Children growing up in the 21st Century will need to be adaptable, dynamic and creative lifelong learners in a highly uncertain globalized world. Humanity faces global environmental, social, economic and political challenges on a scale and magnitude never before seen. The pace of technological change will mean that 21st Century workers need to learn, re-learn and keep reinventing themselves as individual businesses and whole industries respond to new opportunities and rapid change year-on-year.
"As we transition towards a sustainable planet dominated by technology, we will need people who are able to create, brand and sell new products and technologies that help tackle the global challenges we face, and generate the industries and jobs that power the economies and societies of the future."
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The 4th Industrial Revolution
Education must meet the needs of the future and prepare children for a productive and successful life this century. But what will the future really look like? Of course, nobody really knows. However, it is widely believed that we are on the cusp of the 4th industrial revolution based on rapid growth and development in the artificial intelligence (AI), technology and green sectors.
"Hands-on, social entrepreneurship education (I like to term "Edupreneurship") engages children, builds eco-friendly, ethical mindsets and equips children with some incredibly valuable practical skills for the 21st Century."
Entrepreneurship, creativity and tech skills will be vital for those in the driving seat of the companies of the future. Fresh start-ups will rapidly rush to fill this space and build the next big tech company planning on disrupting yet another industry. Companies that fail to clean up their supply chains and production processes to meet customer expectations on human rights and environmental standards will not survive. Well-informed and responsible consumers will vote with their credit cards. But how does this all relate to learning outside the classroom?
Connecting Entrepreneurship & Outdoor Education
Well, I am glad you asked as entrepreneurship fits in remarkably well. As we transition towards a sustainable planet dominated by advanced technology, we will need people who are able to create, brand and sell new products and technologies that help tackle the global challenges we face, and generate the industries and jobs that power the economies and societies of the future.
Experiential education outside the classroom is a perfect training ground for entrepreneurship and innovation in youth education. By challenging young people to build solutions to sustainability problems in the real world, create environmentally-friendly, ethical products and fund raise in the local community, we can really push the boundaries of progressive education and prepare children for the future.
In addition, this approach to learning connects well with STEAM education (science, technology, engineering, arts, mathematics), creating authentic learning opportunities that necessitate the application of classroom knowledge in real life settings and breakdown traditional subject boundaries.
Sourcing natural and sustainable materials, designing and making ethical products and services, branding and marketing/selling are all highly sort after skills with huge educational value. The proceeds made are then donated to a cause the youngsters themselves feel passionate about, or re-invested in more projects to create longer-term student impact. In addition, organizing and launching charity events within the local community can inspire, empower and activate young people to become social entrepreneurs for positive, real-world community change.
Edupreneurship
These are the type of cutting-edge, innovative and forward thinking learning experiences that we need to build on and develop in experiential education programs of the 21st Century. Hands-on social entrepreneurship education (I like to call it "Edupreneurship" for short) engages children outside the classroom, builds eco-friendly, ethical mindsets and equips children with some incredibly valuable practical skills for the 21st Century lifelong learner.
"Sourcing natural and sustainable materials, designing and making ethical products and services, branding and marketing/selling are all highly sort after skills....[and] organizing and launching charity events within the local community can inspire, empower and activate young people to become social entrepreneurs for positive, real-world community change."
So it's time to make some money for impact and change! Get your students out there and see if they can put their enterprise skills, STEAM knowledge and creativity to the test!
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