Introduction to - Inforoute · PDF fileIntroduction to Culture I n t r o d u c t i o n t o C u...

Introduction to

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ProjectDevelopmentGuidefor Teachers

The project development guide provides a range oftools to assist teachers in their task and to understandthe objectives for projects submitted under the QuébecEntrepreneurship Contest and the Introduction toEntrepreneurship Measure. Teachers are invited toimmerse themselves in entrepreneurial cultural and todiscover how to make it attractive for their students.

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ProjectDevelopment Guide for Teachers

Introduction to

Culture

Int_culture.qxd:Int_culture.qx5 10/10/07 8:48 AM Page 1

Under the responsibility of

Giuliana Tessier

Direction de la formation continue et du soutien

Ministère de l’Éducation, du Loisir et du Sport

Written by

Denis Pelletier

Guidance counsellor

Titular professor, UniversitéLaval (1966-1996)

Founding president ofSeptembre éditeur

Coordinated by

Hélène Plourde

Page layout by

Nathalie Perreault, Linda St-Pierre

English version by

Direction de la production en langue anglaise

Services à la communautéanglophone

Ministère de l’Éducation, du Loisir et du Sport

© Gouvernement du QuébecMinistère de l’Éducation, du Loisir et du Sport, 2007-07-00496ISBN: 978-2-550-50577-8 (print version)ISBN: 978-2-550-50578-5 (PDF)Legal deposit – Bibliothèque nationale du Québec, 2007


This project development guide has been produced with financial supportobtained under the three-year action plan of the Youth EntrepreneurshipChallenge. It is intended to give teachers the tools they need to help students setup entrepreneurial projects, as defined in the Student Entrepreneurship divisionof the Québec Entrepreneurship Contest (QEC) and under the StudentEntrepreneurship option of the Introduction to Entrepreneurship Measure(IEM).

The guide has been adapted to the context of the education reform. Designed tohelp teachers develop their students’ interest in entrepreneurial activities, enterstudent entrepreneurship projects in the QEC, and obtain funding for their proj-ects under the IEM, it is generally intended to raise awareness about entrepre-neurship and entrepreneurial culture. The pedagogical approaches it suggestsare consistent with the Québec Education Program, Québec’s vocational trainingprograms, college programs, the QEC and the IEM.

The project development guide provides a range of tools to assist teachers intheir task and to understand the objectives for projects submitted under theQuébec Entrepreneurship Contest and the Introduction to EntrepreneurshipMeasure. Teachers are invited to immerse themselves in entrepreneurial cultur-al and to discover how to make it attractive for their students.

N.B.: This document is intended to complement the Administrative Guide for the Introduction to EntrepreneurshipMeasure, available at: <www.inforoutefpt.org/entrepreneuriat>. Click on “Documentation” and download theAdministrative Guide for the IEP. (This is a PDF file located under the heading “Guide administratif.”) It does notreplace the Administrative Guide, but is designed to facilitate an ongoing examination of what exactly is meant by entre-preneurial culture, how it is developed, and how it can be implemented through student projects.

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PREAMBLE


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Introduction

Entrepreneurship as an educational valueOverview

Chapter 1

Creating a taste for entrepreneurship

Entrepreneurial qualities1. Self-confidence2. Motivation3. Effort4. Sense of responsibility5. Initiative6. Perseverance7. Solidarity8. Team spirit 9. Resourcefulness10.Determination

Table – Foundations of entrepreneurial culture (emotional resources)

Chapter 2

Meaning of project

Pedagogical projects

Entrepreneurial projects

Project foundations and pedagogical support1. Unity2. Singularity3. Complexity4. Opportunity

Constructing a project: design and implementationI. Designing a projectPOP test

1. Analysis of the current situation2. Outline of a possible project3. Outline of the strategy to be applied

II. Project implementation4. Planning5. Problem management6. Evaluation and indicators

TABLE OF CONTENTS

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Criteria to measure the success of an entrepreneurial project

Table – Foundations of entrepreneurial culture (cognitive resources)

The cross-curricular competencies and their key features

Chapter 3

The entrepreneurial relationship with the community

Vision and knowledge of the market

Introduction to Entrepreneurship Measure and interactional resources

Interactional resources and entrepreneurial development

How and where interactional capital is constructedFamilyNetworkingSchools and the labour market

Implementing an entrepreneurial project

Group and leadership experience

Table – Foundations of entrepreneurial culture (interactional resources)

By way of conclusion

Appendix 1

Stages and Components of an Entrepreneurial Project

The lost diadem

Appendix 2

Economics: The Foundation of Entrepreneurship

Appendix 3

Ethical Behaviour is Good Business

Bibliography

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One of the five broad areas of learning defined in the Québec Education Program (QEP) isPersonal and Career Planning; in French, this is called Orientation et entrepreneuriat, intro-ducing a link with the field known as “entrepreneurship.” The five broad areas of learning cor-respond, generally speaking, to the major challenges that students should be able to deal with bythe time they leave school.

For students, the word “entrepreneurship” is used to describe the process by which they devel-op their potential and learn to complete projects that have social, cultural or humanitarian valueor, as is most often the case, economic value, thereby contributing to individual and collectiveenrichment. What entrepreneurship and career planning have in common is that they bothaddress the question of how young people will be able to integrate into society, in vocationalterms by acquiring qualifications and in entrepreneurial terms by learning to act independently.From this point of view, entrepreneurs are people who define the objective that will determinetheir own future.1

Entrepreneurship has now become one of the educational aims of Québec’s education system.In other words, the importance of entrepreneurial values in the schools has been officiallyrecognized.

Nevertheless, the question of how exactly entrepreneurship constitutes an educational valueremains. The social and political factors that led to its introduction into the QEP are wellknown: the need to recruit a new, entrepreneurial pool of workers in a period of populationdecline; job creation and workforce retention in various regions; the need to adapt to the new

INTRODUCTION 7

INTRODUCTION

1. According to the apt definition given by Louis Jacques Filion (1999).


economy; increased employability (many organizations require entrepreneurial skills); greaterflexibility in dealing with market globalization; and, especially, the creation of prosperity for all.

Beyond its undoubted economic relevance, however, it is important to know how entrepreneur-ship relates to the concerns of teachers. In other words, are entrepreneurial values grafted onfrom outside; or do they stem from the underlying logic of the pedagogical approach and theultimate aims of the educational mission? The answer is yes, in both cases.

Entrepreneurship as an educational value

At this point, it is necessary to make a distinction. In a general way, entrepreneurship may bedefined as the ability to innovate in the economic sphere, leading to business creation and themobilization of material, financial and human resources. In this sense, it is a path followed byonly a few members of society. Specific training is available for those who wish to draw up abusiness plan and launch a business; and workshops exist to instruct potential entrepreneurs inbasic management principles.

Activities organized in schools—such as the creation of an environmental student enterprise ormicro-enterprise, or the organization of a young entrepreneurs’ club—can be of interest to asmall number of students who feel a personal connection to entrepreneurship. Schools can alsolaunch school-wide projects and thereby become “business schools.” These approaches are

more than just awareness-raising activities.

In a more general way, however, entrepreneurship can be defined as the set of qualities and atti-tudes normally associated with the entrepreneurial spirit. If we consider it apart from its morerestricted sense, i.e. in its material and concrete aspects, entrepreneurship means a propensityto be enterprising It is clear that this disposition, with its characteristic features and the condi-tions conducive to its emergence, constitutes a cultural dimension with an obvious educationalvalue, one that should be available to as many students as possible.

Entrepreneurial culture is made up of qualities and attitudes that reflect a desire to wholeheart-edly undertake and successfully see through to completion whatever enterprise one chooses tobe involved in; they include independence, creativity, initiative, self-confidence, leadership, teamspirit, assiduity, responsibility, solidarity and perseverance. From this point of view, any indi-vidual or group activity that brings these qualities into play can be considered educational andsuitable for the development of an entrepreneurial spirit.

Similarly, the entrepreneurial spirit and the supporting culture neatly match the major aims ofthe Québec Education Program, especially the feature referred to as “empowerment.” TheQuébec Education Program for Secondary School Education, Cycle One (approved in 2004)presents its three major aims in its opening chapter. As shown in the diagram below, educationalactions help students to progressively construct their world-view and identity and becomeempowered. Overall, this corresponds to three functions: knowing, choosing and acting. Theresulting dynamic leads to the development of the competencies needed for success, whetherthey be subject-specific, identity-based or adaptive.

INTRODUCTION8


INTRODUCTION 9

Each of these aims expresses in its own way, the value our society places on independence, andthe degree of independence it expects from students. We have come a long way from the timewhen compliance with standards and obedience of authority were the hallmarks of schoolswhere all instruction was dispensed in a top-down manner. The transformation is not yet com-plete, but is well under way.

If students are to become more empowered,learning activities must be organized in a waythat translates their knowledge into compe-tencies. The entrepreneurial spirit is both atraining objective and a pedagogical tool tomotivate students.

Entrepreneurial culture is fully compatible,therefore, with empowerment as an educa-tional aim and with pedagogical approachesbased on participation, cooperation and proj-ect-based learning.

Paul Inchauspé (2004) characterizes theentrepreneurial spirit as follows (Free trans-lation):

To cultivate the entrepreneurial spirit, schools must develop their students’ desire to accomplishsomething for themselves, make a commitment and take on responsibilities, along with a desirefor freedom, an acceptance of effort, a will to succeed and the courage to persevere, a sense ofteamwork and a spirit of cooperation.

This is quite a program! But surely the values underlying the attitudes behind the entrepreneurialspirit are also the values that a school, in keeping with the logic of its mission to educate, inother words to guide and nurture, should encourage its students to value from an early age, asmuch or even more so than the value of respect? And surely this is as important, or perhapsmore important, than the need to instill in students, as they prepare to join the labour market,the desire to create their own business by giving them the information they need to do so?

This is the challenge that the Ministère de l’Éducation, du Loisir et du Sport (MELS) has decidedto take up by encouraging youth entrepreneurship through the Introduction to EntrepreneurshipMeasure (IEM).

Constructionof

world-view

Constructionof

identity

Empowerment

STUDENT


Overview

Before exploring the field of entrepreneurship, it is appropriate here to identify the nature of theterrain and to mark out the path we will follow.

Entrepreneurship—or more properly, the entrepreneurial spirit—basically involves a wish tocreate change and novelty, to set goals and to complete projects. Defined in this way, it is clearthat the entrepreneurial spirit will necessarily draw upon many different personal resources.

These resources are of three types: emotional resources, cognitive resources and interactionalresources.2

A) Emotional resources

Emotional resources drive actions. They provide the initial motivation and starting point for theentrepreneurial spirit. Which values, qualities and attitudes drive an entrepreneurial action?What leads a person to make such a passionate commitment, to expend so much energy, and todisplay such a capacity for work? What learning and experience are needed to develop such self-confidence and a constant need to do better?

By understanding the dynamic underpinning of the entrepreneurial spirit, we are able to takepedagogical action to improve student success and integrate entrepreneurial culture into the lifeof the school. This topic is dealt with in Chapter One.

B) Cognitive resources

Cognitive resources make it possible to plan actions. Any action that is not a routine or custom-ary activity, but a new departure, any action intended to create something new or to renewsomething that does exist, in other words any major action, requires creativity and time for itsaccomplishment.

The cognitive resources mobilized for the entrepreneurial spirit are used to define actions, andto shape the future by designing and implementing a project. An entrepreneurial culture is “pro-ject-based.” However, what exactly is an entrepreneurial project? How is it constructed, andwhat appropriate pedagogical support must be provided? What is a successful project, and howcan evaluating be methodologically useful and constitute a reflection on empowerment?

The implementation of a project is an ideal way to mobilize cross-curricular competencies, asdiscussed in Chapter Two “Cognitive resources.”

INTRODUCTION10

2. The field of entrepreneurship has been examined in a large number of studies and research projects, but remains relatively unstruc-tured. Isabelle Danjou (2004) is an exception; she explains entrepreneurship as the mobilization of these types of resources.

3. See the Québec Education Program.


C) Interactional resources

The entrepreneurial spirit also has practical and material aspects. We cannot undertake some-thing alone, with only the energy drawn from our motivation and the intelligence of our visionand project. Implementation involves concrete actions and the mobilization of resources in thecommunity, especially the human resources constituted by people who join the project andbecome jointly responsible for it.

An entrepreneurial experience depends on the ability of the potential entrepreneur to join withother people in a context of cooperation and leadership, imagination and pragmatism. Since allthese qualities cannot be found in a single person, the entrepreneur may enter into alliances orpartnerships, or rely on the competencies and complementary skills of other people, whether forthe development, management or organizational efficiency of the project.

An entrepreneurial act applies to something concrete in a given environment. It presupposesknowledge, know-how, and experience of a product and a market. In other words, it requiresnetworking, knowledge of the terrain, and integration into the prevailing culture. Interactionalresources include the ability to join with others, and to mobilize the community around a project. Where does empowerment come from? Does it come from a so-called “entrepreneurial”personality? Perhaps, instead, it comes from the ability to maintain a specific relationship withthe community, one that could be called entrepreneurial, since the community is seen as asource of information, learning, influence, mentoring, and material, financial and human sup-port. The environment as a source of resources, and the school as a model environment, areexamined in Chapter Three.

In the conclusion, the aims of an entrepreneurial culture will be allocated to each of the threelevels of education, using the same division of emotional, cognitive and interactional resources.

The distinction between the three types of resources meets the need for clarity and order; however, it must be remembered that they are not separated but interwoven in an increasinglycomplex web.

INTRODUCTION 11



In general, entrepreneurs simply say that youhave to work hard if you want to succeed,without being aware of their special kind ofenergy. They are active individuals, and arecontent with a simple explanation becausethe results seem to prove their point. A set-back will only slow them down and directthem toward a more promising option asthey regain their self-confidence.

The entrepreneurial experience deservesstudy on its own merits, as it contains ele-ments of great pedagogical value. Thus it is

not surprising that it has been associatedwith the educational mission of the QuébecEducation Program, improves the chances ofsuccessfully completing a college program,and enhances career prospects. The entre-preneurial approach, in order to be a focus ofstudy and to become an educational context,must be analyzed to discover its essentialnature and dynamics.

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13

Entrepreneurship is based on a state of mind, or attitude, that pre-pares a person for action and for an effective and determined pur-suit of a series of goals. Although the notion appears abstract, thedynamic attitude it describes is a phenomenon that researchershave been able to pin down. The field of study known as entrepre-neurship contains elements of great pedagogical value, and

provides information on what motivates individuals to succeed and seek self-accomplishment.

Creating a taste for entrepreneurship

CHAPTER 1EMOTIONAL RESOURCES


The first generation of researchers workingin the field of entrepreneurship focused onwhat makes up a typical entrepreneur. At thetime, it was believed that entrepreneurshipwas an innate quality, that people were “bornwith it” and that its true nature could be dis-covered by identifying the traits shared by allentrepreneurs.

In 1997, the academic and researcher LouisJacques Filion1 drew up an exhaustive list ofthese shared traits, as presented in the fol-lowing table.

The qualities that behavioural special-

ists most frequently identify with entre-

preneurs are:

• Innovation • Leadership• Daring (taking calculated risks)• Independence• Creativity• Energy• Persistence• Originality• Optimism• Flexibility• Resourcefulness• Self-fulfilment• Inwardness• Self-confidence• Long-term commitment• Proactivity• Learning• Self-affirmation• Sensitivity• Trustfulness• Money as a measure of performance• Tolerance of ambiguity and uncertainty

The overall impression is that the more wetry to establish the precise profile of anentrepreneur, the longer the list of character-istics will get, and everybody will have a different opinion on where the commonground lies. Jacques Filion jokingly remarksthat some of these traits are doubtlesscaused by the entrepreneurial activity itself,

since an entrepreneur who wants to survivein a competitive world has no choice but tobe creative and innovative. A person whorisks capital will do everything in his/herpower to make a business work, and not losehis/her original investment. An entrepre-neur’s capacity for work is due, then, not tosome putative gene for perseverance, but tothe personal and financial risks at stake.Entrepreneurs are not victims of their situa-tion, since these are freely chosen. Adversityacts as a stimulant, and the entrepreneurresponds willingly.

A recent publication (Rabbior, G., 1997) ofthe Canadian Foundation for EconomicEducation contains a similar list of entrepre-neurial characteristics:

Characteristics

• A desire to be an entrepreneur • A belief in one’s ability to influence/affect

events and outcomes in life • Self-confidence • A belief in one’s ability to handle most

situations • Self-esteem • A belief in one’s ability to achieve one’s

goals • A high level of self-awareness • Enthusiasm and optimism • Willingness to act • Willingness to take initiative • Strong sense of commitment • Perseverance• An interest in change• Strong motivation/desire to succeed • Willingness to work hard • Willingness to learn • Readiness to learn • Willingness to seek out relevant knowl-

edge

CHAPTER 114

1. Holder the of the Rogers-J.A. Bombardier Chair ofEntrepreneurship at the École des hautes études commerciales,Montréal.


CREATING A TASTE FOR ENTREPRENEURSHIP 15

• Willingness to acquire relevant experience • Capacity to transfer knowledge and expe-

rience • Goal-oriented • Creativity • Opportunity-oriented • Willingness to take risks

In a sense it is difficult to say whether it isrelevant to mention all these traits. What isclear is that there are too many for a singleperson in this larger-than-life portrait.Although some leading figures in the busi-ness world do come close, to use them asmodels would make the concept of entrepre-neurship mythical or even heroic, whereasthe objective here is simply to facilitate anunderstanding of entrepreneurial culture andits vast educational potential.

For almost 10 years, the Québec Entrepre -neurship Contest has chosen to highlightentrepreneurial values and qualities in termsof successful student approaches, rather thanin terms of success in the business field. Thecontest, along with the Introduction toEntrepreneurship Measure (IEM), encour-ages students to design and carry out proj-ects that will help them develop entrepre-neurial values and qualities.

The main focus is on the following values:creativity, solidarity, responsibility, inde-pendence, self-confidence, team spirit, lead-ership and tenacity. These values can bedefined in terms of the attitudes and behav-iours through which they are expressed.

The number of values selected reflects theneed to set simple, clear guidelines compati-ble with the other objectives pursued in theschools. While teachers cannot fail to agreewith these traits, they might be tempted toview them from their particular educationalstandpoint. Would it not be better, then, toset guidelines specifically tailored to entre-preneurship, and to use them to encouragestudents at all educational levels to come upwith new projects?

The traits cited are still relevant but, if we areto move ahead, perhaps it is time to ask: Isthere a link between them, some commonfocus that we could use to demonstrate theirunity and underlying coherence? What do allthese “entrepreneurial” traits and factorshave in common? What makes them“cohere”?

If we can answer this question, we will gainaccess to one of the foundations of entrepre-neurial culture. One thing is clear: all theseattitudes and behaviours are necessary tomeet the goals we are pursuing. Let’s seewhat happens when we redefine these atti-tudes and behaviours in terms of the goalsthey are meant to achieve.2

1. Self-confidence: feeling able to dosomething

2. Motivation: wanting to do something3. Effort: willingness to work hard4. Sense of responsibility: doing what

must be done5. Initiative: taking action6. Perseverance: finishing what one has

started7. Solidarity: working towards a common

goal8. Team spirit: working with others in syn-

ergy9. Resourcefulness: using knowledge and

skills to deal with the unexpected10. Determination: concentrating on a

defined goal

2. Adapted from Dorothy Rich. Career Mega Skills, SundistarInc., New Orleans, 1999. Creativity, leadership and a sense oforganization are not included in the list, since they are compe-tencies, rather than qualities or attitudes.


In fact, entrepreneurial qualities and attitudesare those that make an action effective; inthis case, the word “action” is used in a per-sonal, not in a technical or specialized, sense,to denote a person’s ability to achieve fixedgoals. This means that everyone should learn,at some point, what emotional disposition isneeded to achieve personal goals. In someways, this is a fundamental disposition, a“basic attitude” that makes people able andconfident that they can obtain what they wantin life.

This is why a pedagogical approach couldhelp make a significant contribution to anentrepreneurial culture. An “enterprise” is away of taking effective action to achievegoals set individually or collectively. Since theeffectiveness of an action depends on a per-son’s emotional resources, success dependson willingness and determination.

˜ ˜ ˜

Where does such drive come from? Whatmakes some people demand so much ofthemselves in attaining certain goals? Theentrepreneurial spirit is, in fact, based on theneed to succeed, and is demonstrated by:– the ability to make intense, prolonged and

repeated efforts to accomplish a difficulttask

– the ability to work with a specific inten-tion towards a difficult goal

The researcher J. W. Atkinson (1993) was thefirst to point out that the need to succeedcreates a desire to undertake projects, inorder to experience the pleasures of success.

A large part of the pleasure derives fromovercoming obstacles. These are challengesthat mobilize personal resources and, if over-come, create intense satisfaction. Theauthor’s studies focused on some of theactivities chosen by people who feel the needto succeed: such activities exhibit a mediumor reasonable level of difficulty, instead of

being extremely easy or extremely difficult.Atkinson also identified an adaptive processpegged to the level of aspiration: attemptingan easier task following a failure, or attempt-ing a harder task following a success.

Thanks to this adaptive capacity, people whopossess the entrepreneurial spirit know howto maintain and increase their feeling of per-sonal effectiveness. The need to succeed isapparently unconnected to the fear of failure,which leads people to undertake nothing andto fail to set themselves goals. The linksbetween the power to act and the structuringof personal identity appear more evident.

Yann Forner (1987, 2005) identifies two con-ditions that are required for people to experi-ence the pleasure of success:

A. They must give themselves credit for theoutcome and must, therefore, be awarethat their activities and success are closelyrelated. They must be capable of graspingthat the goal was not achieved by chance,luck or for any other reason beyond theircontrol. This is what Rotter (1966) callsthe “internal locus of control.” In general,people who believe in their power to actcan decide to increase their performanceby working harder, improving theirapproach or acquiring new knowledge andskills, and even by seeking help if neces-sary. The important point is that theythemselves have to be the cause of thehoped-for effect, and must believe in theirpower to overcome obstacles. This leadsto the second condition.

CHAPTER 116



B. Entrepreneurs must plan their actionsover time, since no goal can be achievedovernight. This future-oriented perspectiveenables them to organize the present intoan efficient sequence, a link betweencause and effect, persevering where nec-essary and postponing gratification, sincethe reward may be a long way off.

In discussing the extent to which studentscan acquire the need to succeed, YannForner (2005) concludes as follows:

Encouraging students—or anyone in atraining situation—to succeed may leadthem to make this impulse their own,but for reasons that have more to dowith feelings. The search for the pleas-ure derived from success promptsaction because, over the short term, itgenerates an enjoyable feeling of prideand because, over the long term, accu-mulated success develops self-esteem—provided, of course, that two conditionsare met: the person must take credit, atleast partly, for the success, and he orshe must act with the idea that thingswill take time.

We are now in a position tounderstand what is behind theentrepreneurial spirit: it is thestudent’s prior success—butsuccess of a particular kind,since it must involve a degree ofdifficulty sufficient to producethe pleasure associated withaccomplishment, as well as afeeling of personal effective-ness. Since the amount of pleas-ure depends on the degree ofdifficulty, the feeling of pleas-ure can be renewed only by asecond, higher level of success.In this way, the ideal balancebetween challenges and compe-tencies keeps moving up a notch. Peoplewhose achievements enable them to develop

their potential are self-directed, independentindividuals who continually set themselvesnew goals with the same energy and desire toundertake new things. Such people are saidto be “passionate” about what they do.

It is clear, therefore, that students must behelped to experience success, and madeaware of the conditions required for effectiveaction, the corresponding attitudes and prin-ciples, and the pleasant emotions engenderedby reaching predetermined goals.

Deci and Ryan (1987) have found that moti-vation increases as the feeling of competencygrows. In other words, the more able you are,the more willing you are.

Believing that you possess the necessaryresources makes you more willing to rise to achallenge and undertake projects.

Only too often in the world of education, wehave assumed that motivation is measured bythe level of a student’s interests. However,interest does not guarantee that a studentwill persevere. Isolating the factor of intelli-gence has made it possible to show that

motivation is actually correlat-ed with performance. Interestguides choices, but does notlead to success. This is shownby academic results and (welloutside the academic context,according to Yann Forner) bythe extent of integration intothe labour market.

It can therefore be argued that,for reasons that are wellknown (self-fulfillment and anincreased awareness of one’sown competencies), the devel-opment of entrepreneurialaction and the entrepreneurialspirit is spurred not so much

by interest but by challenge and the need tosurpass oneself (self- competition).

Only too often in the world of education,

we haveassumed that

motivation is measured by

the level of a student’sinterests.


Awareness of one’s own effectiveness drivesthe entrepreneurial spirit. This awareness,according to Bandura (1977), includes confi-dence in one’s own ability to make an effort,draw on cognitive resources and do what isneeded to meet the requirements of a situa-tion.

On the basis of this theory, “an awareness ofpersonal effectiveness is acquired throughpersonal experiences, but also through theexamples of others: vicarious experience, inother words, observing a similar individual ina given activity, which constitutes an impor-tant source of information thatinfluences awareness of one’sown effectiveness and, in turn,the adoption of behaviour pat-terns.”3

Vicarious experience offers anopening for pedagogical action.If students come together tocomplete a group project, theywill have to take initiative, pro-pose goals and methods, andwork alongside others in com-plementary tasks; they will have to coordi-nate their activities, work in a team, offerencouragement, exchange information, man-age problems, and agree to make an effort tomeet deadlines. Individual students, asresources for themselves and others, willhave to test themselves in a new overall situ-ation.

The result will be joint responsibility, a sharein the obligation to meet deadlines, and ashared success. The students’ self-esteemwill increase, and they will look back at theirgroup project and identify its strengths andweaknesses, with possible improvements.Most importantly, they will want to experi-ence the same thing again.

In terms of deciding whether schools candevelop the entrepreneurial spirit, teacherswho have experience in project-based learn-ing and cooperative teaching will doubtlessattest to the impact of individual and collec-tive actions on student motivation and thejoy of success.

Entrepreneurial attitudes and qualities, bytheir very nature, must be developed throughaction: moreover, doing projects and teach-ing in a participatory manner are their natu-ral outgrowths. From this point of view, project development reinforces entrepre-

neurial energies and the desireto learn. The following check-lists can be seen as an initialpedagogical application ofentrepreneurial culture in itsemotional and affective dimen-sions.

˜ ˜ ˜

Overview

Entrepreneurial qualities (see the table onthe following pages):– Attitudes and behaviour– Learning: the need to succeed, locus ofcontrol, time-based perspective

CHAPTER 118

3. Quoted in La passion d’accomplir ensemble (Isabelle Danjou,2004, p. 167; free translation).

Entrepreneurialattitudes andqualities, bytheir very

nature, must be developedthrough action



1. Self-confidence

Self-confidence: feeling able to do something• Having a positive perception of oneself.• Being proud of one’s successes.• Relying on one’s aptitudes, abilities and

competencies.• Being certain of one’s potential.• Expressing one’s point of view, even if it

diverges from the prevailing opinion.• Recognizing one’s strengths and

weaknesses.• Accepting and drawing lessons from failure

(agreeing to try something a second time).

Underlying dispositions or attitudes

Self-confidence and internal locus of control:– Considering that one can meet personal

goals by applying one’s competencies andskills.

– Observing one’s personal effectivenessbased on one’s experience of success.

Example of a project4

Computer information manual (2004-2005)

The students listed all the programs installedon the school’s computer workstations and,using the Camstudio program, produced screencaptures of all the operations carried out. Theythen put the images together in a computerinformation manual to help teachers and stu-dents at the school use some little-known toolsin the Word program. The judges appreciatedthe fact that the students had discovered thepotential of a program and propagated theirknowledge within the school community. Thestudents displayed motivation, perseveranceand initiative.

Category: Elementary (third and fourth grade)École De La Durantaye, CS de la Rivière-du-NordRegion: Laurentides

2. Motivation

Motivation: wanting to do something• Wanting to know more about an interesting

subject.• Taking pride in the progress of a project.• Showing initiative, introducing new ideas.• Remaining enthusiastic about a project, and

continuing despite encountering obstacles.• Imposing self-discipline and making an

effort.• Developing a taste for learning.• Recognizing that the efforts made for a pre-

vious project created a feeling of satisfac-tion.


Motivation and the need to succeed:• Setting goals at an appropriate level of diffi-

culty.• Meeting challenges and anticipating the joy

of success.

Example of a project

Tours of Lac Duparquet (2003-2004)

Canoe and kayak expeditions for water sportsenthusiasts wanting to know more about theislands in Lac Duparquet and their history.

The judges appreciated the fact that the stu-dent, through her project, had created her ownjob and developed a niche market in herregion. In addition, she had sought specifictraining and had taken advantage of theresources in her environment. She demonstrat-ed the entrepreneurial values of creativity,independence, self-confidence, leadership andresponsibility.

Category: Secondary level general education (individ-uals and small groups)Cité étudiante Polyno, CS du Lac-AbitibiRegion: Abitibi-Témiscamingue

Entrepreneurial qualities

4. The projects given as examples in this document were selected from projects entered in the Québec Entrepreneurship Contest, regard-less of whether or not they won a prize, since the goal here is to illustrate entrepreneurial qualities.


CHAPTER 120

3. Effort

Effort: willingness to work hard• Performing unpleasant tasks with a positive

attitude.• Seeking to obtain satisfactory results for

oneself and for others.• Adopting a working method to facilitate the

project.• Anticipating the satisfaction of work well

done.• Recognizing that stars (sports stars, enter-

tainment stars, etc.) have to work hard tobe successful.


Effort and the need to succeed:• Understanding that the chances of succeed-

ing increase with the effort made.Effort and a time-based perspective:• Taking the future into account when doing

things in the present.

• Postponing immediate satisfaction forgreater rewards later.


Tiny Treasures (2004-2005)

The production and sale, by visually impairedstudents, of 440 jars of preserves and thepreparation of seeds for sale in the spring. Thestudents were able to set up a strong mutualassistance and support network to find peopleto help them succeed in their project. Theywere also able to overcome additional difficul-ties and adapt well to the obstacles encoun-tered. As they said themselves, they pooledtheir strengths to succeed.

Category: Elementary (first and second grades)École Jacques-Ouellette, CS Marie-VictorinRegion: Montérégie

4. Sense of responsibility

Sense of responsibility: doing what must bedone• Taking on and completing what was agreed

upon by the team, group, organization oroneself.

• Accomplishing the tasks assigned, knowingthat, if they are not done, there may be neg-ative repercussions for oneself or for thegroup.

• Ranking tasks by priority, and determiningthe steps required to complete them.

• Earning recognition for the ability to com-plete the tasks for which one is responsible.

• Remaining undaunted by challenging tasksand approaching them with confidence,even when it is not clear how to begin.


Sense of responsibility and locus of control:• Completing something as a duty after hav-

ing chosen to do it.

• Mastering a situation after having made apersonal choice to face it.


“Creactives” (2004-2005)

The production and sale of a range of decora-tive elements made using recycled materials, tohelp the victims of a fire in the municipality.

To justify their decision, the judges highlightedsuch elements as solidarity with the communi-ty, the scope of the students’ achievements,their learning and accomplishments, and thekey role they played at all stages, from the mar-ket survey to the preparation of the Contestapplication and the production of a wide rangeof products.

Category: Elementary (fifth and sixth grades)École Intégrée de Pointe-du-Lac, CS du Chemin-du-RoyRegion: Mauricie



5. Initiative

Initiative: taking action• Transforming a problem into an action that

can be undertaken.• Avoiding being made powerless by a situa-

tion.• Asking questions, exploring different

approaches.• Being enthusiastic, setting an example.• Playing a leadership role.• Looking out for opportunities.


Initiative and locus of control:• Believing that taking action increases the

chances of success.• Believing that one can learn from action.• Believing that it is better to face reality than

to ignore it.


Industrial drafting service (2004-2005)

An industrial drafting service for customersplanning to manufacture their own inventions.The drawings are first used for the interactivedesign of the invention with the inventor, andthen for its fabrication. The goal is to bridgethe gap between design and production. Thejudges highlighted the creativity, resourceful-ness, initiative, independence and organizationof the promoter, who was also able to developa range of contacts with the business commu-nity and create a relationship of trust with busi-nesses.

Category: Vocational training and adult educationCentre de formation Rimouski-NeigetteCS des Phares Region: Bas-Saint-Laurent

6. Perseverance

Perseverance: finishing what one has started• Demonstrating constancy in what one

undertakes.• Making long-term plans, seeing something

through to completion.• Repeating the same actions until a satisfac-

tory result is obtained.• Demonstrating an ability to see a project

through to completion.• Overcoming frustration and the problems

encountered to pursue the initial objectivesdespite any obstacles.

• Learning to practise a new sport or play amusical instrument, or taking up a hobbythat requires time before any visible resultsare obtained.


Perseverance and a time-based perspective:• Giving relatively more importance to the

future than to the present.• Applying the fable of the tortoise and the

hare to one’s own situation.• Believing that events in life are often pre-

dictable (locus of control).


Seeing Bigger (2004-2005)

As part of an “integrated project” forSecondary V students, the instigator of thisproject decided to relieve some of the difficul-ties encountered by visually impaired studentsin regular secondary education at ÉcoleJacques-Ouellette, by taking them to spendthree days in Ottawa. The objective was todevelop their independence, sense of responsi-bility and social behaviour.

The judges were impressed by the scope of thechallenge, the amount of work performed andthe tenacity of the young student, despite thedifficulties she had to face because of her ownvisual impairment. She demonstrated a greatdeal of sympathy and sensitivity to other peo-ple. The project was a beacon of hope, and agenuinely enterprising model of entrepreneur-ship.

Category: Secondary level general education (individual)École Jacques-Ouellette, CS Marie-VictorinRegion: Montérégie


CHAPTER 122

7. Solidarity

Solidarity: working towards a common goal• Accepting responsibility for the decisions of

the group or organization.• Sharing goals and working towards them. • Showing understanding for colleagues.• Paying attention to the feelings of other peo-

ple and supporting them when theyencounter difficulties.

• Participating in chores willingly.• Introducing a new member to the group and

facilitating his or her integration.


Solidarity and the need to succeed:• Believing that one can be a resource for

other people.• Believing that other people can make a con-

tribution.Solidarity and locus of control:• Considering that one can reach one’s goals

through personal effectiveness and thanksto respectful and cordial relations estab-lished with other people.


Thank-you Cocktail Party (2004-2005)

The organization of a cocktail party to thankthe municipal businesses and partners thathelped young people with their social andvocational integration program. The studentsprepared a press kit for the media, put togethera multimedia presentation on the businesses,partners and students involved, and unveiled anew image of life skills and work skills educa-tion.

The judges stressed that the project was welladapted to the students’ situations, was likelyto have positive spinoffs extending beyond theschool, and contributed to the latter’s visibilityin the community. This project, which focusedon the students’ extensive involvement andtheir development of entrepreneurial qualities,took into account the new concept of the guid-ance-oriented school.

Category: Secondary (ongoing learning)École d’Iberville, CS de Rouyn-NorandaRegion: Abitibi-Témiscamingue

8. Team spirit

Team spirit: working with others in synergy.• Acting with other people in a concerted

fashion.• Working with other people having regard

for the responsibilities of each person. • Contributing one’s own ideas to a group

project.• Accepting constructive criticism.• Working towards an objective, while

considering the opinion of other membersof the group.


Team spirit and need to succeed:• Organizing the activities needed to achieve

the stated goals.• Demonstrating method and organization.Team spirit and locus of control:• Being able to influence the operation of the

group.


Sacoutimi (2003-2004)

The design, production and sale, by students inindividualized paths at Polyvalente Lafontaine,of onion bags, aromatic place mats and flutebags made from recycled jute.

The judges were of the opinion that such aninnovative project needed a small, “bright”team. They were surprised by the innovation ofthe products, and impressed by the quality ofcooperative living demonstrated by the project.

Category: Secondary level general education (group)Polyvalente Lafontaine, CS des Rives-du-SaguenayRegion: Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean



9. Resourcefulness

Resourcefulness: using knowledge and skills todeal with the unexpected• Recognizing that obstacles are a part of

daily life.• Facing up to difficulties. • Taking the time to think about the best way

to solve a problem.• Anticipating problems that may arise when

carrying out a project and planning varioussolutions.

• Demonstrating flexibility and responsive-ness to change.

• Applying the “R system,” where “R” standsfor “resourcefulness.”


Resourcefulness and internal control:• Feeling confident at improvising solutions.• Considering that it is always possible to see

and do things differently.• Being able to react appropriately to an acci-

dent, unexpected occurrence, refusal ordefection.

• Understanding that there is always morescope to an act than may appear.


Health Centre (2004-2005)

After noting that the school’s exercise equip-ment was not being used sufficiently, a groupof Secondary IV and V students decided toform a cooperative to set up the equipment in amore suitable space. Then, realizing that peo-ple in the community did not have access tothis type of service, they decided to make theequipment available not only to students, butalso to everyone in the municipality. Thejudges considered that this was a good exam-ple of cooperation strengthening the social fabric of the community.

Category: Secondary (group)École secondaire Vallée-des-Lacs, CS du Fleuve-et-des-LacsRegion: Bas-Saint-Laurent

10. Determination

Determination: concentrating on a defined goal• Concentrating on a predetermined goal.• Imposing self-discipline. • Setting out to achieve a goal while control-

ling adverse affects (stress, emotions).• Assessing, on an ongoing basis, whether the

expected results are being obtained.• Drawing up a realistic, stimulating set of

deadlines.


Determination and time-based perspective:• Making long-term plans, adopting a motivat-

ing vision of the future.• Organizing time effectively each day, in

order to focus as much as possible on thegoal.

• Knowing that doing the minimum is notenough, that it is important to set prioritiesand not overextend oneself.

• Being able to overcome fatigue.


Woodworking Exhibition (2003-2004)

An exhibition of woodworking projects com-pleted by graduating students was organized ina shopping mall. The students earned recogni-tion from their families and the general pubicfor the practical application of the knowledgeand techniques acquired during their training. Inaddition, the students set up a Web site to pro-mote the exhibition, and hope eventually to cre-ate a portal for current and future graduates.The judges appreciated the quality and scope ofthe project, as well as the excellent presenta-tion. They were also impressed by the struc-tured approach, and its appealing quality.

Category: Vocational training and adult education Centre de formation professionnelle de Neufchâtel,CS de la Capitale Region: Capitale-Nationale


CHAPTER 124

5. “Manifestations” are statements that can be used to evaluate a project, once completed.

Foundations of entrepreneurial culture (emotional resources)

Qualities

Self-confidence:feeling able to dosomething

Motivation:wanting to dosomething

Effort:willingness to work hard

Sense ofresponsibility:doing what must bedone

Initiative:taking action

Locus of

control

• Considering thatone can meet per-sonal goals byapplying one’scompetencies andskills• Observing one’spersonal effective-ness based onone’s experience ofsuccess

• Completingsomething as aduty after havingchosen to do it• Mastering a situa-tion after havingmade a personalchoice to face it

• Believing thattaking actionincreases thechances of success• Believing thatone can learn fromaction• Believing that itis better to facereality than toignore it

Need to

succeed

• Setting goals atan appropriatelevel of difficulty• Meeting chal-lenges and antici-pating the joy ofsuccess.

• Understandingthat the chances ofsucceedingincrease with theeffort made

Time-based

perspective

• Taking the futureinto account whendoing things in thepresent• Postponingimmediate satisfac-tion for greaterrewards later

Attitudes Manifestation5

• Having a positive perception of oneself• Recognizing one’s strengths and weaknesses• Relying on one’s aptitudes, abilities andcompetencies• Being certain of one’s potential• Expressing one’s point of view, even if itdiverges from the prevailing opinion• Being proud of one’s successes• Accepting and drawing lessons from failure(agreeing to try something a second time)

• Wanting to know more about an interestingsubject• Taking pride in the progress of a project• Showing initiative, introducing new ideas• Remaining enthusiastic about a project, andcontinuing despite encountering obstacles• Imposing self-discipline and making aneffort• Developing a taste for learning• Recognizing that the efforts made for a pre-vious project created a feeling of satisfaction.

• Performing unpleasant tasks with a positiveattitude• Seeking to obtain satisfactory results foroneself and for others• Adopting a working method to facilitate theproject• Anticipating the satisfaction of work welldone• Recognizing that stars (sports stars, enter-tainment stars, etc.) have to work hard to besuccessful

• Taking on and completing what has beenagreed by the team, group, organization or one-self• Accomplishing the tasks assigned knowingthat, if they are not done, there may be nega-tive repercussions for oneself or for the group• Ranking tasks by priority, and determiningthe steps required to complete them• Earning recognition for the ability to com-plete the tasks for which one is responsible• Remaining undaunted by challenging tasks,and approaching them with confidence, evenwhen it is not clear how to begin

• Transforming a problem into an action thatcan be undertaken• Avoiding being made powerless by a situa-tion• Asking questions, exploring differentapproaches• Being enthusiastic, setting an example• Playing a leadership role• Looking out for opportunities



6. “Manifestations” are statements that can be used to evaluate a project, once completed.

Qualities

Perseverance:finishing what youhave started

Solidarity:working towards acommon goal

Team spirit: working with others in synergy

Resourcefulness:using knowledgeand skills to dealwith the unexpected

Determinationconcentrating on adefined goal

Locus of

control

• Believing thatevents in life areoften predictable

• Considering thatone can reachone’s goals throughpersonal effective-ness and thanks tothe respectful andcordial relationsestablished withother people

• Being able toinfluence the oper-ation of the group

• Feeling confidentat improvisingsolutions• Considering thatit is always possi-ble to see and dothings differently• Being able toreact to an acci-dent, unexpectedoccurrence, refusalor defection• Understandingthat there is alwaysmore scope to actthan may appear

Need to

succeed

• Believing thatone can be aresource for otherpeople• Believing thatother people canmake a contribu-tion

• Organizing theactivities needed toachieve the statedgoals• Demonstratingmethod and organi-zation

Time-based

perspective

• Giving relativelymore importance tothe future than tothe present• Applying thefable of the tortoiseand the hare toone’s own situation

• Making long termplans, adopting amotivating vision ofthe future• Organizing timeeffectively eachday, in order tofocus as much aspossible on thegoal• Knowing thatdoing the minimumis not enough, thatit is important toset priorities andnot overextendoneself• Being able toovercome fatigue

Attitudes Manifestation6

• Demonstrating constancy in what one under-takes• Applying a long-term vision, take actionsthrough to completion• Repeating the same actions until a satisfac-tory result is obtained• Demonstrating an ability to take a projectthrough to completion• Overcoming frustration and the problemsencountered to pursue the initial objectivesdespite any obstacles• Learning to practise a new sport or play amusical instrument, or taking up a hobby thatrequires time before any visible results areobtained

• Accepting responsibility for the decisions ofthe group or organization• Sharing goals and working towards them • Showing understanding for colleagues• Paying attention to the feelings of other peo-ple and supporting them when they encounterdifficulties• Participating in chores willingly• Introducing a new member to the group andfacilitating his or her integration

• Acting with other people in a concertedfashion• Working with other people having regard forthe responsibilities of each person • Contributing one’s own ideas to a groupproject• Accepting constructive criticism• Working towards an objective, while consid-ering the opinion of other members of thegroup

• Recognizing that obstacles are a part of dailylife• Facing up to difficulties • Taking the time to think about the best wayto solve a problem• Anticipating the difficulties that may arisewhen carrying out a project and planning vari-ous solutions• Demonstrating flexibility and responsivenessto change• Applying the “R system” (R= resourceful-

ness)

• Concentrating on a predetermined goal• Imposing self-discipline • Setting out to achieve a goal while control-ling adverse affects (stress, emotions)• Assessing, on an ongoing basis, whether theexpected results are being obtained• Drawing up a realistic, stimulating set ofdeadlines



This convergence was not foreseen at theoutset: pedagogy, in its most current form,shares the project-based approach with thefield of personal and career planning.

Unlike pedagogical projects, those of

“project-based” entrepreneurial culture

seek innovation and change.

LE SENS DU PROJET 27

Our objective is still the same: to establish the relation betweenour understanding of entrepreneurial culture and current peda-gogical ideas and practices. We are now in a better position tocomprehend the dual role played by the need to succeed in thedesire both to learn and to undertake projects. This fortunate con-vergence makes it more pressing than ever to promote entrepre-

neurship and student initiatives. Whether through cooperative teaching, discov-ery-based learning, differentiated teaching or any other form of participation,students become subjects with the ability to act when they are presented withopen situations in which they must make choices, or when they must react tosituations that draw on their knowledge and abilities. They become subjectswho build their own competencies and become empowered through entrepre-neurial action.

Meaning of project

CHAPTER 2COGNITIVE RESOURCES


Pedagogical projects

According to Piaget, the “project-basedmethod” is based on a natural process,action, which involves pursuing a goal over arelatively long period of time while subordi-nating everything to its completion. If a project has been initiated by a child andinterests him/her, in other words, if itengages his/her whole personality, he/shewill have the requisite energy to acquire theknowledge and perform the actions neces-sary to complete the project (in G. Gosselin,1994).

Operating on a project basis fundamentallyinvolves a process of research and discoveryduring which students ask themselves ques-tions and try to answer them individually orcollectively. The activity of an entire classmay be concentrated on a single project,such as writing and publishing a studentnewspaper, reconstructing a medieval villageor re-creating a day in the life of ancientRome. Often, grammar rules and a knowl-edge of geography and history are required.In practice, however, the students will notfeel as if they are learning grammar, sincethey are too busy applying it in order to pro-duce a correctly written newspaper.

“This pedagogical approach,” writes Pallascio(1992; free translation), “is both heuristic,because the subject learns to seek answersto his/her questions; integrative, because itfosters interdisciplinary learning; and founda-tional, because it is common to all subjects.[It is] also social, because the subject inter-acts constantly with others….”

Entrepreneurial projects

Entrepreneurial projects must be distin-guished from research projects that lead tosubject-specific knowledge or learning.Examples of the latter include an investiga-tion that leads to a pooling of information,the opening of a file, the preparation of aclassroom demonstration, the highlighting ofkey issues and a debate on conclusionsreached.

Entrepreneurial projects start with the ideaof production, of a productive action thatcreates goods, services or events. The eventcan be an exhibition, stage show, themeweek, arts production, symposium, festivalor contest, or anything that the students mustprepare and carry through with all the moti-vation and competencies at their disposal.

Project-based learning =

trying out and understanding concepts and

principles by completing projects, in order

to make specific acquisitions in the bound-

less realm of knowledge

Entrepreneurial project =

producing something new, innovating,

taking action to produce goods, services or

events that are valued in the community

because they meet specific needs

Here we see the finest contribution thatentrepreneurial culture can make to students’education by giving them opportunities toinfluence their economic, social, cultural andcommunity environments. This is why, forthe past few years, schools have been offer-

CHAPTER 228

PEDAGOGICALPROJECT

•Construction of

world-view

PERSONALPROJECT

•Constructionof identity

EntrepreneurialPROJECT

•Empowerment

S T U D E N TMeaning of project


MEANING OF PROJECT 29

ing students a chance to launch entrepre-neurial initiatives.

Examples of these include student business-es launched as part of the “young entrepre-neurs” program, micro-enterprises in thefield of the environment, student entrepre-neur clubs and various types of cooperatives,all of which have been implemented byschools. All these initiatives provide specifictraining in economics and the rudiments ofsetting up a business.

Activities to raise awareness about entrepre-neurial culture target all students, which iswhy they are part of and relevant to the gen-eral education program. They do not concernonly the 10% of students who will go on tobecome entrepreneurs, but also all studentswithout restriction, since theywill all, at some point in theirlives, play an active role in vari-ous types of innovation andchange in their communities.

However, there is nothing toprevent entrepreneurial culturefrom encouraging a greaternumber of students to chooseto become entrepreneurs because they havetaken part in a project, because the field ofentrepreneurship will no longer be a mysterybut a valid option, and because they will havelearned to recognize and develop their ownentrepreneurial qualities.

To reach 100% of students, classes should beencouraged to take part each year in theQuébec Entrepreneurship Contest and availthemselves of the Introduction toEntrepreneurship Measure. And teachers, fortheir part, should integrate entrepreneurialculture into their teaching practices.

Entrepreneurial culture may be defined by itsuse of projects:– as a way to bring about a desired future– as a way to organize the future– as the founding principle of a process of

innovation and change

The best way to foresee the future is to

prepare for it

The next section will explain the entrepre-neurial process. Where does the idea to starta business come from, and what are thestages in making it a reality?

Entrepreneurial culture creates change andinnovation. From the moment an initiative islaunched in an economic or other context, itmust remain proactive, since it goes beyond

itself by drawing onresources—especially humanresource—in an organizationthat must innovate constantly.

There is a broad range of litera-ture on the entrepreneurialprocess. However, a majorwork by J.-P. Boutinet (1990)presents the most far-reaching

and applicable model for projects. We will beusing its structure to guide us here.

The best wayto foresee the

future is to prepare for it


Project foundations and pedagogical support

The entrepreneurial process =

a process of innovation and change + the

use of the project as a founding principle

A project, if it is to be a genuine project asunderstood here, must meet four conditions.It must be:1. unified2. singular3. complex4. opportune

1. Unity

Overall, it can be said that entrepreneurshipmeans participation. It means developing aproject and carrying it out, defining both itsgoal and the process used to achieve it. Thegoal delimits the target, and the process to beused to attain the goal gives rise to a pro-gram.

The target and the program cannot be sepa-rated. The target must be reiterated duringthe implementation of the program, to makesure it does not get reduced to a mere seriesof objectives or operations. Launching a project involves both planning and doing. Toensure consistency, the original conceptionand subsequent actions must be integratedinto the continual shifts between reflectionand reality.

One major challenge is to integrate designand implementation, which can be unifiedonly through the originator of the project.Younger students will not necessarily be ableto find the original target on their own, norwill they necessarily be able to design aworkable process of organization and plan-ning.

Note: Innovation and leadership are learnedgradually and, by the time they are learned,students will readily recognize businessopportunities and be able to set up the neces-sary organization. Entrepreneurial vision, inits dynamic and structuring aspects, remainsthe ultimate competency.

Entrepreneurial development

Project unity can be assured only at a latepoint in the entrepreneurial developmentprocess. It involves seizing a businessopportunity, devising an innovativeresponse to a problem in one’s environ-ment and exercising leadership thatdraws on material, financial and humanresources. Integrating project elements inthis way can only be envisaged for stu-dents in vocational training, technicaltraining or university who are preparing agenuinely integrated project.

The Québec Entrepreneurship Contest

(QEC) and the Introduction to Entrepre -

neurship Measure (IEM)

At the elementary level and the start of thesecondary level, the idea of launching anentrepreneurial project and setting up thenecessary organization often comes from ateacher. This is only natural. Ideally, a smallproject, designed by one person or a smallgroup, could meet the requirement of integra-tion. In the case of a class or student groupwith 15 or more members, though, theteacher is justified in taking charge becausehe or she must encourage the students toshow initiative and take on responsibilities inorder to promote the development of quali-ties that will make their actions effective.These “ambitious” projects leave room forinput from all the students involved.

CHAPTER 230



Despite this, some students manage to designtheir own projects. This is why the QEM andIEM authorities are entitled to expect proj-ects to be initiated and planned by the stu-dents themselves.


School agenda (2004-2005)

Complete design and production of a school

agenda by students. After assessing the

existing agenda and gathering comments,

the students set up various committees to

look after drawings and images, marketing,

layout, marks and reports, school map, rules

and code of conduct, etc.

The judges noted the involvement of students

at all levels, and the sense of belonging this

generated.

The students examined the existing agenda

from a critical standpoint and took the ini-

tiative in identifying problems and finding

solutions. The project was well structured,

and the division of work, responsibilities

and roles were well defined.

Category: Secondary level general education

École secondaire Frenette, CS de la Rivière-du-Nord

Region: Laurentides

Since projects are unities in themselves, theymust include both design and implementa-tion. They call on cognitive integrationresources, a notion that covers most of theso-called cross-curricular competencies and,at the college level, is reflected in the coregeneral education component shared by allprograms and fosters a triple aim: the acqui-sition of a shared cultural heritage, the acqui-sition and development of generic skills andthe assimilation of positive attitudes.

2. Singularity

A project idea is not an abstraction, but abasis for planning actions. But a plannedaction is not the action itself, which musttake into account the specifics of the partici-pants, the circumstances of the moment andthe material aspects of the place.

The concept of singularity underscores anobvious point: all the students involved inany given project will have their own person-al histories, particularities and ways of actingand reacting; and their behaviour and view ofthe situation will also reflect who they are asindividuals. But they will still have to worktogether. Moreover, they must function in agiven context, a specific school. The shapethe project takes will thus bear the stamp ofthese circumstances, and everything thathappens will be the outcome of relationshipsbetween these individuals and their environ-ment. From this point of view, action,spurred on by the specifics of the environ-ment, is what makes each individual anauthentic player.

In short, a project is by its nature a continu-ously evolving scenario. In addition, itreflects the personality and particularities ofeach participant, and depends on the con-straints of the time and place in which itcomes into being.


The entrepreneurial spirit is meaninglesswithout some experience of the materialaspects involved in project implementa-tion. This is precisely what young peopletoday want: to learn in, and through,action. As the painter Magritte wrote onhis painting of a pipe, “This is not a pipe.”Despite the supposed evidence of oureyes, Magritte was right: his painting wasindeed that, a painting. Reality prevailed.


CHAPTER 232

The requirement of ”materiality” meansthat the knowledge and skills called intoplay by a given situation create a require-ment to act and to adapt to it. This intro-duces the notions of effective action and,especially, spontaneous behaviour.Everything can be used as a subject forreflection and self-discovery, and every-thing creates a need to improve, acquirecompetencies and test oneself—because“this is the real thing!” Students must takethe risk of facing reality and come awaywith more confidence in their ability toadapt. This is what creates a feeling ofpersonal effectiveness, and helps thembecome aware of what they still need tolearn.

3. Complexity

A simple activity, a task to be done, a prob-lem with an obvious solution, an action witha foreseeable result—none of these needs tobecome a project. The following exampleillustrates this fact. Someone entered a proj-ect in the Québec Entrepreneurship Contestand applied for a grant under theIntroduction to Entrepreneurship Measure:“We’ve hired a bus to take a group of seniorsto see a folk dancing show.” What was thecorrect response? First, the notion of “pro-ject” does not apply here. There is no indica-tion of the goal of the activity, and one hasno way of assessing its usefulness. Moreover,there were no uncertainties or any degree ofcomplexity involved. There is no point pre-senting a project for something that is goingto happen the next day; the time line is prac-tically nonexistent, so there is no room for—or purpose in—planning.

If a project can be defined as a vision used toorganize the future, it is because the future isuncertain and partly unforeseeable, and thisis what gives a project its value. If a project iswell designed, reducing the potentially nega-tive effects of certain factors, it will in allprobability produce the desired effect.

Complexity and uncertainty introduce ten-sion into a project, mobilizing the cognitiveresources of analysis and anticipation, cre-ativity and realism. One of the functions ofevery project is to manage the indeterminacyof a problem situation made up of variouselements, factors and contingencies thatcombine with one other. The problem withundertaking a project is that it is practicallyimpossible to have all the required informa-tion and knowledge at the outset. Projectsmust be designed to reduce uncertainty, butthey can never really achieve this since cer-tain grey areas will always remain. This iswhy people are said to “launch” a business,career or political venture; it is an admissionthat there are risks, elements beyond theircontrol, that they are going to leave theircomfort zone and will have to keep an eye onthe favourable and unfavourable conditionsthey will encounter.


Paul Valéry once said that “Things that aretoo simple are false, things that are toocomplex are unusable.” From this per-spective, one can undoubtedly say that theproblems associated with any given proj-ect are seldom made explicit, since themain focus is on action. Undue complexityor uncertainty must be circumvented bydesigning projects of a more manageablescope. In all cases, entrepreneurial devel-opment depends on the power of words,since it relies on language skills and abusiness plan.

All action within the context of a projectmust proceed from a problem or issue andbe amenable to recounting, so as to makethe project more feasible and practical,and give it greater power and depth.Entrepreneurs must be simultaneouslyinnovators, organizers and leaders, since itis up to them to provide an overview oftheir projects and present them as a true“visions.”



The Québec Entrepreneurship Contest

The Contest helps to make people aware of

proper project parameters. Every applica-

tion must contain the following elements:

– A description written by the students

(summary of the project, what they have

learned, the obstacles they had to over-

come);

and answers to the following questions:

– What was/were the project’s goal(s)?

– What was the target situation or

problem?

– How was the work organized?

– Was there an action plan (formation of

committees, delegation of tasks, produc-

tion schedule)?

– What resources were available? Were

other people involved in the project?

– What results were obtained?

– Why does the project deserve to be one of

the winning entries?

These are some of the points that must be

explained to as many people as possible.

Pedagogical commentary

A business plan1 is used to reduce uncertain-ty and to deal with complexity by imposingorder. However, as a first step, especially atthe elementary level, it is often enough todraw up a list of the points of view that hadto be taken into account and the number ofaspects that had to be planned for. “Whatwas outside my control? What was notplanned? What surprised me? If I startedover, what would I do differently?”

4. Opportunity

A project starts with an action in mind. Itbegins to emerge when someone says, “Inour current situation, there must be anotherway to see or to act that can take the form ofa project. We could thereby achieve a newstate of well-being, a new way of doingthings, a new type of freedom. We could take

advantage of a possibility that we can nowonly imagine.”

An account of a spontaneous project

The project began to take shape when I told

my students the date of the information

meeting for their parents. One student

joked, “Hey, wouldn’t it be fun if WE organ-

ized the meeting?” All the other kids reacted

favourably right away.

Each student chose a topic to deal with.

Teams were formed, and the students wrote

a text. They planned the evening, sent out

invitations and even prepared refresh-

ments. I saw students exchanging informa-

tion, cooperating, making decisions. It was

fun! (Elementary, Cycle Two)

This example shows that a project canemerge from an open environment. Theteacher was able to recognize the student’spotential in a spontaneous remark; this wastaken up and developed by the other stu-dents, all sharing the same optimistic vision.Their involvement in the project showed thatthey thought it was feasible—an originaladventure that, here, took the form of a“meeting” different from all the meetings thathad gone before.

1. A fictional business plan is not admissible for the QuébecEntrepreneurship Contest or the Introduction toEntrepreneurship Measure. The project must have been imple-mented.



The ability to seize opportunities is a keyelement of entrepreneurial culture, and aspecial kind of relationship with the envi-ronment. To create something new that“meshes” with the environment, a personmust be truly aware of and concernedabout what is happening in his or hervicinity. This begins with a sort of playfuloriginality at the elementary level,becomes an ability to initiate innovativeactions at the secondary level, and leadslater to the emergence of entrepreneurialprojects closely linked to the needs of thecommunity. In cognitive psychology, thisis called “problem awareness.”

Pedagogical comment

It is a matter of identifying the starting point,the initial idea for a project. How does a proj-ect come into being? Sometimes, for exam-ple, a project must be designed to obtain agrant. In this case, should the teacher or thestudents take the initiative?

In general, teachers prefer projects that areconsistent with subject-specific objectives,and do not want to become overburdenedwith extra work. As a compromise, the stu-dents can be left free to choose a project, butone that is in keeping with a theme suggestedby the teacher, or within specific time, spaceand budget constraints.

Whatever the process used, projects

must relate to a problem that is clearly

identified and understood by all parties.

A true project meets the four conditionsgiven below. The next question is to examinehow a project is constructed.

CHAPTER 234

1. Unity

Unity is linked to the people responsiblefor the project; it develops as the projectitself develops. It joins design to execu-tion, and ideas to reality.

2. Singularity

Singularity is linked to the context and tothe particularities of the people, time andplace involved. It is, so to speak, anembodiment of the project with the entirerange of specifics from which it springs.

3. Complexity

Complexity is linked to the unforeseen,because a project contains many differentelements that influence it. It requiresanalysis, motivation and daring, despitethe uncertainty that inevitably remains.

4. Opportunity

Opportunity is generated by the environ-ment. It requires acute awareness andsensitivity to the problems and needs ofthe community.

Four fundamental project conditions



Constructing a project: designand implementation

I. Designing a project

The idea for a project has to come from some-where. In the case of the students who tookthe initiative of organizing a meeting for par-ents, it emerged in a flash and immediatelyconvinced the whole group. This is perhapsthe most natural and spontaneous way to pro-ceed, even though the problem situationaddressed by the project must be identifiedlater. This is what some researchers call the“intuitive configuration” of a project. Evensome ideas for businesses emerge like this: apossibility is suddenly seen as being new andpromising. It matches the aspirations of theinitiator—“I like this idea”—the initiator’scompetencies—“I can do this”—and theresources in the community—“we can man-age.”

An intuitive configuration (Bruyat, 1993)appears as swiftly as an opportunity to beseized. It is a sort of “preconception” that trig-gers something in the entrepreneur’s mind,but sometimes takes years to emerge as anentrepreneurial vision. From this perspective,one can apply a test (by an unknown author),known as the “POP” test. It should be present-ed to the students just after they have beenasked to come up with ideas for a project. It isused to quickly assess a project:

POP test

P Is the project Possible, given theresources available?

O Is the project Original? Was it youridea?

P Do you have a Passionate interest in theproject?

Will it be a Pleasure to implement?

Will you Persevere until it is completed?

The project design phase will include:1. an analysis of the current situation2. an outline of a possible project3. an outline of the strategy to be applied

The project development phase will include:4. planning5. problem management6. the establishment of evaluation indicators,

followed by evaluation

1. Analysis of the current situation

Since the goal is to provoke change, or tocreate something new in a durable form (agood, service, event), a situation must befound where change is needed. An analysis ofthe current situation will reveal what needsto be produced, what will fill a gap or correctan imbalance. The problem may be technicalor material, social or humanitarian. It may beconnected to lifestyle, food or the state of theenvironment. The fact that the idea for theproject is based on the observation andanalysis of a given situation guarantees thatit will not be considered arbitrary or futile,and that it will have ethical and value andmeaning for the community. In short, theentrepreneurial project draws meaning fromits implicit mission to improve the quality oflife or increase collective wealth in economic, cultural, humanitarian or ecologi-cal terms.

The project involves establishing an aim andputting in place a program to bring about adesired outcome. It must be pleasing to theoriginators, and the analysis of the currentsituation must meet their needs: What dothey want? What are their aspirations, incli-nations and values? To become deeplyinvolved in a project, the participants mustwant it to happen, because it will offer themfulfillment and bring them closer to whatthey are seeking.


Cognitive resources

Two cognitive resources are called into playby the analysis of the current situation: self-knowledge, and sensitivity to the problem inquestion.

– Self-knowledge is an indispensable toolfor evaluating one’s personal effective-ness, capacity to meet challenges and,more especially, one’s willingness to makethe necessary effort and persevere.

– It is also important to be sensitive to theproblem situation and to be able to identi-fy the possibilities for change it contains.Creativity must be applied to the situation,in understanding and analyzing it. A project to decorate a classroom is not nec-essarily creative. A project is creativewhen it meets a need for innovation, and itis “entrepreneurial” if the creativity itrequires is relevant and applied to a situa-tion that needs it.

Pedagogical support

Teachers have two possible approaches:they can ask students to suggest a project,or they can propose one themselves. Ineach case, however, the project mustaddress a situation that needs changing,make an improvement, or introduce aproduct, service or event.

– Encourage the students to analyze thetarget situation.

– Make sure that each student constructsan opinion and exercises critical judg-ment.

– Make sure that the target result isunderstood and formulated in a singlephrase, individually and collectively.

– Encourage the students to ask as manyquestions as possible about the ideasunderlying the project, the solutionsenvisaged and the possibilities foraction.

– Explain to the students that they mustembark upon a process of discovery,that they must create something newand innovate; suggest methods con-ducive to diversity, originality andsmooth functioning.

– Ask the students to debate the relevantissues in small groups, and all togetherif necessary. Is the project feasible?What ideas would be the most appropri-ate for dealing with the situation?

– Ask the students to list the resourcesneeded for the project.

– Make sure that the project is “open-ended,” so that each student can find a“niche.”

– If an idea for the project still has to befound, explain to the students that theymust embark upon a process of discov-ery, suggest possible ways of solvingthe problem in question, and be innova-tive.

– Lead a class discussion to highlight themost appropriate ideas. What choicesshould be made? Which option is mostappealing? What one is the most prom-ising? Is it feasible? Is it at the rightlevel of difficulty? Is it a manageablechallenge? At first sight, is it reasonableto move in this direction?

CHAPTER 236

2. The proposals for pedagogical support for entrepreneurialprojects in their development and implementation phases arelargely based on a working document by Line Houde, who isresponsible for the guidance-oriented school approach at theCommission scolaire de la Capitale.



2. Outline of a possible project

Not everyone is sensitive to the same situa-tions, or to the same aspects of a situation.Goals must be formulated in a way thatreflects the values and interests of all partici-pants. The project must suit all the peopleinvolved, and take reality into account. Thismeans that a project shared by several different people must be chosen for its gener-al relevance, and that each person must beable to support the parts that concern him orher personally. In other words, all must agreeon a common goal expressed as a situationwith a range of options that allow partici-pants to identify their own niche and givemeaning to their participation.

Pedagogical support

– Encourage the students to identify thequalities or strengths needed to accom-plish the tasks involved, and to conducta self-examination concerning the spe-cific requirements of the project.

– – Allow the students to choose tasks onthe basis of their interests.

– Suggest that the tasks be posted in theform of job offers.

– – Ask the students to apply for a “job” bysending in an application (letter).

3. Outline of the strategy to be applied

Once the goal has been properly defined, thepath used to arrive at that goal must bedecided. There are no pre-defined paths, butthe path must not be totally improvised. Howcan previously identified obstacles be takeninto account, and how can ways be found toovercome them, along with the resistance tochange that will inevitably occur? How canthe resources, and the solutions that gradual-ly emerge, be taken into consideration?These questions are not defeatist; rather,they express the need to face reality. Onceagain, the situation must be examined, butfrom the point of view of a devil’s advocate.The objective is not to get trapped, but tomake sure that no insurmountable obstacleswill be encountered. The focus, at this stage,is on project feasibility, and it must beaddressed strategically: how can the projectbe protected in all circumstances againstunforeseen events and, most importantly,how can the talents of all the resource per-sons be used to full advantage?

Pedagogical support

– Help students foresee the difficultiesthey will encounter, and ways to over-come them; prepare them to solve prob-lems and be resourceful.

– Encourage the students to see them-selves in roles they will be able toundertake successfully, despite havingto overcome certain difficulties.

– Tell the students they will sometimeshave to deal with uncertainty.3

3. “Students spend the years from elementary school to universi-ty in something akin to a passive relationship with learning. Thereference framework of the system is so strongly establishedthey feel anxious when they are suddenly confronted with anoth-er system in which not everything has been already clearlydefined.” (L.-J. Filion, 1999)


II. Project implementation

Entrepreneurial culture cannot exist withoutan organizational culture. Project implemen-tation begins by deciding to move forward,and by taking action.

4. Planning

Action cannot commence safely unless it hasbeen correctly planned. “What needs to bedone? How should it be done?” are the ques-tions that will provide the new guidelinesneeded to plan the various phases of theaction.

Any project that requires tasks to be allocat-ed, committees to be formed, and teams tobe established and coordinated can be usedto develop an organizational culture. A leaderwith a strong sense of teamwork and cooper-ation is needed for the decisions that have tobe made.

Cognitive resources

Entrepreneurship is innovation, but it’s alsoorganization, and some people have a specialtalent for this! A sense of organization ismainly a matter of logistics, meaning themanagement of operations, deadlines, costsand priorities. Leadership is also required toimplement projects by creating and maintain-ing situations that draw upon the resourcesof all the players and the organization itself.This is why a stimulating environment isneeded, one that encourages communication,rigour, synergy and the commitment thatmakes everyone a key player, rather than justa passive participant or an extra.

An account from the elementary level

“Even though we belonged to just one com-mittee, we knew what every person had todo. We would present the project to the otherstudents in the school. We would explaineverything that was involved, and howimportant it was to work with others in orderto move forward. We also saw the best wayto work in order to be effective.” – Studentproject, elementary level (grade 5).

Pedagogical support

– Allow the students to experience team-work, and encourage them to identifythe roles they can play and becomeaware of the need to assume theirresponsibilities.

– Students must learn to work in a team(in a sector corresponding to differenttasks) and to take responsibility for theproper operation of their sector (theimportance of solidarity and responsi-bility).

– The project allows students to play aleading role at each stage in the process(responsibility, independence, commit-ment).

– Ask the students to identify or plantasks and ideas for intervention.

– The students must plan activities intheir respective sectors and identify thematerials they will need.

– The students can influence other mem-bers of the group and encourage themto take part in the project (leadership).

– At the end of the project, the studentsmust decide which member of theirteam made the biggest commitment.

– The supervisor can also highlight thework of other students who made out-standing contributions.

CHAPTER 238



5. Problem management

It is important to face facts. Problem man-agement must be applied as the project pro-gresses and the planned tasks are completed,and as problems arise that affect the initialplan. The entrepreneurial experience alsoincludes the need to agree on adjustmentsand provide assistance to others, applyingresourcefulness to counter unexpectedevents, concrete difficulties, errors andchance occurrences.

The desire to achieve one’s goal must be bal-anced by a critical view of the progress madeand recognition of the gap between what wasplanned and what was achieved. However,this type of control must not become rigid orobsessive, an exaggerated insistence on aperfect match between objectives andresults. Two questions must be asked at thispoint: “How big a gap is acceptable? Do weneed the flexibility to adapt the project targetto the circumstances?” These questions areoften posed in connection with the manage-ment of material and financial resources.

Pedagogical support

– Through the successes and difficultiesthey experience as the project takesshape, the students have an opportunityto develop their self-esteem by takingon responsibilities they can manage andhelping each other out.

– From time to time, suggest that the stu-dents reduce their stress level by visual-izing what remains to be done.

– The students must deal with unexpect-ed events and demonstrate initiative.They must suggest what they considerto be the most appropriate solutions.

– Let the students attempt to resolve diffi-culties themselves, intervening only ifneeded.

6. Evaluation and indicators

A project is only truly completed when it hasbeen assessed by its originators and thosewho took part in it or were responsible for it.Teachers should never underestimate thepedagogical importance of evaluation. If theexperience is not examined in detail, theproject will be quickly forgotten or seen asmerely a “fun” memory. Without lookingback at the initial problem, how it wasdefined and explained, the project itself andthe stages in its implementation, how canstudents learn, draw conclusions and makedeductions for the future?

Criteria of effectiveness

“To what extent did the group meet its jointobjectives? To what extent did each studentact positively and take on responsibility?”

Criteria of efficiency

“To what extent have we made the best pos-sible use of the resources available? Whatwas most useful, and what was least useful,both as a group and individually? Were thecompetencies of the group put to good use?Did the project implementation create syner-gy?”

Criteria of coherency

“Given our objectives, did we make the rightmoves, did we choose the right actions? Didwe lose sight of our objectives? Did any ofthe students provide leadership?”

Criteria of relevance

“To what extent does the completed proj-ect appear to have accomplished an impor-tant, valid goal? To what extent has theproject been seen as having a positiveeffect in the target community?”


Pedagogical support to promote projects

Evaluation can take the form ofa group study of the project’ssuccess and the ways in which itcould have been improved.

All the participants must define,together, the rules, evaluationcriteria and factors to be consid-ered, and the operational andmethodological lessons that can be drawnfrom the experience.

The group study should foster the clearestpossible expression of what constitutes proj-ect culture and entrepreneurial culture: howdoes the “art of the project” lead to innova-tion, novelty and an improved quality of life?Launching a project is a way to shape thefuture.

Pedagogical support to help make each indi-vidual’s actions more effective and bring outhis/her emotional resources (entrepreneurialqualities)

– To complete their project, the studentshave to be tenacious and persevere. A waymust be found to recognize their strengthof character and stamina and the timethey devote to the project, perhaps by let-ting them know that their efforts have notgone unnoticed.

– The completed project should bring thestudents to assess their contribution andthe ways in which they have progressed interms of personal development and team-work. They should also have an opportuni-ty to assess the work of their teammates.

For a project to be considered truly a project,four conditions must be met: unity, complex-ity, singularity and relevance. Similarly, theimplementation of a project is divided intosix phases: analysis of the current situation,outline of a possible project, outline of thestrategy to be applied, planning, problemmanagement and assessment.

Criteria to measure the success ofan entrepreneurial project

The basic question remains:what exactly is a successfulproject?

“A successful project is onethat … ” Everyone can finishthis sentence in a differentway. However, there are a few

indicators that can be used as a practical setof references to guide teachers in theirunderstanding of entrepreneurial culture.

A successful entrepreneurial project is, first,one that is genuinely entrepreneurial and notjust heuristic. It must not simply generateknowledge but also actions. This is what dis-tinguishes it from project-based learning. Thestructure is similar, but project-based learn-ing in itself does not involve undertakinginnovative action: it leads, rather, to inves-tigative work and the construction of knowl-edge. It can, nevertheless, generate a culturalproduct (such as a theatre play, video report,etc., together with the necessary marketingstrategy).

For an entrepreneurial project to be success-ful, it must also involve an original, uniqueaction. If an action is too long or repetitive(such as collecting recipes for a book orfundraising activities), it quickly loses itsappeal—unless, of course, it explicitly triesto renew the approach or depart from tradi-tion. Similarly, if a project splits off into variants based on one and the same inten-tion, procedure or organization, then neitherof these variants can be considered a project,since the action is always the same. Thiswould be the case, for example, for a planthat would involve recycling paper to makebookmarks, then greeting cards, then coasters, etc. To be considered entrepreneur-ial, an action must be innovative and addressan economic, community-related or techno-logical problem; it must also satisfy a

CHAPTER 240

Launching aproject is a way

to shape thefuture



community need, a need for a more efficientoperation or a wish for greater well-being.

A successful entrepreneurial project is alsoone that mobilizes people. When it bringstogether a large number of players and par-ticipants, attracts outside resource persons,uses the media, and reaches the general pop-ulation, it can be considered successful. Aproject mobilizes people when it creates anew product, service or event that has amajor impact (see the “balls of wool” projectbelow).

Lastly, a successful project leads to a majorachievement, and is remarkable for its effec-tive management of material and financialresources and its mobilization of humanresources.

At the level involved here, however, a suc-cessful entrepreneurial project must be form-ative for the students involved and allowthem to use their entrepreneurial qualitiesand competencies, especially their independ-ence and sense of responsibility. The teachercan: – foster the students’ independence by

allowing them to participate as much aspossible in all the stages of the project,and to marshal their cross-curricular com-petencies in an integrating manner

– foster the students’ sense of joint respon-sibility by the way in he/she facilitatestheir enthusiasm for the target and theirinvolvement in the program of activities


Balls of wool for Romania

(2003-2004)

The project involved the establishment of a

knitting workshop to help children in an

orphanage in Romania. One hundred and

seventy-two students from all levels took

part, knitting squares that were then assem-

bled into blankets or scarves for the

orphans. The students enlisted the help of

older, experienced women knitters. This

association also helped reduce the isolation

of the elderly people who took part in the

workshop. The judges were delighted,

describing the project in the following

terms: “A strong dynamic and strong mobi-

lization [of resources], noble objectives, and

sound work organization. A fine example of

a partnership between the school and the

community, an interesting intergenera-

tional element. A striking success, that still

generates strong emotions.”


École Joseph-François-Perrault, CS de la Capitale

Region: Capitale-Nationale

Evaluation can be an enriching activity, espe-cially for younger students. By reviewingtheir experience, they can learn the vocabu-lary of entrepreneurship and to name the val-ues and qualities that make action effectiveand promote commitment. Assessment alsoprovides an opportunity to show the studentsthe links between what they have experi-enced, on the one hand, and their studies andacademic success, on the other.

Evaluation can include questions on the emo-tional and cognitive resources brought intoplay, as well as on organizational culture, theexperience of joint responsibility and theexercise of leadership in a context of cooper-ation and interdependence.

An even more rewarding activity would be toask all the students to tell the story of theproject, including what they understood andexperienced, the emotions they felt, the chal-lenges that had to be faced, the uncertaintythat had to be overcome, the special success-es they achieved, their moments of pride andfulfillment and, especially, the conclusionsthey have drawn from the project.


CHAPTER 242

The story of the project can be recounted,drawn or presented on video; it can generatea musical composition or a stage presenta-tion of a specific event. Other formulas maybe used to recall the experience, based inparticular on the notion of “multiple intelli-gences.”

According to the principle ofvicariousness, observing thebehaviour of someone similar tooneself or the actions of some-one with the same characteris-tics as oneself increases beliefin one’s own effectiveness andencourages an entrepreneurialapproach and the taking of simi-lar initiatives. In short, entrepre-neurial culture becomes conta-gious if the students who havesuccessfully completed anentrepreneurial project talkabout their experience to theirfellow students and family. Atour of classrooms and neigh-bouring schools could be organ-ized to publicize outstandingentrepreneurial experiences.

Entrepreneurialculture becomescontagious if the

students whohave

successfullycompleted an

entrepreneurialproject talkabout their

experience totheir fellow

students andfamily



4. To see all the suggestions, go to the “pedagogical support” sections on pages 38 to 41.5. See the complete description of cross-curricular competencies and their key features on pages 44 and 46.

Foundations of entrepreneurial culture (cognitive resources)

Design

(aim)

Implemen -

tation

(program)

1. Analysis

of the

current

situation

2. Outline of

a possible

project

3. Outline of

the strategy

to be applied

4. Planning

5. Problem

management

6.

Evaluation

Quality of

action

Motivation

Self-confidenceDetermination

EffortInitiative

Team spiritSense ofresponsibility

Resource -fulnessSolidarityPerseverance

Suggestions for pedagogical support4

(Each student should be able to …)

Propose a project:– Analyze the target situation and given an opinion– Understand and formulate the goal– Ask as many questions as possible about the sug-

gested project or projects and debate their feasibility

– Identify the resources available and the role theycan play

Explore project ideas:– Begin a process of discovery– Identify possible actions connected to a specific

problem– Identify the most appropriate project, that is feasi-

ble, promising and of the right level of difficulty

– Identify the qualities or strengths needed to accom-plish the project on the basis of its specific require-ments

– Choose tasks on the basis of his/her own interests

– Foresee problems– Identify ways to overcome problems– See oneself in roles where one can achieve success

by overcoming problems– Face uncertainty; tolerate ambiguity

– Explore working in teams – Identify his/her role– Take responsibility– Play a leading role at certain times– Identify and plan tasks– Propose possible approaches– Plan tasks and obtain materials– Exercise influence within the group

– Develop self-esteem by taking on appropriateresponsibilities

– Anticipate steps in the process to reduce stress– Deal with unexpected events– Demonstrate initiative– Resolve difficulties individually or as a team

With regard to the project:– Discuss the success of the project as a group, and

identify what could have yielded better results– Discover the criteria and important elements to

take into account for the evaluation– Draw lessons concerning operations and methodol-

ogy– Understand entrepreneurial culture and its compo-

nentsWith regard to effective action and the emotionalresources of each participant:– Evaluate progress and accomplishments from a

personal and group point of view– Identify the qualities displayed by teammates– Realize what has been learned and the qualities

applied to accomplish actions

Cross-curricular

competencies5 linked

to each project stage

1. Uses information3. Exercises critical judg-

ment4. Uses creativity6. Uses information and

communications tech-nologies

9. Communicates appro-priately

5. Adopts effective workmethods

6. Use information andcommunications tech-nologies

7. Achieves his/her poten-tial


2. Solves problems5. Adopts effective work

methods6. Uses information and

communications tech-nologies


8. Cooperates with others9. Communicates appro-

priately

2. Solves problems9. Communicates appro-

priately

3. Exercises critical judg-ment

7. Achieves his/her poten-tial


Project stage


The cross-curricular competencies andtheir key features

1. Uses informationSystematizes the information-gathering process• Establishes research strategies• Determines the pertinence of information• Identifies the value of each piece of information

Gathers information• Selects appropriate information sources• Collates information from different sources• Evaluates the validity of information according to spe-cific criteria• Makes connections between what he/she alreadyknows and new information• Distinguishes between what is essential and what issecondary• Seeks additional information

Puts information to use • Uses the information gathered to answer his/her ques-tions• Puts his/her prior learning into perspective• Uses information in new contexts• Respects copyright

2. Solves problemsAnalyzes the components of a situational problem • Identifies the context and the main elements of the sit-uational problem and makes connections among them• Recognizes similarities to situational problems solvedpreviously

Tests possible solutions • Lists and classifies possible solutions • Considers the appropriateness of each solution andassesses its requirements and consequences• Chooses a possible solution, applies it and evaluates itseffectiveness• Chooses and tests another possible solution if neces-sary

Adopts a flexible approach • Reviews the steps taken• Redoes some of them if necessary• Identifies successful strategies and analyzes the diffi-culties encountered

3. Exercises critical judgmentForms an opinion • Defines the question under consideration• Weighs the logical, ethical or aesthetic issues involved • Goes back to the facts, verifies their accuracy and putsthem in context• Explores various options and existing or possible pointsof view

• Bases his/her opinion on logical, ethical or aestheticcriteria • Takes a position

Expresses his/her judgment• Articulates and communicates his/her viewpoint• Justifies his/her position

Puts his/her opinion into perspective• Compares his/her opinion with those of others• Reconsiders his/her position• Evaluates the respective influences of reason and emo-tion on his/her approach • Recognizes his/her biases• Repeats the exercise if necessary

4. Uses creativityBecomes familiar with all the elements of a situation

• Defines the objectives and issues involved• Is open to different ways of perceiving the situation • Listens to his/her intuitions• Envisages different scenarios and procedures

Explores • Accepts risks and unknowns• Plays with ideas• Proceeds by trial and error• Turns obstacles into resources• Recognizes possible or partial solutions• Is receptive to new ideas and ways of doing things

Adopts a flexible mode of operation • Tries out new approaches• Uses new ideas• Explores new strategies and techniques• Expresses his/her ideas in new ways

5. Adopts effective work methodsConsiders all aspects of a task • Assimilates the objective and evaluates its complexity • Identifies the available resources• Imagines various ways to carry out the task• Reflects on the best way to perform it• Plans how to carry it out

Adjusts his/her approach • Mobilizes the necessary resources: people, materials,time, etc.• Adapts his/her work method to the task and context,and readjusts his/her actions as required• Completes the task

Analyzes his/her procedure• Examines the procedure used• Recognizes what was effective and what worked lesswell

CHAPTER 244



• Assesses the requirements of the task • Imagines contexts in which the approach could bereapplied

6. Uses information and communica-tions technologiesUses appropriate technologies • Carries out various tasks using technological resources• Evaluates the potential of the available technologiesand networks• Chooses the most suitable tools for the situation• Applies the interaction, communication and roubleshooting strategies required for a given task

Takes full advantage of these technologies • Diversifies his/her use of ICT • Takes advantage of ICT resources and functions in var-ious types of learning • Recognizes and uses in a new context concepts andprocesses he/she has learned previously• Envisages new ways to use them• Respects the prevailing values and codes regardingintellectual property and privacy

Evaluates his/her use of this technology • Compares his/her ways of using ICT with those of oth-ers• Recognizes his/her successes and difficulties• Seeks ways to improve his/her use of these technolo-gies and suggests ways to do this• Examines the relevance of using ICT by taking intoaccount their contribution to specific tasks

7. Achieves his/her potentialRecognizes his/her personal characteristics • Identifies his/her feelings, thoughts, values, culturalframe of reference and options• Identifies his/her strengths and weaknesses• Assesses the quality and appropriateness of his/herchoices of action• Recognizes the impact of his/her actions on his/hersuccesses and difficulties• Evaluates his/her achievements and progress

Takes his/her place among others• Recognizes that he/she is part of a community• Compares his/her values and perceptions with those ofothers• Perceives the influence of others on his/her values andchoices• Expresses his/her opinions and choices• Respects others Makes good use of his/her personal resources • Establishes short- and long-term goals• Establishes criteria for personal, academic and careersuccess• Makes the efforts required to achieve his/her goals

• Perseveres in the effort to achieve his/her goals• Displays increasing autonomy

8. Cooperates with othersContributes to team efforts • Assesses the sort of collaboration or cooperation towhich a task lends itself• Participates actively and with a cooperative attitude inclassroom and school activities • Uses differences constructively to attain a commonobjective• Plans and carries out work with others • Carries out his/her task according to the procedureagreed on by the team• Manages conflict

Uses teamwork effectively • Recognizes which tasks can be done more effectivelyby means of teamwork • Assesses the challenges or issues involved• Recognizes the benefits of teamwork for himself/her-self and others • Assesses his/her participation and that of peers• Identifies desirable improvements

Interacts with an open mind in various contexts • Accepts others as they are and recognizes their inter-ests and needs• Exchanges points of view, listens to others andrespects different views• Adapts his/her behaviour to the team members and thetask

9. Communicates appropriatelyBecomes familiar with various modes of communica-tion • Knows and observes usage, rules, codes and conven-tions associated with different modes of communication • Uses their resources

Uses various modes of communication • Analyzes the communication situation• Chooses one or more modes of communication suitedto the context and purpose of communication• Identifies modes of communicating suited to the targetaudience and their characteristics• Uses modes of communication suited to the situation

Manages the communication process• Takes into account factors that may facilitate or hindercommunication • Adjusts the communication on the basis of the reac-tions of the target audienceRecognizes the strategies used throughout the processand evaluates their effectiveness



Vision and knowledge of the market

A study of the world of small businessesreports the following comment made by ayoung entrepreneur working as an account-ant: “People who succeed understand themarket and find a niche, often in their ownfield. They have a vision, but at the sametime they understand the industrial sector inwhich they plan to operate. […] Of course,they also need to have strong management

skills in the early years. What really makesthe difference, though, is finding the rightidea and hooking up with the right people.”But finding the right idea and choosingappropriate partners are two aspects thatdepend on a close relationship with the com-munity.

This is a specialized area of analysis, but itwill help highlight the real meaning of entre-preneurship. The “function of the

THE ENTREPRENEURIAL RELATIONSHIP WITH THE COMMUNITY 47

We now come to the specific nature of entrepreneurial culture.Clearly, it consists of a desire to act (emotional resources) and theknowledge needed to develop a project (cognitive resources).However, the project must also fit into a community that needs it,and it must be able to be implemented using the competencies ofthe people chosen—and willing—to participate in the adventure.

CHAPTER 3INTERACTIONAL RESOURCES

The entrepreneurialrelationship with thecommunity


entrepreneur,” according to Schumpeter1

(1935), is basically to innovate by:– the introduction of new products or new

qualities for existing products– the introduction of methods of production– the opening of new forms of industrial

organization– the conquest of new markets– access to new sources of supplies

Clearly, seen from this angle, innovation isnot just a form of playful originality or whim,but something completely new that fills aneed or gap or offsets a dysfunction relatedto the marketplace, a production process,operating costs, a distribution chain, market-ing strategy or some other aspect.

According to Kirzner (1973), an opportunityarises when there is a dysfunction in the mar-ketplace, or an economic imperfection orimbalance that can be exploitedby an entrepreneur who re-establishes a state of relativeequilibrium in the marketplace.An opportunity consists, aboveall, in a possibility for profitcreated by the existence of asolvent demand and the avail-ability of the requiredresources. The new productthat a vigilant entrepreneur2 isable to bring to market can betransformed into income.Cesson (1982) considers thatopportunities are “situations inwhich new goods, services, raw materials ororganizational methods can be presented andsold at a price above their production price.”We are not far here from the innovation para-digm.3

Entrepreneurs seek to create something newthat will be successful for them to the extentthat it is well received by the target market.In other words, it is a project that must bebased—in order to minimize risk—on knowl-edge and assiduous frequentation of the com-munity that must be persuaded or won over,on a market survey and on a suitable busi-ness plan.

Entrepreneurs must see their community as aresource for themselves, and themselves as aresource for their community. These twoconditions must also “converge.”

Since this attitude is one of the interactionalresources that entrepreneurs must possess, itcould be said that entrepreneurs are charac-terized by their ability to consider their envi-ronment as a resource that can be used toachieve their goals.

We have to be attentive andwatchful if we are to be awareof what is around us and detectany insufficiencies. The idea oflaunching a business does notemerge only because an oppor-tunity arises, but also becausepotential entrepreneurs arealways on the lookout, andtheir minds are already pre-pared to receive new ideas.

CHAPTER 348

Entrepreneursmust see theircommunity as a resource forthemselves,

and themselvesas a resource

for their community

1. Schumpeter was the first person to define entrepreneurship asan integral component of economic life.

2. Our emphasis.3. Taken from the paper “Quatre paradigmes pour cerner ledomaine de la recherche en entrepreneuriat” by ThierryVerstraete and Alain Fayolle (2004): <www.airepme.org>.



Pedagogical comments

What pedagogical conclusions can be drawnfrom the notion of opportunity and, more par-ticularly, from the state of awareness thatunderlies and maintains it? Could this state ofawareness be a new way of exploring andinterpreting the environment in which stu-dents live? Suitable questions and proposalscould be formulated in each academic subject.Let’s take the example of a book that studentsmust read, study and comment on. Why notlead the students to ask why some books aresuccessful, apart from their literary qualities.What do they know about the stakes in thepublishing world, and the struggle that smallbookstores must wage against large retailchains? What do publishers actually do? Howdo they decide how many books to print?What are some of the book promotionoptions? The students could decide to con-duct a market survey in the school, perhapsleading to the establishment of a book club.

Students sometimes opt to publish their ownwork in the form of anthologies, either elec-tronically or by setting up an exhibition stand.Why choose one approach over another? Whois the target audience? How does one addressthe needs and interests of potential readers?How many books must be sold to cover costs,or to make a profit and hire extra staff?

The state of awareness can also be promotedby providing students with suggestion boxeswhere they can leave comments on selectedtopics, determined on the basis of what theyhave to learn. This state can also be associat-ed with subject-specific content, for example,in the area of science and technology, witheveryday consumer products, or with manu-facturers or retailers of products that happento be based on some invention or specifictechnical principle. However, the relevance ofthe product, the way in which it is made, itsintended usefulness and its possible applica-tions must always be questioned. The state ofawareness we are talking about here includes

the ability to question current marketingmethods.

An examination of the meaning of entrepre-neurship can also help students become moreaware as consumers, as illustrated by the fol-lowing project.


An evening of food tasting (2004-2005)

The creation of the Goutzi business, with

the goal of organizing an evening event at

which the general public could taste the

products of some 15 food producers and

processors from the region. The project

allowed the students to develop their inde-

pendence, leadership and resourcefulness.

The judges commented on the exposure cre-

ated for regional exhibitors and resources,

while promoting networking and partner-

ships.

Category: Secondary-level group

École secondaire La Découverte, CS de la Riveraine

Region: Centre-du-Québec

In short, the products and services that formpart of everyday life can be looked at in thisway. If the local drugstore were redesigned,what other services could it offer its cus-tomers? Could it be laid out differently, orrelocated? Could it expand its mission, orimprove its visibility?

Awareness makes the community a resourcefor students, who become more involved in,and concerned with, the reality around them.They also discover that they can engage withreality in creative, innovative and stimulatingways, and this can lead them to show initia-tive and take on responsibilities.


Vision: more than a project

From dreaming to seeing what is possible,from project to vision, a straight line of devel-opment runs from the simple to the complex,and from an individual to a collective need.Something that starts out as a playful whimcan become an innovation, a creativeapproach to a situation or social context.And this leads, in turn, to an enriched combi-nation of emotional, cognitive and interac-tional resources: dream—project—vision.How is vision developed, and how is it linkedto an entrepreneur’s interactional resources?Louis Jacques Filion, who teaches at theHautes études commerciales, a Montréalbusiness school, has explained this in amajor publication.4 He states that entrepre-neurial vision is like a projection into thefuture of what must be learned today andaccomplished on a day-to-day basis to finallyarrive at the chosen destination.

Entrepreneurs learn what they need to knowfrom three distinct sources: from friends andfamily, from the business community andinformally. Indeed, they devote extensivetime to informal occasions, which includediscussions with customers and suppliers,trade fairs and so on. This third level is, then,the learning level, the one at which they pre-pare for action. New entrepreneurs are verysurprised that they have to learn by anticipa-tion, through a form of “self-training.” Theirrelationship with the community is a con-stant source of information, influence, collab-oration and learning, enriching their visionand improving their chances of achieving it.

In short, vision is a project with, in addition,on-the-job training and acculturation to thetarget area. No matter how educated theymay be, entrepreneurs have no choice but tolearn about the area targeted by their busi-ness idea. This project is transformed bywhat they learn along the way, until theirvision crystallizes and leads to a decision toact and to mobilize the required resources.5

As Louis Jacques Filion (2005) explains, busi-ness, knowledge of a sector of activity andunderstanding are the foundations of thevision process. Entrepreneurs must under-stand the evolution of a sector in its entirety.To position their products on the market,they must be able to identify market leaders,understand the pricing policy of competitors,distribution configurations, promotionalstrategies and advertising in the segments ofthe target market, know who does what andhow organizations are structured, and beaware of short-term and long-term trends.

The best indicators for predicting businesssuccess are the value, diversity and depthof the entrepreneur’s experience, and theentrepreneur’s knowledge of the targetsector.

Obviously, the above considerations gobeyond a simple introduction to entrepre-neurial culture, and draw near to the line sep-arating it from specialized training for futureentrepreneurs. However, it is important toremember that the entrepreneurial spiritleads inevitably to an interaction with thecommunity, which is especially important interms, for example, of the criteria used toassess entrepreneurial projects.

CHAPTER 350

4. L.J. Filion and Minville Tintin, L’entrepreneur et la potion mag-ique (Québec City: Les éditions Fides, 1999).

5. Entrepreneurs may be tempted to disavow the schools wherethey were trained. It is more productive to have them speakabout their determination to learn as they moved ahead, theirneed to keep abreast of developments in the field, and how theylearned to use the network to which they belong.



Introduction to EntrepreneurshipMeasure and interactionalresources

It is important to know that, for the QuébecEntrepreneurship Contest and theIntroduction to Entrepreneurship Measure,the evaluation grids for the projects present-ed stress mainly interactional resources,especially in connection with joint entrepre-neurship. Here, for example, are the criteriaused to assess the innovative aspects of aproject and the scope of the resultingachievements.

Innovative aspects

– The innovative aspect of the achievementssparks interest.

– The product or service is an improvement(better in terms of quality, price, adapta-tion to customer needs, distribution, etc.)or a better design (improved invention,new presentation, new solution to oldproblem, etc.).

– The idea, product or service reflects mar-ket trends and meets a collective needthat is considered important (and ethical)6.

An initial examination of the innovativeaspects must leave no doubt that the newidea, product or service matches a recog-nized need in the community or reflects mar-ket trends.

Quality and scope of achievements

The following must be taken into account:– the age, competencies and experiences of

the student (or group) and their partnerswhen evaluating the project

– the management profile, the project struc-ture (human, informational and financialresources, etc.), the business plan, andmodalities of funding, planning, implemen-tation and final evaluation

– the marketing plan (Was the marketingobjective clearly defined? Was a salesstrategy drawn up? Were the distributionchannels selected able to supply the prod-uct or service to the target customers inthe best possible conditions?)

– the impact of the achievements on theschool or local community in pedagogicaland social terms, and in terms of local orregional entrepreneurship and the econo-my (funding for student activities, studentjobs creation) terms, etc.

– the number and quality of outsideresources available and actually consulted(organizations to promote entrepreneur-ship, etc.)

– the progress made by the participants, theprofile of the customer base and theresults achieved (evaluated on the basis ofthe number of years of operation).

An initial reading of the elements that makeup a successful approach show that it is nec-essary to begin by drafting a plan and defin-ing a vision. The production of goods or services and the organization of an eventhave meaning only in terms of a target cus-tomer base. This is why a communicationsplan and sales strategy must be drawn up.Nothing can be achieved without an organi-zational culture and the mobilization of orga-nizational resources, whether internal orexternal, and all the criteria, of whateverkind, concern the project’s interactionalresources.

Expressed in this way, evaluation can appearcomplex or technical. However, it is clearthat the age and experience of the studentsmust be taken into account. Surprisingly,even elementary level students can beexpected to achieve a lot.

6. See Appendix 3 for information on ethics in the field of entre-preneurship.



Small office supplies store (2003-2004)

Establishment of a stationery store in the

school to give students access to high-quali-

ty supplies at affordable prices. The goal of

the project was to give all Grade Two stu-

dents a genuine mathematical problem to

solve, since they were all involved in a given

stage of the process, whether the market sur-

vey, list of purchases, inventory, advertis-

ing, catalogue design, price list, sales and

bookkeeping.

The judges were impressed by

the originality, novelty, quality

and scope of the achievements.

In addition, they approved of

the social objective pursued by

the students and the contribu-

tion made by the project to the

development of entrepreneurial

skills such as cooperation,

team spirit, solidarity and

leadership. The judges were

also appreciative of the process

involved in the project and the

fact that it allowed the students to acquire

cooperative values.

Category: Elementary (Grades One, Two and Three)

École Cœur-Vaillant, CS des Découvreurs

Region: Capitale-Nationale

This type of entrepreneurial project is also apedagogical activity since it includes subject-specific learning according to the principle ofinfusion.7 Here, the subject was mathematics,but often several different subjects areinvolved in a single project. In addition, theachievements of the project are long-lasting,and will create a practical economic relation-ship between students, teachers and parents.The profits generated are also measurable.

In this case, the result validates the projectsand provides a source of pride.

In general, the focus is on the innovativevalue of an entrepreneurial project but, inthis case, profitability is the main factortaken in account. It is important to note thateconomic notions are sometimes included inthe elementary curriculum, for example insome U.S. states. The Appendix contains ashort but significant text on the foundationsof our economic system.

Interactional resources andentrepreneurial development

Students who have designed and carried out“lightweight” projects duringelementary school andSecondary Cycle One are in abetter position, thanks to theknowledge and skills they haveacquired, to come up withmore ambitious projects, andmore likely to have an impactin their chosen fields.Vocational, technical and uni-versity-level training equip peo-ple for truly profitable projects.

This is why, in general, stu-dents who have acquired such training pres-ent projects based on their observations inthe field and on their operational knowledge;their business plans set out the interactionalresources that they expect to use.

A recent study (2005) on college-level entre-preneurship projects shows that students liketo design services for the general public thatmatch the specialized programs in whichthey are enrolled. For example, students inadministration programs may be drawn to

CHAPTER 352

This type ofentrepreneurialproject is also a pedagogicalactivity since

it includes subject-specific

learning

7. The principle of infusion involves the application of an aca-demic subject (here, mathematics) to a project (a stationerystore). This shows that contextualization promotes learning. Formore information on various types of infusion, see L’approcheorientante, la clé de la réussite scolaire et professionnelle,Septembre éditeur, 2004.



preparing income tax returns or market sur-veys, while students in maritime navigationmay gravitate toward designing a small boat.The Optimax project is a good example ofthis tendency. According to Lise Lecours,8

students who perceive the concrete value ofwhat they learned in school will be motivatedto do projects and be alerted to the latter’sbusiness potential.


OPTIMAX, business/training school

(2004-2005)

The creation of a business/training school

to stimulate students during their academic

programs by establishing links between

classroom theory and professional practice.

The business offers a range of services con-

nected to technical programs in business

administration, industrial electronics, com-

puter science and industrial engineering.

The judges stressed the strength and versa-

tility of the project: it was complete and well

designed, and its viability was easily

assessed. In addition, it came with strong

computer support and covered several sub-

ject fields. The support from resource per-

sons was well thought out, and the funding

was sound. The judges appreciated the proj-

ect and offered strong support for similar

initiatives in other schools.

Category: College level

Cégep de Trois-Rivières

Region: Mauricie

The creation of Web pages for small

businesses (2003-2004)

The creation of Web pages for various busi-

nesses in the region. The objective of the

project was to create links between the

school and the labour market. Teams of two

students met with a representative from

each business to collect relevant informa-

tion for the Web page. Next, they planned

how to publicize the most appropriate serv-

ices in the start menu on the home page.

The judges appreciated the fact that the

project, in addition to using the informa-

tion highway and new information tech-

nologies, built a bridge between the school

and the labour market. Students were given

an opportunity to move outside the theoreti-

cal framework of the classroom and to apply

their knowledge to the realities faced by

their clients.


École secondaire Curé-Antoine-Labelle, CS de Laval

Region: Laval

Solena “spray tan” service (2003-2004)

An “imitation suntan” service using a new

process that involves spraying the skin with

a solution that reacts with dead skin cells,

instantly darkening them, without any of

the dangers associated with ultraviolet

light.

The judges remarked on the quality of the

business plan submitted by the young

female students (striking presentations,

explanatory photos, etc.).

They also detected entrepreneurial qualities

in some of the participants: leadership,

team spirit, self-confidence and independ-

ence. The file contained a well-presented

market survey and complete financial state-

ments. The students had found a way to

take advantage of current market trends

and had selected a promising niche. The file

contained strong evidence of professional-

ism and “added value.”

Category: College level

Collège André-Grasset

Region: Montréal

8. In a reference document on entrepreneurship presented to theMELS (2005).


Industrial drafting services (2004-2005)

Industrial drafting services for people wish-

ing to manufacture their own inventions.

The drawings gave the inventor an opportu-

nity to refine the design in an interactive

way, and then to manufacture the inven-

tion. The goal was to help inventors bridge

the gap between design and production.

The judges highlighted the creativity, inter-

personal skills, initiative, independence

and sense of organization of the promoter,

who also developed extensive contacts with

people in the business world and created a

relationship of trust with various

businesses.

Category: Secondary-level vocational training

CFP de Matane, CS des Monts-et-Marées

Region: Bas-Saint-Laurent

It is clear that interactional resources aregenerally applied more explicitly by studentsin secondary-level vocational training ortechnical programs at the college level, prob-ably because they have knowledge that isspecially adapted to the situations con-cerned. This knowledge would allow them tocreate more sophisticated projects and carrythem out more effectively in a sector theyknow well. There are obviously exceptions,especially at the elementary level, whenschools have included entrepreneurshiptraining in their educational mission, as is thecase at the École Cœur-Vaillant, CS desDécouvreurs (mentioned above).

A survey of entrepreneurs who launchedtheir businesses at a young age shows thatthey took between five and ten years tosufficiently understand the sector in whichthey were operating, even though most ofthem believed that they had acquired therequisite understanding after one or twoyears.

What is the entrepreneurial spirit, how is itdeveloped and how is it applied in a real con-text? Obviously, entrepreneurial potentialmust be applied to something real at a specif-ic time and in a specific place. This is howentrepreneurs apply their interactional capi-tal. Where does it come from? How is anentrepreneurial relationship created?

How and where interactional capital is constructed

Family

Having a parent, brother, sister or relativewho runs their own business is probably themost significant factor in what is called inter-actional resources. It has been clearly estab-lished that such proximity leads to imitation,the acquisition of interpersonal skills and theprogressive assimilation of the rules of thebusiness world, where people reciprocateand where others are seen as resources offer-ing networking opportunities, insider infor-mation and other advantages derived frommembership in several different circles.

CHAPTER 354



The entrepreneurial relation is constructed,therefore, via identification. Activities inwhich students explore business models thatappeal to them, or meet company directorsand young business leaders, help increasetheir motivation. This is all the more so if theactivity in question is intended to create tieswith those people for further action or explo-ration: an invitation to a symposium or exhi-bition, a visit to a laboratory, a day spent atthe business premises, etc.

Networking

Young people who grow up in a family ofentrepreneurs quickly understand the impor-tance of networking. The cul-ture of networking—whichinvolves more than forays toobtain information—is the chan-nel through which opportunitiesare found, competent staff arerecruited and natural alliancesare formed. The respectedauthor Hervé Serieyx (2004), forwhom prospecting is the key,promotes networking as a wayof living:

“The ability to live as part of anetwork will also be essential intomorrow’s labour market: dur-ing the information revolution, people whoare unable to establish or maintain a networkof friends and other like-minded people, or towork within a network of appropriately qual-ified individuals, will be condemned profes-sionally.9 […] To promote networking behav-iour, schools must be interactive and open,teachers must demonstrate complementaryabilities on an ongoing basis, students mustbe encouraged to cooperate, and other play-ers in the community (businesses, localauthorities, the state, artists, etc.) must bewelcomed into the schools to demonstratethe range of their contributions and howequally noble and necessary they are.”

Schools and the labour market

Entrepreneurial culture should create numer-ous opportunities for contact betweenschools and the business community,whether the latter happens to be in thedomain of industry, commerce, the arts orthe media. All projects could benefit fromconsultation. The use of outside resourcesand competencies should be considered asadding value to entrepreneurial project pro-posals. The shooting of a film short (Lediadème perdu—described in Appendix 1)demonstrates the use of outside resources(film school, editing software, script supervi-sion by a professional filmmaker, etc.).

The products, services andevents resulting from entrepre-neurial projects developed bystudents should benefit fromsupervision provided by pro-fessional volunteers. In thisway, students will learn how tomanage resources, conductadvertising campaigns, attractmedia interest, reduce theprice of products manufac-tured at school, etc. And thisprocess will itself become aninteractional way of thinkingand collaborating.10

The use of outside

resources andcompetencies

should be considered as

adding value toentrepreneurial

project proposals

9. Or “professionally limited (editorial note).

10. The principle of collaboration, which underlies the guidance-based school, makes a perfect fit with the notion of entrepre-neurial culture. See D. Marceau and M. Gingras (2001).


The use of Internet and information tech-nologies also becomes consistent with theinteractional approach when a teacher pairshis/her group with a class in a school atanother location.

The idea of partnerships and networks is anopen concept that still offers scope for explo-ration. It is clearly part of entrepreneurialculture. What is included depends on thepedagogical values of the teachers con-cerned, and does not necessarily imply anunderlying utilitarist ideology. On the con-trary, it can consolidate a progressist philoso-phy. When looked at more closely, itbecomes clear that there are several types ofentrepreneurship connected to science, thehumanities, politics and the sociale conomy.The possibilities of entrepreneurship in con-nection with sustainable development remainto be explored.

Implementing an entrepreneurialproject

Creating links in an entrepreneurial mannerby instigating projects is, apparently, increas-ingly seen as the most effective way toacquire learning in this area. Within theframework of the Québec EntrepreneurshipContest and the Introduction toEntrepreneurship Measure, we have seencountless projects that mobilize entireschools and, indeed, the entire community:exhibitions, contests, theme days and weeks,computer services, and assistance for targetgroups and cultural projects—all reflectingthe vitality of young people actively involvedin projects. In short, projects shake things upand make their mark. In addition, they giveschools a more central, integrative and signif-icant role within society.11

The following example illustrates what ismeant by creating links in an entrepreneurialway. It presents parts of a project carried outby a group of secondary school studentswho, as part of a research-action (GPSAO-2004) in special education, were responsible

for setting up and managing a mini-enterpriseto manufacture and sell various objects forstudents and their families.

Example

[...] An opinion poll of students, parents

and school staff was conducted to find out

what type of decorative objects could be

manufactured by the mini-enterprise and

sold. The results of the poll were used in

math class as part of the “market survey”

activity, and the data were compiled by the

students to analyze the answers given by

the three survey groups, together and indi-

vidually, using pie charts. [Mobilization of

the community: opinion poll, market sur-

vey, students, parents, school staff]

The students prepared to visit a company in

the region, the Shermag factory. First, they

took part in the activity “Building up a

business” in their English class, where they

studied how a business operates. They also

became familiar with the theme of “work-

place health and safety” in their personal

and social development class. At this point

the information needed for the visit (safety

rules, company history, etc.) was also given

to the students. [School-business link: math-

ematics, business, personal and social

development]

CHAPTER 356

11. For example, the Effervescience project for Secondary CycleTwo and college-level students unites the positions of businessmentor and scientific adviser. See <www.boiteascience.com>

12. One example is the project described as “Le projet de laradio-école, une mobilisation exceptionnelle,” by N. Gingras andS. Salesas, in L’approche orientante, la clé de la réussite scolaireet professionnelle (Sainte-Foy, Septembre éditeur, 2004), p. 73.Another example is the project “An evening of food tasting”described above, which gave 15 regional producers and proces-sors an opportunity to acquaint the local population with theirproducts. The judges appreciated the showcasing of regionalresources and the focus on networking and partnerships. Theproject promoted responsible consumption at the local level.École secondaire La Découverte. CS de la Riveraine.



The next activity was the company tour.

The preparation for the visit and the neces-

sary support were part of the personal and

social development class. The students had

to draft a series of questions to ask the

workers and, after the visit, they had to

report on their experience. The objectives for

the exercise as a whole were to encourage

students to build links between what they

saw during the visit and what they experi-

ence at school (for example, the creation of

a student business), and to identify jobs

they would like to do. The idea for the visit

emerged when the students said they needed

to see what a company was really like in

order to understand how it worked. [School-

business link: visit, questions for workers]

As an extension of this activi-

ty, the students wrote a letter of

thanks to the Shermag compa-

ny representatives in their

French class. They also had to

complete a questionnaire to

pinpoint the information they

had gathered during the visit.

Another activity, which took

place in their English class,

was called “How businesses work.” It intro-

duced students to the various components of

a business and asked them to draw parallels

between the company they visited and their

own student business. [School-business

link: write a letter] [...]

˜ ˜ ˜This is only a fragment of the entrepreneurial(and guidance-oriented) activity forSecondary Cycle One students. While theprogram will not change the world, it stillmobilizes teachers, parents, business leadersand workers in a significant way. The use ofoutside resources, visits, polls and surveys—as well as the production of objects, events-based marketing and related activities—arebeneficial to the students, the school and thenascent network. It is clear that the principleof collaboration provides guidance, in addi-tion to its entrepreneurial aspects. In simple

terms, the links go beyond the mere trans-mission of information: familiarity isincreased, services are exchanged, and rolesand complementary qualities are recognized.Access to resources is improved, and entre-preneurial culture is developed naturally.

Group and leadership experience

The question of how and where interactionalcapital is constructed can be answered byreferring to the situation that exists in aclassroom, as Perrenoud observed by (2001;free translation).

“Every teacher can detect this relationshipwith the world among some students, practi-

cally at first sight. These are thestudents who take initiatives,who say “It should be like this,”or “I’d like to be able to …” or“I suggest we get organized to…” They quickly become capa-ble of designing projects basedon individual or group actions.They take action, look forresources, gather information,

seek ways to solve problems, coordinate workand exercise leadership. At the other extreme,teachers also have some students who do notallow themselves to express the slightestwish, because they do not consider they havethe right, competence, or legitimacy to wantto transform their world or even outline aproject.”

Perrenoud’s text highlights the question ofinwardness and personal effectiveness. Whenindividuals are capable of doing something,they want to do it. The experience of successand, especially, the experience of effectiveaction can create a desire to undertake proj-ects. Similarly, contact with a group projectcan feed into the entrepreneurial relation-ship.

projects shakethings up and make their mark


“How do we learn how to shape projects?[…] First of all, by taking part in other peo-ple’s projects, and being ‘carried along’ with-out having to bear the full burden of imagina-tion and coherence. We play a supportingrole before becoming a project leader. Withstudents who have not learned how to under-take projects with their family, the mosturgent aspect is not to focus on individualaction by telling them prematurely to inventa personal project, but to get them involvedin group projects.”13

Group projects require people to cooperateand share goals, to coordinate actions, tonegotiate and to work with others. Whetherin classroom or extracurricular activities,there is no better way to learn about groupaction and the pursuit of sharedgoals.

Throughout the curriculum,“involvement in group projects”can encourage students to expe-rience a project-based cultureand shared leadership. This is arecent trend, but probably indi-cates what the labour marketwill be like in coming years.14

Instead of leadership by rulesand contracts, interactionalresources include shared and transformation-al leadership based on an articulated visionof a project capable of bringing out the bestin every participant.15

Teachers who would like their students tothink about some of the emotional and inter-actional resources mentioned in this docu-ment can download and use a questionnairebased on the following themes: energy andcommitment – motivation – achieving results– initiative and creativity – self-competition –leadership.

In fact, the entrepreneurial process involvesconstant interaction with the communitysince it draws on four key notions: opportu-

nity, innovation, emergent organization andvalue creation. Each targets the productionof something new, to the point where changebecomes the entrepreneur’s way of life.

This requirement of change is no longer limited to entrepreneurs, but has practicallybecome a way of life. The urgent need to acthas gone from being a rare occurrence to adaily reality.17

From this perspective, the spirit of the timesrequires us to rely increasingly on entrepre-neurial culture, which provides tools that wecan use to adapt advantageously to therequirements we all face. It teaches us howto react using initiative and responsibility,instead of surrendering to the situation.

Project-based entrepreneurialculture also provides the judg-ment we need to maintain afocus on priorities, instead ofbecoming distracted by anynumber of problems. It alsohelps us to remain vigilantwith respect to communityneeds, and aware of the prom-ising possibilities that mayarise in our personal and pro-fessional lives.

If entrepreneurial culture is indeed an educa-tional value, as proposed at the beginning ofthis document, then its usefulness is to helpus adapt to our life in society.

CHAPTER 358

13. Perrenoud (2001).

14 Julien, P.A. and R. Jacob (1999).

15. Pépin, Richard (2005).

16. Self-assessment questionnaire for entrepreneurial qualities:<http://gpsao.educ.usherbrooke.ca>.

17. See the short book by Saki Laïdi, La tyrannie de l’urgence,coll. Les grandes conférences (Montréal: Fides, 1999).

four key notions:opportunity,innovation,emergent

organization and value cre-

ation



18. To see all the suggestions, go to the “pedagogical support” sections on pages 36 to 40.19. Four evaluation criteria and their definition: effectiveness: achievement of objectives; efficiency: judicious use of resources;coherency: actions taken to achieve objectives; relevance: positive effect in the target community

Foundations of entrepreneurial culture (interactional resources)

Design

(project target)

Implemen -

tation

(project program)

1. Analysis

of the

current

situation

2. Outline of

a possible

project

3. Outline of

the strategy

to be applied

4. Planning

5. Problem

management

6.

Evaluation

Quality of

action

Motivation

Self-confidenceDetermination

EffortInitiative

Team spiritSense ofresponsibility

Resource -fulnessSolidarityPerseverance

Suggestions18 for pedagogical support

(Each student should be able to…)

Propose a project:– Analyze the target situation and give an opinion– Understand and formulate the goal– Ask as many questions as possible about the sug-

gested project or projects and debate their feasibility

– Identify the resources available and the roles theycan play

Devise a project:– Embark on a process of discovery– Identify possible actions connected to a specific

problem– Identify the most appropriate project: i.e. the most

feasible, promising and with the most appropriatelevel of difficulty

– Identify the qualities or strengths needed to com-plete the project on the basis of its specific require-ments

– Choose tasks on the basis of their own interestsand aptitudes

– Foresee difficulties– Identify ways to overcome them– Imagine playing roles in which they will achieve

success by overcoming difficulties– Face uncertainty; tolerate ambiguity

– Experience teamwork– Identify the role they will play– Take responsibility– Play a leading role at certain times– Identify and plan tasks– Propose possible approaches– Plan tasks and obtain materials– Exercise influence within the group

– Develop self-esteem by taking on appropriateresponsibilities

– Anticipate steps in the process to reduce stress– Deal with unexpected events– Demonstrate initiative– Resolve difficulties individually or in a team

With regard to the project:19– Discuss the success of the project as a group, and

indicate how you might have obtained betterresults

– Discover the criteria and other important elementsto take into account for the evaluation

– Draw lessons concerning operations and methodol-ogy

– Understand entrepreneurial culture and its charac-teristics

With regard to effective action and the emotionalresources of each participant:

– Evaluate progress and accomplishments from anindividual and group perspective

– Identify the qualities displayed by teammates– Realize what has been learned and the resources

used to accomplish things

Interactional

resources

– Identify a problem situation

– Identify needs– Anticipate trends– Define a vision– Adopt networking

strategies

– Assess his/her compe-tencies in relation to theproject

– Identify possibleresources

– Self-train

– Conduct a field study– Consult and process var-

ious sources of informa-tion, and prepare a busi-ness plan

– Contact competent peo-ple

– Make a decision

– Define a work schedule– Find financial, material

and human resources– Ensure a rigorous

approach to all manage-ment operations

– Communicate his/hervision

– Ensure flexible opera-tions, interdependent onoutside resources

– Create favourable condi-tions for communicationwithin the group

– Evaluate productivityand cost-effectiveness

– Prioritize customers– Conduct a critical evalu-

ation of the project andthe efficient use ofresources

– Remain abreast of devel-opment in the sector,the policies pursued bycompetitors, etc.

Project stage



It is also valid, from a pedagogical point ofview, to associate the development of emo-tional resources with elementary education,that of cognitive resources with secondaryeducation, and that of interactional resourceswith vocational training and the college level(technical and pre-university programs).

In practical terms, this means that a project,as part of the Québec EntrepreneurshipContest and the Introduction toEntrepreneurship Measure, must mobilize allthe types of resources but that the pedagogi-cal approach may vary depending on thelevel of education concerned.

61

The initial question was this: is it better to raise awareness about entrepreneur-ial culture, or to provide specific training in entrepreneurship? The first optionwas chosen. Why? To allow as many students as possible to take full advantageof the educational values associated with the entrepreneurial spirit, that powerto act that mobilizes emotional, cognitive and interactional resources.

It is possible and useful to consider that these resources match, in the ordergiven, a schematic form of entrepreneurial development. Emotional resourcesprovide a spur to action, while cognitive resources shape the action taken to thepoint where it serves in the construction of a project. Then interactionalresources are needed to successfully complete the project and integrate it intothe community.

BY WAY OF CONCLUSION


At the elementary level, the pedagogicalapproach should focus on entrepreneurialqualities and learning about effective action,with the related emotional and motivationaspects: the need to succeed, self-esteem,and a feeling of personal effectiveness.

At the secondary level, the pedagogical focusshould be on an understanding of what con-stitutes a project, and students should beinvolved in all stages of its design and imple-mentation. Entrepreneurial culture isacquired, in particular, when the project isevaluated after completion.

At the postsecondary level, the pedagogicalapproach should concentrate on identifyingproblem situations and the resulting businessopportunities, while stressingthe link between specializedknowledge and the competen-cies acquired during normalcourses. Priority should begiven to community resourcesand networking—involvinginformation, competencies,services—that can be used inthe project. Special attentionshould be paid to the mobiliza-tion of human resources andleadership within the group.

In addition, the resources correspond, in thesame order, to the three focuses of develop-ment of the broad area of learning “Personaland Career Planning, " namely:

– Self-knowledge and awareness of his/herpotential and how to fulfill it (specificallywith regard to entrepreneurship):

• motivation, a penchant for meetingchallenges and a sense of responsibilityfor his/her successes and failures; satis-faction in work well done

– Adoption of strategies related to a plan orproject:• visualization of oneself in various roles• strategies associated with the various

facets of a project• strategies for collaboration and cooper-

ation

– Familiarity with the world of work:• the nature and demands of social roles,

occupations and professions• goods and services associated with

these occupations and professions• requirements of the world of work

The three columns below provide anoverview of entrepreneurial resources asthey relate to the three levels of education.

Another overview is providedat the end of this document(Appendix 1). It presents andanalyzes a project that wasremarkable for the motivationit generated and the impact ithad on the community. Thetext is taken unmodified fromthe contest application, but ref-erences have been added to thevarious concepts of entrepre-

neurial culture (stages, resources, etc.).

This introduction to entrepreneurial cultureproposes a vision that needs sharing.Similarly, it needs to be enriched by the ped-agogical approaches applied based on theoutline given here.

BY WAY OF CONCLUSION62

This introductionto

entrepreneurialculture proposes

a vision thatneeds sharing


BY WAY OF CONCLUSION 63

Emotional resources:

drive actions

(elementary education)

– Develop readiness for effectiveaction; attitudes and qualitiesneeded by students to attaintheir goals: self-confidence,motivation, effort, sense ofresponsibility, initiative, perse-verance, solidarity, team spirit,resourcefulness, determination

– Work with individual or groupprojects of an appropriate levelof difficulty in which studentscan achieve success

– Envision the future (time-basedperspective)

– Become aware of their personalpower (inwardness)

Pedagogical support:

– Help students strengthen theirself-confidence and feeling ofeffectiveness

Focus of development:

– Self-knowledge and awarenessof his/her potential and how tofulfill it

Cognitive resources:

plan actions

(secondary general education)

– Develop a sense of what goesinto a project and show how thisrelates to the entrepreneurialspirit and the desire to innovate

– Carry out individual or groupprojects:• by participating in all stages

(unity)• by fully experiencing the

entrepreneurial process (singularity)

• by daring to act even whenfaced with uncertainty (complexity)

• by using unexpectedresources (opportunity)


– Support the group if necessaryand, once the project is complet-ed, evaluate it to ensure that itsmethodology and the students’experience are formallyexplained


– Adoption of strategies related toa plan or project

Interactional resources:

implement a project and create

links with the community

(vocational training and college

education)

– Develop the meaning of anentrepreneurial relationship withthe community and perceive thecommunity as a resource forachieving goals

– Develop a state of awareness inwhich the community is per-ceived as a source of informa-tion and opportunities

– Adopt a self-training approachthat matches the target objec-tives

– Adopt networking habits thattreat the community as a sourceof learning, influence, competen-cy and complementarity

– Acquire the ability to use materi-al and financial resources pro-ductively, along with computerand management systems

– Integrate the benefits of anentrepreneurial relationship withthe business vision

– Exercise leadership based on acontinually evolving vision ofthe future

– Refine an idea for a businessbased on specialized knowledgeand competencies acquired dur-ing training


– Learn to use outside resourcesfor consultation purposes, tostudy a business plan in detail,to consider a project from thespecific standpoint of an entre-preneur


– Familiarity with the world ofwork

Entrepreneurial Culture and Pedagogical Support



65

The following text presents a project implemented at the École Marguerite-Bourgeoys (C.S. de la Capitale – Québec) by the students of elementary teacherChristian Bouchard. We have reproduced part of the document, as presented byMr. Bouchard to the student entrepreneurship division of the QuébecEntrepreneurship Contest.

References to various elements of the project (characteristics, stages or other)are found in the margins.

APPENDIX 1

Stages and components ofan entrepreneurial project


School: École Marguerite-BourgeoysCommission scolaire de la CapitaleTeacher responsible for project:Christian Bouchard

The lost diadem

To promote the development of entrepreneurial qualities, our class setitself the challenge of shooting a short film. The script, written by thestudents, focused on various aspects of life at the École Marguerite-Bourgeoys. The film was scheduled to premiere at the end of the schoolyear, in the presence of dignitaries from the school and school board,parents, friends and students at the school.

Idea for the project

The basic idea, suggested by the teacher, drew upon a historic eventthat took place at the École Marguerite- Bourgeoys and reflected adesire to highlight various aspects of life there. In 1959, while on a tripto Québec City, Queen Elizabeth II expressed an interest in visiting aschool. The newly constructed École Marguerite- Bourgeoys was anobvious choice.

The project involved developing a fictional story within a historicalframework. All the elements in the story were contributed by the stu-dents and checked for chronological and logical consistency throughoutthe writing process, which took place in a class workshop. Anotherpremise of the story was to recount a plausible adventure solidlyanchored in the daily lives of the students, based on a historical factreported in the biographical document “The life of Wilbrod Bhérer" andbrought up to date in the historical section of the school’s Web site.This challenging group-writing task mobilized all the group’s energy andcreative strength during three-hour workshops each week over a periodof three months. The students made extensive use of their writing andoral communication skills.

Stages in the implementation of the project

The main stages in the implementation of the project were as follows:

Writing of script: The students spent three months, in weekly three-hour workshops, writing the script as a group task. They suggestedideas, discussed the relevance of each person’s contribution, willinglymade any necessary changes and concurred in making final decisions.

Acting out each scene in the script: During the writing process, thestudents took turns acting out the various roles as each scene in thescript was written. This allowed the various elements in the outlinescript to be viewed as they were developed and checked for consisten-cy.

APPENDIX 166

ÉP: Analysis of

current situation

FPS: Meaning of the

project

SP: Outline of a possi-

ble project

FPS: Premise of the

project

CCC: 1. Uses informa-

tion / 3. Exercises crit-

ical judgment / 4. Uses

creativity

QA: Team spirit

SP: Outline of a

possible project

CCC: 7. Achieves

his/her potential

QA: Self-confidence

Key

SP: Stage of the project

CCC: Cross-curricular

competency

QA: Qualities of action

CPE: Features of

entrepreneurial project

IR: Interactive resources


APPENDIX 1 67

The students consulted the “Ciné cours" Web site, which provides dis-tance education on all the film professions. They also read documentsfrom various Web sites to gather a range of information on film profes-sions and put together a glossary of film terms.

Job application: The students studied a series of posters presentingthe various jobs involved in shooting the film and the personal qualitiesneeded to fill each position. Each student could then compare his/herown qualities with those required for the job he/she preferred.

Visit from a filmmaker: Louis Bélanger, an internationally knownfilmmaker, came and spent a whole day in the classroom. He explainedat length what each profession in the film business involves, highlight-ing essential practical aspects. Next, he directed a workshop to revisethe students’ script. During the workshop, the students had an oppor-tunity to discuss the actual writing process and the various scenes thatneeded to be changed to obtain a final product that would be feasible,given the constraints of shooting in a school environment. Mr. Bélangerthen showed various scenes from the original shoot of his latest film,Gaz bar blues, and the same passages after editing as they appear inthe final cut. For various scenes that took a whole morning to shoot,the students were able to see the finished result, a one-minute scene inthe film. This experience revealed the enormous amount of workinvolved in a film shoot and shocked the students into a realization ofthe realities of the film world. The last part of the day was devoted toquestions from the students, which were numerous.

Rehearsals: The student actors prepared actively for rehearsals super-vised by the assistant directors and the director.

The shoot: The teams set up, and the shoot began. Thanks to a pre-cise storyboard, the various scenes were shot as planned.

Test on the qualities developed during the project: Halfwaythrough the project, the students completed a short questionnaire todiscover the specific qualities they were in the process of developing inthe job they had chosen.

Editing: The impressive amount of film shot was examined by the edit-ing team, using specialized software.

SP: Strategy

CCC: 6. Uses

information and

communications

technologies

QA : Initiative

SP: Outline of a

possible project

CCC: 7. Achieves

his/her potential

QA : Determination/

Planning

SP : Strategy

CCC: 2. Solves

problems

QA : Effort

SP: Problem manage-

ment

CCC: 8. Cooperates

QA: Effort/Initiative

SP: Problem manage-

ment

CCC: 5. Adopts effect-

ing work methods /

3. Exercises critical

judgment

QA: Effort/Initiative

SP: Problem manage-

ment

CCC: 3. Exercises crit-

ical judgment

IR: Evaluate the com-

petencies developed

during the project

SP: Problem manage-

ment

QA : Perseverance


APPENDIX 168

Tour of a film school: A tour of the Québec City film school wasorganized. The students already had some film-making experience;during the visit they were able to look at this in the light of the profes-sions taught at the school. This new awareness gave them an opportu-nity to understand the path they had travelled and their own strengthsand weaknesses vis-à-vis the requirements of the job market.

Preparation of the film premiere: A date was set for the premiere.The theatre and projection equipment were booked and made ready,tickets were “sold," and the film was screened for the guests of honour,school staff and students, school board representatives, parents andfriends.

Distribution of the film: Each student received a copy of the film onDVD.

Goals of the project

The fascinating world of film is highly motivating for students, as wasclear throughout the project. The broad area of learning “Personal andCareer Development" in the new Québec Education Program covers thefield of entrepreneurship.

One of the goals of the project was to develop entrepreneurial qualitiesamong the Cycle Three students who participated actively in the proj-ect. The teacher encouraged the students throughout the project toidentify their own entrepreneurial qualities, to evaluate themselves andto question their abilities.

The project involved collaboration between all the Cycle Three teachersand students, and a presentation to students in other cycles. The newQEP encourages teachers and students to cooperate and work together,and the project allowed the school to take the lead in this area byencouraging Cycle Three students to cooperate by joining the team ofactors. A first-year special education class also played a role in severalscenes of the film. The final product premiered at the end of the yearfor an audience that included all the school staff, students, parents andfriends.

The project also allowed the school to open up to the world since thestudents were brought into contact with several concrete aspects of theworld of film. This film made by and for young people gave them anopportunity to see what the job market was really like, and allowedyounger students to discover various aspects of school life in CycleThree.

SP: Strategy

CCC: 3. Exercises crit-

ical judgment

QA: Resourcefulness /

Solidarity /

Perseverance

SP: Problem manage-

ment

CCC: 5. Uses effective

work methods / 8.

Cooperates with others

SP: Analysis of the

current situation

CPS: Meaning of the

project

Key



competency


CPE: Features of




APPENDIX 1 69

Finally, the project gave the students an opportunity to structure theiridentity by evaluating their personal involvement in a team effort. Theylearned more about themselves and increased their motivation in othersubjects, since they were able to see that the world belongs to thosewho work.

To conclude, the project was seen as a way to plunge students into theworld of work. Their brief experience in the fascinating world of filmallowed them to discover personal strengths, interests and talents thatthey will be able to develop throughout their lives, whatever the area ofactivity they eventually choose.

Original and innovative aspects of the project

The students in the school come from underprivileged backgrounds.The multitude of problems they face every day lead to discouragementand a high dropout rate. The idea of exploring a world that is part ofeveryone’s dreams was immediately attractive to them and increasedtheir motivation throughout the school year. The students plunged intothe project: not a day passed without someone coming to see me todiscuss some point of the film, or without an e-mail arriving from a stu-dent about an aspect of the shoot. The project even generated severalspinoffs. One group of students decided to write a journal about the lifeof film stars and publish it on the Web, while another group kept a Weblog about the shoot. A third group decided to rehearse a short stageplay (The Wizard of Oz) outside class hours, eventually performing itfor other classes in Cycles One and Two. The project was innovative interms of both technical resources (technological and computer-relatedmaterial and resources) and outside resources (a visit by a filmmakerand a tour of a film school). The students were highly appreciative ofthe efforts made by the teacher and school administration to involvethem in a unique and enriching experience. They responded with anastonishing degree of enthusiasm and motivation. The experienceremains a revelation for both the students and the teacher, who nowrealizes that a stimulating, innovative project is an incredibly powerfulmotor and catalyst for student motivation.

Work organizationSee the table of tasks and the work schedule on the next page.

SP: Evaluation

CPS: Meaning of the

project

SP: Analysis of the

current situation

QA: Motivation /

Initiative /

Determination

SP: Planning

IR: Create a work

schedule


APPENDIX 170

Committee Number of students Tasks

DIRECTORS 3 students – Direct all the teams on the shoot– Keep an eye on all details– Be behind the camera or give camera instructions– Plan rehearsals– Help the actors fine-tune their performances – Supervise the work of the committees

ACTORS 8 students – Retain information– Improvise– Perform a role

CAMERAPERSONS 3 students – Carefully set up and operate the camera in accordance withAND the director’s instructions PHOTOGRAPHERS – During editing, take photographs for the press kit

SOUND ENGINEERS 2 students – Carefully set up and operate the sound recording equipment– Work as a boom operator during the shoot

LIGHTING 3 students – Carefully set up and operate the lighting equipment in accordance TECHNICIANS with the director’s instructions

JOURNALISTS 1 student – Keep a log of the shoot and write an article periodically for publication in the student newspaper

LOCATION 3 students – Ensure that all aspects of the set are ready before and afterMANAGERS AND the shootSTAGE – Help transport materialTEHCNICIANS

MAKEUP AND 3 students – Oversee the makeup and hair of some actorsHAIR ARTISTS

COSTUME 1 student – Ensure that the actors are wearing clothes consistent with the DESIGNER time line of the film

– Keep a costume log

PRESENTER 1 student – Present the film at the premiere

PREMIERE 2 students – Sell tickets for the premierePREPARATION – Help set up the theatre

– Seat guests

EDITING 1 student – Help the teacher edit the film.

Tasks carried out by students

Work schedule

ACTIVITY Sept. to Dec. January February March April May June

Write script ★

Coordinate activities ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Act out each scene in the script ★ ★ ★ ★

Consult the “Cinécours” Web site ★

Receive visit from filmmaker ★

Select material ★

Rehearse ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Test qualities developed ★ ★

during the project

Prepare for the premiere ★ ★

Distribute copies of the film ★


APPENDIX 1 71

Resources available for the project

Human resources:Several contributors to the project:A principalAn assistant principalA guidance counsellorA filmmakerA carpenterA teacher

Material and financial resources:Several stages of the project were completed during regular classes invarious classrooms, the schoolyard and the home of a communitymember. Film equipment expenses ($1 500) came out of the teacher’sclass budget. The school agreed to supply some of the necessary mate-rial, spending $1 375 on a new computer for editing. A school bus wasneeded to take students to the Québec City film school. For the filmpremiere, the school agreed to pay for getting the theatre ready andrenting equipment. All photocopying and visual arts materials, comput-ers and room space were provided by the École Marguerite-Bourgeoys.

Collaboration and partnerships

As mentioned above, the students were an integral part of the project.The other partners were clearly the school team, including the teachingteam and the person responsible at the local level for the guidance- oriented school.

Evaluation

Project results

The project gave the students an opportunity to attempt an ambitiouswriting exercise that required discipline and creativity from beginning toend. The script they produced was submitted for examination to a well-known professional scriptwriter (Louis Bélanger) who admired the qual-ity of the writing and led the students in a positive exercise to revisethe script. They developed several fundamental qualities needed for anylarge-scale project: perseverance, cooperation and communication,which allowed them to achieve their joint goal with its stringent objec-tives.

In addition, they acquired various subject-specific and cross-curricularcompetencies, by– writing in a variety of genres exploring all the resources of the

French language– exploring a historical reality they share, namely the development of

an infrastructure in their community (École Marguerite-Bourgeoys)– discovering, developing and applying their personal resources to

establish links with the world of work– using information and communications technologies in a leading-

edge area to complete a significant, large-scale task

IR: Find financial,

material and human

resources

SP: Evaluation

IR: Use of expertise

Key



competency


CPE: Features of




APPENDIX 172

The project took an unexpected positive turn with the arrival of a com-munications specialist from the Commission scolaire de la Capitale topublicize the event in the press (Le Soleil). This enabled the students tobecome even more aware of the quality of their work and increasedtheir self-confidence

The publicity for this project also resulted in media exposure for theschool’s plans with respect to computers, which made the authoritiesand the community aware of the dynamic approach adopted by theschool team to encourage the students to complete their education.

Similarly, it is important to mention the considerable contribution madeby some new partners, who helped us bring the project to fruition byproviding substantial financial support: the Commission scolaire de laCaisse populaire St-Sauveur, Sun Canada.

The students will doubtless retain lifelong memories of their experience,which may have triggered some new aspirations. It will have allowedthem to discover something about themselves in a project that theyworked on wholeheartedly and that allowed them to realize some oftheir dreams.

The screening of the film will crown the efforts of an entire year by allthose involved in the project. It will take place around June 1, 2004.Four hundred people will be invited, including dignitaries from the CSde la Capitale, students, parents and friends.

Reasons why the project deserves to win the QuébecEntrepreneurship Contest

I had been thinking about this project for over a year. When I launchedit at the start of the school year, the students were already curious andinterested. The requirements and constraints soon became clear. Whatcould have been an insurmountable obstacle became an enjoyableadventure because of the constant interest and strong involvement ofthe students. This was the first time I had led a project of this scale,and one that mobilized the strengths of all the students involved asnever before. We were constantly stimulated and encouraged to goeven further forward by the students themselves, to the point that therequirements of the job were transformed into an outpouring of pas-sion. To see students suggest parallel projects, discuss the projectamong themselves in the schoolyard, meet outside class hours torehearse their roles—in short to see them experience a truly significantlearning process was an unbelievable source of satisfaction. To knowthat you have played a key role in the edification of all these little per-sonalities is truly satisfying. It is also important to note the dynamic

IR: Media resources

IR: Financial

resources

IR: Define a vision

Key



competency


CPE: Features of




APPENDIX 1 73

approach of the school team. Just before establishing the first comput-erized public elementary school in Québec, we were all excited to seeso many years of effort reach a conclusion. Often, during the project,my conversations with colleagues directed and enlightened my thoughtsabout where to go with the project. Our school team is lucky enough tohave several highly competent individuals in terms of ICTs. This expert-ise was often applied to the use and manipulation of hi-tech equipment.The enthusiasm of my colleagues for the project was also a constantsource of stimulation.

To conclude, the main point to emerge from the project is the highdegree of interest and involvement shown by the students throughoutthe year. They did not run out of steam (as might have been expect-ed); their motivation spurred the project on. Through their commitmentand desire to see the project through to the end, the students continu-ally encouraged me to go even further. Of all the projects I have direct-ed, none has produced this kind of result. Students, colleagues, admin-istrators and parents all supported the project enthusiastically andfollowed the work of the children closely. We received many offers ofhelp (some outdoor scenes were shot at the homes of some students).

N.B.: A complete version of this text is available at http://www.cscapitale.qc.ca/mg-bourgeoys/Click on Le coin des jeunes—3e cycle—Classe de Christian—Le diadème perdu

IR: Define a vision

IR: Evaluate the

project and the use of

resources


APPENDIX 274

The purpose of the study of economics is tohelp society decide how to create, distribute,and consume wealth. Every human activityhas an economic dimension. Every time youwonder if there will be enough money to paythe rent or the mortgage, question theincrease of food prices or decide to buy cer-tain products, you are acting as an economicdecision-maker.

Most people want to know more about theeconomy. Knowing some economics isessential to understanding what is going onin your life. Economics is not always easy tofigure out and many adults and young peoplefeel that understanding the economy is diffi-cult.

As an individual it is important to be able toevaluate the impact of the economy on yourlife. As a business owner, it is important tounderstand economic terms and how eco-nomic changes affect your business. Youdon't have to be a professional economist,but you should be able to evaluate the impact

of economic changes and the effects in yourtown, state, region, and nation. Furthermore,you should also have some idea of the impact of changing economies in other countries inthe world.

Consider the importance of customers for abusiness. The state of the economy will havean impact on how much money customerswill spend and what they will buy. This is justone example of the impact of the economyon your business.

Individuals also have a role in shaping theeconomy. Entrepreneurs provide an exampleof how individual activities can create jobs,new products and services to improve theeconomy. As individuals become informedthey are better able to participate in shapingthe economy. Much of understanding eco-nomics is to learn to “speak the language.”

APPENDIX 2

Economics: The Foundation of Entrepreneurship


APPENDIX 2 75

Overview of the Language

The market for any product or service iscomposed of a number of consumers. Theseconsumers are people or organizations thatare willing to buy your product and/or serv-ice. Business organizations sell their ownproducts or service, but they are also majorconsumers of other businesses. For example,if you are selling trucks, you may target

business owners as your market for thetrucks. Most of your marketing activities

will be focused on those types of businessesthat use trucks in their operations. And mostof your consumers in your market niche

will be those business owners.

The price you charge for your products andservices will depend on a number of factors.First you need to be sure to be able to coverthe costs of providing those items to con-sumers. Some of these costs are fixed and donot change no matter how many items yousell. These items include rent, insurance, atruck for deliveries, and the owner's salary.Other costs are variable, that is the numberyou must buy, adding to your costs, vary withthe number of items you produce or sell.These items might include packaging materi-als, production workers' salaries, and ship-ping charges.

When considering the potential success ofyour business you must think of the law of

supply and demand. This means the num-ber of items like yours that are available tothe market (supply) and the number of con-sumers who are in the market for this prod-uct (demand).

When the supply is scarce and there is agreat need for this product or service in thisparticular market, you say that the demand ishigher than the supply. When this is true,those who already produce this product cancharge a high price for it. People will pay alot for it if they really want it. It can be saidthat the demand is high.

Under these circumstances entrepreneursoften see an opportunity to introduce a newproduct that fills this same need for the con-sumer. Or they may merely find a way toincrease the supply of the same product orservice. In any event, now they haveincreased the supply of the product for theconsumers. The suppliers now find that theycannot charge such high prices because thereare more competitors for the consumer'smoney. In this case the supply gets higherand the price gets lower.

When supply gets too high for the demand,business owners drop prices in order toattract consumers. Businesses work hard tomake enough sales to cover their costs andthen make a profit. And some companiesmay even be forced to go out of business ifconsumers do not buy from them at a pricethat will cover their costs and also make aprofit.

Businesses also must try to keep their costsas low as possible in order to make a profit.One of the highest costs of providing a prod-uct or service is the cost of workers. Human

capital is the economic term for those peo-ple that produce a product or service. Anincrease in the amount of work produced bythe workers without an increase in pay leadsto an increase in productivity for the busi-ness. The resulting high productivity keepsthe costs per item low and helps increaseprofits for the company.


Let's Speak “Economics”

This activity is designed to encourage stu-dents to think about business using econom-ics perspectives and language. Read the fol-lowing case, and then, in small groups,discuss the questions at the end of the storyusing the economics terms explained on theprevious page.

In 1999 the U S economy was experiencingprosperity, and many businesses were expe-riencing a problem with finding enoughworkers. George and Jean were trying todecide whether to quit their jobs and start anew business that seemed very promising.They wanted to match the need for workersto the need that some low skilled, inexperi-enced potential workers had to find work.They owned a rental building in one of thelow rent districts in a large city on a mainbus route, and felt they could open a busi-ness there.

Jean would be responsible for selling theirservices to companies throughout the area.George would manage the office, finding thepotential workers, arranging for them to bedriven to work and paid each day theyworked, and filling out all the companypaperwork.

The only competition for this type of busi-ness in the area did not provide transporta-tion to the job and return and did not paytheir workers daily. The office for the compe-tition was located in the center city, about 4miles from George & Jean's location. Theyask your advice on the potential for success.

They now want to have your opinion on theirbusiness’s potential for success.

– Describe the market for the company. – What fixed costs would they have? – What variable costs would they have? – What price should they charge their cus-

tomers? – How many employees would they need?

How many would be full time and howmany temporary?

– How could they encourage productivity? – How would you sell this service to poten-

tial clients?– How does the law of supply and demand

affect this type of business? – How do they attract potential workers? – What are the major risks of this type of

business? – What is the potential for profit from this

type of business? – What advice would you give them about

starting this business?

Share the ideas from each group. Then

discuss how economics affects business

decisions.

(This activity was published in EntrepreNews& Views and is free to copy for use in theclassroom. EntrepreNews & Views is pub-lished by the Consortium forEntrepreneurship Education, Columbus,Ohio).

This text is available in English at theaddress:http://www.entre-ed.org/_teach/econ-ed.htm

APPENDIX 276


Ethical business practices include assuringthat the highest legal and moral standardsare observed in your relationships with thepeople in your business community. Thisincludes the most important person in yourbusiness, your customer. Short term profitat the cost of losing a customer is long termdeath for your business.

A reputation for ethical decisions builds trustin your business among business associ-

ates and suppliers. Strong supplier relation-ships are critical to a successful business.Consider the problems you might have if youcould not supply what the customerneeds...at the time that they need it.

The entrepreneur is the role model foremployees. If your behavior includes lyingto customers, taking money out of the cashregister, or taking home some of the invento-ry or supplies, you cannot be surprised ifyour employees follow your lead. Your familymembers may see the business as their ownand take things that really belong to the busi-

ness. Employees may see this as being dis-honest, or as a conflict with their needs for araise in pay.

The community expects your business tooperate in an ethical manner that enhancesthe image of the community as a whole. Ifyou are located in a mall, for example, yourcode of ethics will help or hinder customertraffic for the other businesses too. A reputa-tion for telling customers anything they wantto hear, regardless of the truth, eventuallyhurts your business and other businessesaround you. It usually isn't illegal to lie tocustomers, but it isn't good business.

Ethical behavior is merely making good

business decisions based on an established“code of ethics”. Entrepreneurs should estab-lish a written code of ethics that can serve asa framework for decisions to be made by theentrepreneur as well as the employees. Indeveloping this code of ethics you shouldconsider the following items:

77

APPENDIX 3

Ethical Behaviour Is Good Business


– Identify your general principles that wouldlead to fair business practices.

– Check with your industry association forbasic standards to review

– Allow for the fact that ethical questions donot always have a unique, faultlessanswer.

– Write out specific statements that willassist you and others in making day-to-dayethical decisions.

– Apply your code of ethics to a written pol-icy and procedure manual identifying themajor rules for operating your business.

– Train your employees (and family mem-bers) to make ethical decisions about thebusiness.

Your code of ethics will apply to all types ofbusiness operations including the following.What others can you add to this list?– Handling cash and checks from customers– “Negotiating” special prices for a friend

without permission– Accepting gifts from suppliers and busi-

ness associates– Selling damaged merchandise– Warranties on products– Merchandise return policies for customers– Returning merchandise to suppliers– Handling shoplifters– Accounting procedures for cash sales– Employee theft– Insurance coverage adequate to protect

the business and employees– Supporting your advertising promises– Checking in merchandise when received

from suppliers– Keeping the premises clean and free from

harmful substances or germs– Handling employee performance problems– Telling customers the truth

Use Decision-Making Skills ForEthical Decisions

The day-to-day operations of a businessrequire everyone to make decisions all thetime. Practice in developing a code of ethicsand then applying it to situations is importantto establishing an ethical business image.

Consider how the decision-making processwill help you improve the success of yourbusiness:

1. Define the problem requiring a decision.Often we jump to conclusions about a sit-uation without even taking time to clarifythe problem.

2. Consider alternative solutions to the

problem. There is always more than onesolution to any problem. Practice thinkingabout possibilities before taking action.

3. Identify the consequences of alterna-

tive solutions. There are many differentconsequences possible for choosing differ-ent alternatives. Entrepreneurs need tothink about both the short-term and long-term consequences likely to result fromtheir decisions.

4. Collect information if you do not haveenough to make the right decision. This iswhere a company policy and procedureguide may help employees check out theirapproach to a problem.

APPENDIX 378


APPENDIX 3 79

Group Activity

Ask the class to form small groups of about 8persons to work on ideas for ethical deci-sion-making. Provide them with informationabout a business to use for the activity. Thiscould be a local business, a business idea ofyour choice or theirs, or a business plan sam-ple that they have been working with in theclass. Ask each group to do the following:1. Identify problems the entrepreneur might

encounter in running this business in anethical manner.

2. Develop a 10-point code of ethics for thebusiness.

3. Discuss policies and procedures appropri-ate for this business that would supportthe code of ethics.

4. List as many ethical problems as possiblethat might be faced by employees during anormal work day. Discuss the possiblesolutions for the problems. Consider howa procedure guide might help employeesto make the best decisions.

5. Members of the group should then role-play the process of handling an ethicalissue with a customer, with a supplier,with a competitor, and with the son of theowner. Discuss the results of the role-play-ing exercise. If necessary you may want tomodify your code of ethics at this time.

6. Each group should present their code ofethics to the class and discuss major out-comes of their discussion.

Source: PACE, Unit 13 Business Management. PACE is availablefrom the Center on Education and Training for Employment, TheOhio State University, Columbus, OH. 1-614-292-4277.

This text is available in English at theaddress <http://www.entre-ed.org/_teach/ethics.htm>.


80

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