The Enterprise/Entrepreneurship Train-the-Trainer program provides materials to train facilitators to teach entrepreneurship skills. It includes induction materials, module storyboards, kickoff seminars, self-paced online learning, case studies, a business plan template, and a reflective log. Facilitators receive support materials including workshop presentations, guidance for online activities, and case studies to help participants develop business plans and document their learning.
There are seven major components to the Ready To Manage Preparing for Enterprise course. Before we look at each of these in more detail at an individual level, lets just look at them in overview. (Read from the slide or below): Induction materials (including pre-assessment) Module “storyboards” Module “Kick off” seminar/workshop Follow on self-paced e-learning program (with activities) Support case studies Outline Business Plan Template Reflective log The components all work together to create a complete learning experience for participants. In other words, this is a “blended” learning experience in which individuals are expected to engage in reading, discussion, paired exercises and group activities, listen to and present information, engage in e-learning experiences and read and comment on case studies. In addition, individuals are expected to keep a progressive log book, and to build a business plan (at least in outline form) once they progress to the Certificate course.
Before the course has commenced in live workshop “kick-off” form, individuals are expected to do some pre-reading and general preparation or the program. To do this, each Module in the Preparing for Enterprise course has an 8-page booklet which can be given to individuals to read which explores the course structure, particular, objectives, specific competencies to be developed, what needs to be filled in on the reflective log and how the module will be assessed –candidates should spend quality time in preparing in all of these areas and in understanding the ILM needs in particular (especially around ten reflective log and assessment/marks needed to pass the assessment). Facilitator Notes At this point, hand-out the unit E2.01 introductory module induction booklet (perhaps one for every 2 people in the class) and invite pairs to spend 5/6 minutes reviewing the information it contains. Field any questions that then arise from any of the pairs.
The Entrepreneurial Assessment is used at Award level to help individuals to audit which competencies (important to future success) are strong or in need of development. This self-assessment questionnaire presents four categories or clusters to individuals to help think about their existing skills (with ten sub-cluster skills/behaviours underneath). These four clusters are: -Personal awareness (managing self) -Interpersonal skills (managing others) -Creativity/Change ability (managing situations) -Functional skills (managing tasks/activities) Individuals rate themselves as realistically as he or she can so as to discover which areas need most future focus or attention in order to maximise his or her chances of entrepreneurial success. In the Certificate course both the “ Personal Effectiveness ” and “ Psychological Type Profile ” are used to help deepen knowledge about skills and preferences. These are both much deeper profiles which both offer the individual long interpretive reports to read and reflect upon the information that is provided.
Each Module has a full colour two-sided storyboard which outlines all the key content of the course in summary form. As this slide says, these can be used as a step-by-step guide to keep referring to during the course, or a checklist to refer to after the course (to help apply the learning). Facilitators may want to hand out a storyboard sample or two to pass around the room at this point Storyboards are a very useful aid to learning and are very helpful when participants keep them close to hand. This is because they communicate not only the key information contained with Each module (at a glance) but because they show an ideal sequence in which to think about or act on particular issues.
Every module is typically commenced with an introductory module given by a facilitator or trainer (the very people in this room of course!). The introductory module is a key step in the learning process for several reasons: -It gets a group of learners together to meet one another -It allows people to ask questions -It allows individuals to share and participate in discussions -It allows individuals to listen to other participant’s entrepreneurial plans and thinking Sessions are therefore best run as a “blend” of facilitator led information and lots of participant comment and input. On the facilitator side, a fully scripted PowerPoint presentation is available to the facilitator/trainer with lots of group activities and discussion exercises to help make the learning interesting and interactive. However, the skill of the facilitator is to give individuals, pairs and groups the time to absorb the material for themselves and start to form ideas that they can act upon in their own enterprise business planning or future execution. FACILITATOR NOTES At this point, pass out a sample page from the facilitator presentation pack (preferably a longish one with an exercise or activity at the bottom). Ask participants to work in teams of 3 to read the information that is provided and how they might plan to present it (to make it their own) and to run the exercise/activity suggested.
The Enterprise series module workshops are designed to be 3 hour experiences, ideally delivered the evenings (5-8 or 6-9pm). There are two workshops in the Award course and Four in the Certificate course-making six workshops in all. Of course, the format for these workshops can be quite different if necessary. There is no reason for example why courses cannot be cut down to 90 minute experiences (with more of them) so as to allow participants to do more reading, research or other “homework” between sessions. The 3 hour designed Workshops can be two weeks apart (fast track) or 1 month apart, allowing individuals time for reflection and to undertake the relevant e-learning program. Of course, once again these are guidelines only and other approaches can be taken, includi9ng running the course over a much more extended period like a full academic year. ACTIVITY Invite participants to work in pairs or a group of 3 to discuss the kick off workshop format, timing and delivery options that they might like to adopt-after a few minutes re-group and discuss the findings.
As this slide says, E-Learning programs for each module are fully narrated experiences for each individual to work through on a self-paced basis over 3-4 hours of time in all. The material in the ea-learning programs are aligned with but not the same as the material that is presented in the “kick-off” workshops. Instead the e-learning module gives a more in-depth treatment to topics which may have only been touched upon in the workshop or introduces whole new areas useful to entrepreneurial work. All E-learning courses have lots of interactive exercises to help deepen knowledge about entrepreneurship and help individuals to think about key issues. Facilitator Notes Although it is not always possible (and an Internet connection will be needed) it is ideal at this point to demonstrate a few minutes of an e-learning module (maybe 3-4 screens) to show the group how the system works. Facilitators need to have a login and password to this module and obviously set up for this demonstration ahead of time.
Individuals are provided with a wide range of case studies to help guide what should be written into a reflective log and to help prepare what is progressively written into a business plan. These case studies are written into the format of the reflective log with 10—12 prompt questions for each individual unit or module in the Enterprise course. A theoretical entrepreneur (a would-be hair salon owner, Garage owner, Restaurant owner, Management Trainer etc) then fill in answers to the prompt questions to give others an indication about the sort of material that can be entered into the spaces provided. Two of the ten available case studies have full example notes for individuals to read. The others have the first section (module 1-assessing your readiness for enterprise) completed but leave the rest blank to be used for making rough notes ahead of a participant writing their own reflective log. Facilitators may want to hand out a case study sample at this point-give people 5 minutes to read/review and discuss the material in pairs before proceeding.
Once individuals have decided to go beyond the first module (and the Award) they progressively write a business plan for the business he or she has in mind. This is not only a useful part of the learning process and any real plans that might exist for starting a new entrepreneurial business but is also a key assessment criteria for this program. In other words, individuals are expected to be able to write a clear business plan which they could take to a bank for instance, and potentially raise money to fund the plan. To aid the business plan writing process a full “question-led” template is available to help individuals to cover all the key information that needs to be included in the plan. This includes basic information about the business being contemplated as well as prompts for more complex or intricate information that might require time in order to gather the data. Facilitators may want to hand out a business plan template sample at this point (perhaps photocopies of the marketing module pages)-give people 5 minutes to read/review and discuss the material in pairs before proceeding.
As part of the overall course assessment, individuals are expected to keep a full and detailed reflective log, to record thoughts, experiences and notes. The log is split into its five units or modules and gives specific objectives to be achieved and the assessment criteria that will be applied. For example, in unit 1. The objectives are: The purpose of this (reflective log writing) task is to encourage you to consider: • what you want and hope to achieve by running your own business • what skills and knowledge you need, and how you match up to these needs, and • a simple plan of action to set you on the right track. By responding in writing to each of these objectives, individuals are given the marks that can be earned in each section, so as to meet minimal requirements and achieve the minimum overall pass mark to gain the qualification (usually 50%) Facilitators may want to hand out a single page sample from the log book at this point (perhaps photocopies of unit E2.01 page –on page 5 of the reflective logbook)-give people 5 minutes to read/review and discuss the material in pairs before proceeding.
Throughout both the Award and Certificate program, facilitators are given full support materials including: A fully scripted PowerPoint Presentation Pack for module workshops Facilitator checklist notes to help support student on-line experiences (during activities in the e-module) A full set of the case study samples These all combine to help facilitators to provide the assistance that participants are likely to need as they undertake each of these units or modules, whether it is general knowledge and skill development about better entrepreneurship or about ILM course needs or assessment criteria. Of course, there is no substitute for each facilitator inviting individuals and teams of people undertaking each module to nominate what general support they would like to receive.
Although this is more to do with background information, the ReadyToManange modules are fully mapped to ILM unit outcomes and meet ILM assessment criteria. This means that participants can be confident that the work they are undertaking at the content level will cover the recommended content that ILM provides as an outline. As a result, individuals should be well-equipped to write notes into their reflective log and to develop their business plan (as they get beyond the first module/unit Award program). Mapping outlines documents, course scheme of work and course outlines are available to trainers, should they be needed. Now that all the elements of the Enterprise course have been covered, at this point, Facilitators may want to field general questions about this whole section and ensure that participants feel reasonably comfortable that they have a good grasp of how all of these components fit together to create a blended learning experience. After all questions have been asked and answered, facilitators can either show the next slide now and then break or move into a break before putting up the next slide.