmes demonstrated some limited capacity to promote more enterprising and creative approaches and attitudes within the associated school concerning learning and teaching. It was clear, however, that a greater impact on these dimensions would also require further time and sustained effort. The researchers believe that the evaluation of these two projects has highlighted a number of key issues concerning the wider implementation and impact of school and community-based enterprise education programmes. A substantial proportion of the paper will, therefore, focus on some salient issues arising from the evaluations concerning promoting enterprise in education. In particular:

• do such programmes fit well with the wider school curriculum and systems?
• how well do these programmes address their longer-term aims of developing participants' employability, generic skills and helping them to be more empowered citizens?
• what do these programmes require to promote their success?

References:

• Casey, R.E. (1996) 'Delinquency prevention through vocational entrepreneurship: the new Smyrna beach employability skill training model for youthful offenders.' Preventing School Failure, 40(2): 60-62.
• Gorman G, Hanlon D & King W (1997) 'Some research perspectives on entrepreneurship education, enterprise education and education for small business management: a ten-year literature review.' International Small Business Journal, 15(3): 56.
• HIMe (2004) How good is our school? Quality indicators in Enterprise in Education. Self Evaluation Guide. Scottish Executive Education Department. Edinburgh
• Kourilsky, M.L. & Esfandiari, M. (1997) 'Entrepreneurship education and lower socio economic Black youth: an empirical investigation.' Urban Review, 29(3): pp205-215.
• Lowden, K., Hamilton, S., McConnell, F., and Wilkinson, J. E. (2006) The Evaluation of the Entrepreneurial Spirit Programme. Report to be published by Scottish Executive Education Department. Edinburgh
• Lowden, K., McConnell, F., Wilkinson, J. E. and Hamilton, S., (2006) The evaluation of the St Stephen's Enterprise Centre Programme. Report to be published by Scottish Executive Education Department. Edinburgh
• McHugh, G. (1999) How working with external agencies can help schools decrease disaffection, raise achievement and enhance pupils' employability. Paper presented at BERA.
• Scottish Executive (2002a) Determined to Succeed. A Review of Enterprise in Education, p3. Scottish Executive Education Department. Edinburgh.
• Scottish Executive (2002b) Determined to Succeed: Enterprise in Education Scottish Executive response p12. Scottish Executive Education Department. Edinburgh.
• Walstad, W.B. & Kourilsky, M.L. (2000 Reprinted by Kauffman Centre for Entrepreneurial Leadership.) 'Entrepreneurial Attitudes and Knowledge of Black Youth.' Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, Vol. 23(2): 5-18