eNorssi & Entrepreneurship Education

In Finland, the entrepreneurship education was taken as a part of the national foundations of curriculum in 1994.  The defined aim was to support the knowledge, skills and attitudes of the pupils which they would need during their studies and later in working life, independent of whether they were to work as independent entrepreneurs or as employees of others.  In the remodification of the curriculum in 2004, entrepreneurship was written down as a thematic entity - in basic education as "Participating citizenship and entrepreneurship" and in upper secondary education as "Active citizenship and entrepreneurship".

The thematic entities are taken into consideration in the teaching of all subjects in a way which fits the subject matter and the school operation culture best.  The main topics of the thematic entities are included in the subject-specific parts. The thematic entities are completed, updated, and concretised in the local or school curriculum. (National Board of Education, Foundations of Curriculum 2004)
 
The aim of the entrepreneurship education is that the growing youth can, when grown up to the working age, take control of her/his own life and through this control of one's own life they dare look for and find ways of looking after their own wellbeing as well as that of their intimates. Through entrepreneurship education, you can thus prepare for adulthood; its possibilities as well as responsibilities as, for instance, a producer, consumer, decision-maker or parent. It can therefore be set as the general target of entrepreneurship education  that people develop positive attitudes towards entrepreneurship and they can grow into making an effort. 

eNorssi
 
The target of the entrepreneurship section of the eNorssi is to support the teaching of the thematic entity in teacher education and to offer materials on entrepreneurship education to support the tutored training. The task is to participate in the execution of the entrepreneurship education programme of the Ministry of Education and to make entrepreneurship education a fixed content and way of operation in every teacher training school.
 
How to carry out entrepreneurship education?
 
Methods of working and teaching which support entrepreneurship education are easy to make a part of everyday practise.  By acknowledging the entrepreneurship educational aspect in a suitable teaching context, you can execute manifold projects. The portal gathers practical examples and plans on learning projects already executed, on theme days, and entrepreneurship educational themes integrated into different subjects.  The pages also include links to existing network materials and video examples on executed projects.
 
The Finnish model executes entrepreneurship education in basic and upper secondary education as well as in teacher education.  

The "gardeners"

The "gardeners" of entrepreneurship education have succeeded in their work in Finland. The main responsibility for the entrepreneurship education executed for some time now within the network of teacher training schools in Finland has been carried by eNorssi. Co-operation with the Finnish entrepreneur associations has been started. 
 
We are creating operations which have a national demand. In August 2007, the Ministry of Education started a national development programme 'Yrittäjyyskasvatuksella ja osaamisella muutosvoimaa' (Changing Power from Entrepreneurship Education and Skills). The development programme is partly funded by ESF. 

Student teachers

During their studies, they must ponder intensively on the development of their own skills as promoters of making an effort and internal entrepreneurship. The expertise will develop in intensive interaction with the expert tutor of the thematic entity, with one's own peer student group, with teachers working in the field, and with representatives of working/business life. In this way, the meaning of initiative, creativity, and willingness to experiment as a part of the working methods to be chosen for each occasion will be made obvious. As well as the support offered by the working community for the operations as entrepreneur.

More information
pentti.mankinen(at)oulu.fi