Could We Catch a Glimpse of An Entrepreneurial Citizen? - A Qualitative Study in Upper Secondary School in Sweden.
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.14738/assrj.211.1588Abstract
For many years, educational curricula have been a tool for countries to foster the ‘right’ kind of future citizens. Since the 1980s, there has been an increasing global desire to create entrepreneurial citizens who possess certain abilities. This article will analyse what kind of citizen appears to be fostered when entrepreneurship is emphasised in school. The study is based on empirical research carried out in three geographically separated upper-secondary schools participating in an entrepreneurial program in Sweden. Interviews were performed with pupils in single-gender focus groups. Interviews with teachers were also completed with the help of cognitive maps. Furthermore, a framework was formulated for understanding the general abilities all pupils should develop according to secondary education curricula. These abilities formed four categories: factual knowledge/abilities, learning abilities, civic understanding/abilities and entrepreneurial abilities. When pupils’ voices are heard, and when their stories and conceptions about their future abilities are defined, it is clear that stories about entrepreneurial abilities are predominant. However, no stories about civic understanding abilities or learning abilities are given, and this is the most interesting result of this study. Is this lack of pupils’ understanding regarding the importance of civic abilities worrying and something to be concerned about when fostering future citizens through education?
References
Arnot, M. (2004). EducatingHLearnerHcitizens for social change to citizenship education in contemporary/sociaty. Paper presented at the NEPF/NERA Conference. Reykjavik, Island.March 11H13
BackströmHWidjeskog, B. (2010). Teachers thoughts on entrpreneurship education In Creativity and Innovations Preconditions for entrepreneurial education, edited by Kjell Skogen and Jarle Sjøvoll, 107H120.Trondheim: tapir academic press.
Bager, T., & Nielsen, S. L. (2009). Entreprenurship and competences. Copenhagen: Borsen.
Beach, D., & Dovemark, M. (2011). Twelve years of upperHsecondary education in Sweden: the beginning of a neoH liberal policy hegemony. Educational Review 63 (3): 313H327. doi: 10.1080/00131911.2011.560249.
Berglund, K. (2007). Jakten på entreprenörerHom öppningar och låsningar i entreprenörskapsdiskursen [The hunt for entrepreneursH on opening and closings in the entrepreneurship discourse]. Västerås: Arkitektkopia.
Berglund, K. (2013). Fighting againstt all odds : Entreprenuenurial education as employability training. ephemera theory & politics on organisation 13 (4): 717H735.
Boström, L. (2011). Students learningsstyles compared with their teachers learning styles in upper secondary schoolHa mismatched combination. Education Inquiry 2 (3): 475H495
Broman, A. (2009). Att göra en demokrat. [ To do a democrat ]. Phd dissertation., University of Karlstad: Universitetstryckeriet in Karlstad.
Brunelli, G., & Schlotter, M. (2011). NonHCognitive Skills and Personality Traits: Labour Market Relevence and their Development in Education & Training Sysytem. Bonn: Study of Labour.
Carlbaum, S. (2012). Blir du anställningsbar lille/a vänH diskursiva konstruktioner av framtida medborgare i gymnasiereformerna 1971H2011 [Are you employable dearieHdiscursive constructions of future citizens in upper secondary school ].PhD dissertation., University of Umeå: Print and Media.
Chuna, F., & Heckman, J. J. (2010). Investing in our young people. Cambridge: National burea of Economic Research.
Cope, J. (2005). Towards a Dynamic Learning Perspective on Entrepreneurship. Entreprenurship Theory & Practice Journal, 29 (4): 373H397. doi 10.1111/j.1540H6520.2005.00090.
Dahlstedt, M. (2007). I val(o)frihetens spår, segregation, differentiering och två decennier av skolreformer [ The consequences of (un) free choice policies: Segregation, defferential values and educational reform in Sweden]. Pedagogisk Forskning I Sverige, 12 (1): 20H38.
Dahlstedt, M., & Hertzberg, F. (2011). Den entreprenörskapande skolan styrning och subjektskapande och entreprenörskapspedagogik [Schooling Entrepreneurs; Entrepreneurship, Govermentality, and Education]. Pedagogisk Forskning I Sverige, 3(16): 179H198.
Dahlstedt, M., & Olson, M. (2014). Medborgarskapande för ett nytt milleniumH Utbildning och medborgarfostran i 2000Htalets Sverige [Citizenship in the making of a new milleniumHeducation and citizen formation in 21st century in Sweden]. Demokrati & Utbildning, 23(2):7H25.
Dalton, R.(2006) Politics:public opinion and political parties in advanced democracies Washington DC: CQ Press
Deuchar, R. (2004). Changing paradigms, the Potential of Entreprise Education as an Adequate vehicle for Promoting and Enhancing Education for Active and Responsible Citizenship: from a Schottish perspective. Oxford Review of education, 30(2):223H239. doi: 10.1080/0305498042000215539.
Deuchar, R. (2006). Not only this but also that. Translating the social and political motivations underpinning enterprise and citizenship education in to Scottish schools. Cambridge journal of education, 36 (4):533H547. doi:10.1080/03057640601049157
Dysthe, O. (2001). Dialog, Samspel och Lärande.[Dialogue, Interaction and Learning] Lund: Studentlitteratur.
Englund, T.(2003) Skolan och demokratin Hpå väg mot en skola för deliberativa samtal [School and the democracyHSchool and democracyHtowards a school for deliberative conversations] In Demokrati och lärande om valfrihet, gemenskap i skola och samhälle[Democracy and learning about choce, community in school and sociaty] edited by Britta Jonsson and Klas Roth, Lund: Studentlitteratur.
European Commission. (1998). Fostering Entreprenurship in European priorities for the future. Bryssel: Europeiska Kommissionen.
European Commission. (2004). Action Plan: Agenda For Entreprenurship. Brussels: Commission of the European Communities.
European Commission. (2012). Entrepreneurship education at school in EuropeH National strategies curricula an learning outcomes. Bryssel: Eurydice.
European Commission. (2014). Expert Group on Indicators on Entreprenurial Learning and Competences: Final Report.Bryssel: European Commission.
FalkHLundqvist, Å., Hallberg, P.HG., Leffler, E., & Svedberg, G. (2011). Entreprenöriell pedagogik i skolan H drivkrafter för elevers lärande [Entrepreneurial education in school driving force for students learning] Stockholm:Liber
Fernandez, C. (2012). Liberaliseringen av svensk skolpolitik. En positionsbestämning. [Liberalisation of Swedish school policy. A position] Statsvetenskaplig tidskrift, 114 (2):241H270
Hargreaves, A. (2005). Extending Educational Change. Dordrecht, Netherlands: Springer.
Heckman, J. J., Stixrud, J., & Urzua, S. (2006). The Effects of Cognitive and Noncognitive Abilities on Labor Market Outcomes and Social Behaviour. Journal of labour economics, 24 (3): 411H482.
Hytti, U., Stenholm, P., Heinonen, J., & SeikkulaHLeino, J. (2010).Percevied learning outcomes in entrepreneurship education. Education + Training, 54(8/9): 587H606.
Hörnqvist, M.HL., & Leffler , E. (2014). Fostering an entreprenurial attitude: challenges in the leadership of school principales. Education + Training, 56 (6): 551H561.
Irisdotter Aldenmyr, S., Jeppson Wigg, U., & Olson, M. (2013). Education, Citizenship and Social Justice. Journal of Education & Work, 26(4): 453H571.
Johanisson, B. (2010). The agony of the Swedish school when confronted by entreprenurship. In Creativity and Innovasion, edited by Kjell Skogen and Jarle Sjovoll, 91H104. Trondheim: tapir academic press.
Johansen, J.HB. (2012). Skapende og Kreativ laeringH Pedagogisk entreprenørskap i forskning og utvikling av laeringsprosesser. Trondheim: tapir academic press.
Jones, B., & Iredale, N. (2010). Enterprise education as pedagogy. Education and training, 52 (1): 7H19. DOI 10.1108/00400911011017654
Jørgensen, C.H. (2010) Frafald i den danska ungdomsutdannelserna In Frafall for 16H20 åringar i Norden edited by Eifrid Markussen. Copenhagen: Nordiska Ministerrådet
Komulainen, K., Naskali, P., Korhonen, M., & Foley, S. (2011). Internal EntrepreneurshipH A Trojan Hourse of the Neoliberal Governance of education? FinnishHPre and Service Teachers Implementation of and Resistance toward Entrepreneurship education. Journal of critical education policy studies, 9 (1): 341H371.
Lackéus, M. (2013). Entreprenöriellt lärande, vad innebär det och vilken betydelse kan det haHen kunskapsöversikt [Entrepreneurial learning, what does it mean and what impact can it haveHa knowledge overview]. Kommunförbundet Skåne.
Lackéus, M., & Moberg, K. (2013). Entreprenörskapsutbildning från ABC till Phd [Entrepreneurship Education from ABC to PHD]. Stockholm: Entreprenörskapsforum.
Leffler, E. (2009). The many faces of Entrepreneurship: a discursive battle for the school arena. European Educational Research Journal 8 (1): 104H116. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.2304/eerj.2009.8.1.104
Leffler, E., & Mahieu, R. (2010). Entreprenörskap ett nytt fostransprojekt i skolan.[Entrepreneurship a new fostering project in education] In: Fostran i skola och utbildning: historiska perspektiv. [ Fostering in school and education] : historical perspective edited by Anna Larsson. 177H196. Uppsala: Föreningen för svensk undervisningshistoria.
Leffler, E (2012). Entrepreneurship in school and the invisible of Gender: A Swedish Context in EntrepreneurshipH Gender Geographies and Social Context edited by Thierry Burger Helmchen. 31H52 : In HTech
Lingard, B., & Ozga, J. (2007). The RoutledgeFalmer reader in education policy and politics. Oxon: Routledge Tayler and Francis group.
Lundahl, L. (2011). Paving the way to the future? Education and Young Europeans Paths to work and Independence. European Educational Research Journal, 10 (2):168H178. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.2304/eerj.2011.10.2.168
Mahieu, R. (2006). Agent of change and policies of scale. Umeå: Print och Media.
Moberg, K. (2012). Impact of entrepreneurial education i Denmark 2012. Odense, Denmark: The Danish foundation for entrepreneurshipHYoung entreprise.
Moberg, K. (2014). Two approaches to entrepreneurship education: The different effects of education for and through entrepreneurship. The international journal of Management Education, 1H17. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ijme.2014.05.002
Morgan, D., & Kreuger, R. (1993).When to use focus groups and why. In Successful Focus Groups Advancing the State of the Art edited by David.L. Morgan, 3H20. Newbury: Sage Publication.
National Agency of Education. (2011a). Läroplan, examensmål och gymnasiegemensamma ämnen för gymnasieskola 2011. [Curriculum for secondary school] Stockholm: Skolverket.
National Agency of Education. (2011b). Skolan och medborgaskapandet. [ The school and citizen making] Stockholm: Skolverket.
National Agency of Education. (2013). Forskning om skolreformer och deras genomslag[ Research on school reforms and their impact ]. Stockholm: Skolverkets Aktuella Analyser .
Nylén, J., & Skarin, T. (2009). Framtidens utbildning i NordenHKonkurrens och samverkan i en globaliserad värld [Future education in the NordicHCompetition and cooperation in a globalized world]. Köpenhamn: Nordiska rådet. OECD/CERI. (1989). Towards an "enterprising" cultureHa challenge for education and training. Paris: OECD.
Olofsson, A. (2009). Entreprenörskapsutbildning i skolan: Formering av ny pedagogisk identitet [ Entrepreneurship Education in school: Formation of a new pedagogical identity]. Härnösand: Mid Sweden University Department of Education.
Otterborg, A. (2011). Entreprenöriellt lärandeHGymnasielevers skilda sätt att uppfatta Hentreprenöriellt lärande [ Entrepreneurial learning Upper secondary school student´s different perceptions of entrepreneurial learning]. PhD dissertation., School of communication and Education in Jönköping.
Pepin, M. (2012). Enterprise Education: a Deweyan perspective. Education+Training, 54(8/9): 801H812.
Rothstein, B., & Westehäll, L. V. (2005). Bortom den starka statens politik.[ Beyond the strong government policy]. Stockholm: SNS.
Sarasvathy, S., & Venkataraman, S. (2011). Entreprenurship as method questions for an entrepreneurial future. Theory and Practice, 35 (1): 113H123.
Scherp, H.HÅ. (2002). Lärares LärmiljöH Att leda skolan som en lärande organisation [Teachers' Learning Environment To lead the school as a learning organization]. Karlstad: Karlstad University Studies.
Scherp, HHÅ. (2013). Quantifying Qualitative Data Using Cognitive Maps. International Journal of Research & Method in Education, 36(1): 67H81
Sivesind, K., Van der Akker, J., & Rosenmund, M. (2012). The European Curriculum; restructing an renewal. European Educational Research Journal 11 (3): 320H327. http://dx.doi.org/10.2304/eerj.2012.11.3.320
Sjöberg, L (2011). Bäst i klassen? – Lärare och elever i svenska och europeiska policydokument [Best in class?–Teachers and students in swedish and European policy’s] PhD dissertation, University of Gothenburg
Sjöberg, Å. (2006). Att göra sina uppgifter vara tyst och lämna in i tidH Om elevansvar i det högmoderna samhället. [To make their tasks, be quiet and submit on timeH About student responsibility in the highly modern society ] Phd dissertation, Univeristy of Karlstad.
Sjøvoll, J., & Johansen, J.HB. (2013). Innovasjon i utdanning.[ Innovation in education] Trondheim: Akademika forlag.
SOU:1946:31. (1946). Skolans inre arbeteHsynpunkter på fostran och undervisning, 1940 år skolutredning betänkande och utredningar del VI. [The school's internal workHviews on education and fostering, 1940 years of school study report and investigations part VI ]Stockholm: SOU.
Svedberg, G. (2007). Entreprenörskapets avtryck i klassrummets praxisHOm villkor och lärande i gymnasieskolans entreprenörskapsprojekt. [The imprints of entreprenurship in the classrom]. Phd dissertation, University of Umeå.
Svedberg, G. (2010). Pedagogical entrepreneurship in the formulation and realisation arena In Crativity and Innovation, edited by Kjell Skogen and Jarle Sjøvoll,121H128). Trondheim: tapir academic press.
Tursunovic, M. (2002). Fokusgrupper i teori och praktik. [ Focus groups in theory and practice] Sociologisk forskning :62H89.
Vaidya, S. (2014). Developing entrepreneurial skillsH Creating and Strengthening Entreprenurial Culture in Indian Schools. New Delhi: Springer.
Wennberg, K. (2011). Övning ger färdighet en långtidsuppföljning av UFHföretagares entreprenöriella karriär i Sverige 1990H2007 [ A longituinal investigation of Junior Achievement Sweden Alumni and their entrepreneurial careers 1990H2007. Junior Achievment. Kungsbacka.
Vestman, R., & Lindqvist, E. (2012). The Labour market returns to cognitive or noncognitive abilityHEvidence from the Swedish Enlistment. American Economic Journal, 3(1):101H128.
Wibeck, V. (2010). FokusgrupperHOm fokuserade grupperintervjuer som undersökningsmetod.[Focus groupsH about focused group interviews as research method] Lund: Studentlitteratur.
