KURATORIUM OŚWIATY W RZESZOWIE STUDY VISIT NO 16/2010 Title of the visit: EDUCATION, INNOVATIONS AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP FROM KINDERGARTEN TO ADULT LIFE Participants – the representatives of Spain, France, Belgium, Italy, Finland, Iceland, Turkey, Germany, United Kingdom RZESZÓW, October 2010

The goals: -Key Competencies and their importance for functioning in the dynamicaly changing Europe (mainly entrepreneurship, ICT and foreign languages) -Preparation for adult life conducting childrens development, shaping future careers and career guindance -Entrepreneurship in education including the core curriculum To present innovative initiatives and models of good practice provide ongoing projects To visit educational institutions What have we set?

How have we implemented the mentioned issues? We presented the issues chronologically at various age levels : -at kindergarten, -at primary schools, -at lower secondary general school -at upper secondary general and vocational schools -at universities

Issues were implemented by: Presentations -good practice examples Polish presentations and projects Enterprising Preschooler, The School of Key Competences, Managerial Classroom, Volunteering at Schools, Students Small Business, Banks in Action, Business competitions, Educational online games. Entrepreneurship development in Polish universities and colleges by the means of innovative methods. Attitudes to Entrepreneurship, Entrepreneurial Schools and simulation games. Development of enterprise skills by pupils and students with the help of private small businesses Snazy Physics, Childrens Polytechnics, Aviation Valley, IT Subsystems – Lego Bricks. Polytechnics, Aviation Valley.

Presentations given by the guests Enterprise teaching –Spain Professional Programs for the Unemployed – France University Educational Programs – Belgium Enterprise Incubators, knowledge transfer – Italy Professional Passions Development – Finland Knowledge Transfer in the field if Alternative Energy Sources – Iceland Possibilities if teaching of Enterprise in Turkish schools and universities – Turkey Training and pedagogical development of teacher – Germany Implementation of entrepreneurial attitudes – challenges – Great Britain

CONFERENCES Conference I in Primary School number 16 in Rzeszow on shaping the entrepreneurial attitudes amongst preschoolers In the conference participated representatives of: Subcarpathian kindergartens - headmasters and teachers Board of Education in Rzeszow, University of Information Technology and Management,

Conference II in Complex of schools No. 4 in Dębica held to familiarize the participants with the support given to pupils to prepare them for adult life and labour market. In the conference participated the representatives of: Guidance and Counselling Centre in Dębica - presenation -Guidance and Counselling Centre as an Institution providing help and support in choosing the right school and future job, Pedagogical and Psychological Centre in Dębica Town Social Welfare Centre in Dębica – presentation Activation of the Inhabitants of Dębica, Local Authorities Volunteer Work Detachment in Dębica – Information about the Volunteer Work Detachment, Student Cooperatives in municipality Dębica – presentation We act autonomously, economically and frugally, Teachers and counselors – presentation Middle School Student at the start of a New career and Activities of School Career Centre

Conference III in Subcarpathian In-service Teachers Training Centre in Czudec Devoted to entrepreneurship in Polish Educational System (curricula and subjects teaching enterprise, introducing entrepreneurship on various educational levels, new core curriculum for high schools). Presentations were conducted by: Subcarpathian In-service Teachers Training Centre - theme: Enterprise in Polish Education, project: School of Key Competences and PSIM in Subcarpathian Region, Youth Enterpreneurship Foundation – presenation of the foundation activities, Enterprise teachers from Subcarpathian schools. Teachers and headmasters participated as well.

DEBATE Debate in the Complex of Technical Schools in Leżajsk Theme: Creativity, Innovations and Entrepreneurship on various levels of children and youth development (from kindergarten to adulthood), entrepreneurship as a key competence providing mobility and professional career, teaching entrepreneurship in theory and in practice. In mentioned debate participated: Board of Education in Rzeszow, University of Information Technology and Management, Headmasters and teachers from Subcarpathian schools.

VISITS We visited : 1) kindergartens, schools and universities: -Private Kindergarten Academy of Young Discoverer (Monday) -Complex of Schools nr 4 in Dębica (Tuesday) -High School nr 2 (Liceum)in Dębica (Tuesday) -High school nr 1 (Liceum) in Łańcut (Thursday) -Complex of Technical Schools in Leżajsk (Thursday) -University of Information Technology and Management (Friday) -Polytechnic in Rzeszow (Friday) The presentations were prepared and presented by the pupils, teachers, students, lecturers and representatives of private enterprise. 2) Institutions: -Business Club in Dębica (Tuesday) -Theme of the meeting: Entrepreneurs support youth (starting a company) -In-service Teachers Training Centre in Czudec (Wednesday) - Theme of the meeting: Entrepreneurship in Polish Educational System, school subject entrepreneurship core curriculum, School of Key Competences – project, activites of Fundation Youth Entrepreneurship and examples of good practices in Subcarpathian schools.

Profits, results Who benefited? Our guests learned about realities of Polish schools connected with introducing entrepreneurship, professional counseling, psychological support, innovations and Projects. Students actively participated in the visits in schools an universities. The visits were enterprise lessons, English lessons and lessons about European Union for the students. Entrepreneurship teachers, headmasters, inspectors of Board of Education, methodological advisors lecturers from colleges and universities Each had a chance to exchange opinions, present the activities held at their schools and participate in discussions.

What benefits? 1. Developed professional and personal competences 2. Depth knowledge about European dimension of education "from kindergarten to adult life" 3. Different actors of education included to meetings 4. Transfer of knowledge 5.Cohesion of raised tasks with ours: conferences, debates, examples of good practice, creating educational policy, the promotion of innovative activities 6. Improved ability to overcome barriers of language, professional vocabulary, testing the simultaneous translation 7. Satisfaction with the visit of high level content and prestige in the environment 8. Work out the 31 solutions to the European Commission by the group 9. Improved project management skills 10. Established contact with partners Enhance the knowledge and skills of all age individuals participating in the study visit was made possible thanks to the Mobility and European Union funds

Conclusions reached by the guests Snippets from the group report: … we learned so much… This information should be of interest to Head Teachers, Teachers, School Advisers, Local and Regional Education Authorities, Local and National Government, policy makers, all employers, local and regional knowledge transfer initiatives: 1.There is an impressive level of innovative activity in Polish schools within the 4 curriculum levels, or as Renate Schubert said; there are many lighthouses in Polish schools; ……… 6.It is important to encourage discussion of questions that inform the development of entrepreneurial activity in order to understand what motivates e.g. are entrepreneurs born or made? ….. 13.It is important to find a balance in the curriculum; do not neglect core skills (e.g. reading, writing, arithmetic) in the pursuit of entrepreneurship; ….. 15.Schools must co-operate with businesses and ensure young people are given opportunities to gain experience of working life; …….. 18.Developing self-determined learning or Learning to Learn skills is important. ……….. 24.Schools need to prepare young people for adult life. 25.Dont forget the training of adults; adults (and parents) need re-skilling also....(and so on until No 31)

WHAT HAPPEND AFTER THE VISIT? We were invited to Finland to the conference organized by the Vocational Education Centre Sedu. We conducted 2 presentations on Polish examples of good practices that had been evaluated as very interesting and innovative by our study visit participants. We established cooperation with colleague from France. We are making efforts to organize a French language contest for students under the auspices of the French institution. We placed on website the collected presentations of visitors from abroad as well as Polish ones. We gave an interview to the radio and newspapers We developed the proposal for next study visit WHAT WOULD BE OUR WISH? To promote European priorities, thinking "Outside-the-box, mobility and lifelong learning in the education environment as valuable To organize next visit with previous participants -to achive more significant results. One-week visit did not allow to compile the topic. Next one would be more profitable

More information: Phone number: Coordinator: Hanna Stasicka