Page 225 - Štremfel, Urška, ed., 2016. Student (Under)achievement: Perspectives, Approaches, Challenges. Ljubljana: Pedagoški inštitut. Digital Library, Documenta 11.
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op all of this in students by means of suitable development of entrepre- 225
neurship, with the emphasis on encouraging creative and innovative prob-
lem-solving as a universally applicable skill. This is a skill that anyone could
use in everyday life and one that requires no broad knowledge of the conven-
tional contents taught at school or any great ability for retention or analytical
thinking.
The paper presents the essence of contemporary fostering of entrepre-
neurship in schools and provides some answers to the questions about the
way such education can prove helpful for underachieving students.
Starting Points of Fostering Creativity, Innovation
and Entrepreneurship at School
Although educational institutions exert no direct influence on the business
environment, they can nevertheless encourage young people to think and un-
derstand the connections between life, education and work. They can teach
the youth how to be creative in solving problems and how to act in an innova-
tive way and assist them in gaining considerable experience. Although discus-
sions among authors are still ongoing as to the extent that entrepreneurial be-
haviour may be learnt, the generally acknowledged fact is that at least certain
aspects of entrepreneurial practices and thinking can indeed be taught (Cot-
ton et al., 1992; Henry et al., 2005).
Creativity, innovation, entrepreneurship and entrepreneurship education
are complex and interwoven concepts with multiple meanings, and may be
linked to many other fields. A number of authors have for many years been
conducting studies (Wehner et al., 1991; Sternberg and Lubart, 1999; Ferrari
et al., 2009; Bourgeois, 2012) which aim to provide a more thorough explana-
tion for the common basis of these concepts and to offer a narrower vision
of this phenomenon. In recent years several European documents and guides
have also been produced (Entrepreneurship Education Enabling Teachers as
a Critical Success Factor, 2011; Entrepreneurship Education at School in Eu-
rope, National Strategies, 2012; Razvoj podjetniške naravnanosti in spretnosti v
EU, 2012; Entrepreneurship Education: A Guide for Educators, 2013), which link
the concepts and give more concrete guidelines on school practice. De Bono
(2006) believes creativity is a skill that can be developed and is based on the
use of lateral thinking tools. It cannot be ‘taught’ in a traditional way. A suita-
ble environment needs to be provided, one that fosters production of new ide-
as and curiosity. In analysing and describing the lateral thinking phenomenon,
the author points out that lateral thinking deals with generating new ideas
and that by its nature it differs considerably from traditional vertical thinking.
Burke (2007) holds a similar opinion. He believes that ‘if creativity is difficult to
fostering student achievement on the development of enterpreneurship
neurship, with the emphasis on encouraging creative and innovative prob-
lem-solving as a universally applicable skill. This is a skill that anyone could
use in everyday life and one that requires no broad knowledge of the conven-
tional contents taught at school or any great ability for retention or analytical
thinking.
The paper presents the essence of contemporary fostering of entrepre-
neurship in schools and provides some answers to the questions about the
way such education can prove helpful for underachieving students.
Starting Points of Fostering Creativity, Innovation
and Entrepreneurship at School
Although educational institutions exert no direct influence on the business
environment, they can nevertheless encourage young people to think and un-
derstand the connections between life, education and work. They can teach
the youth how to be creative in solving problems and how to act in an innova-
tive way and assist them in gaining considerable experience. Although discus-
sions among authors are still ongoing as to the extent that entrepreneurial be-
haviour may be learnt, the generally acknowledged fact is that at least certain
aspects of entrepreneurial practices and thinking can indeed be taught (Cot-
ton et al., 1992; Henry et al., 2005).
Creativity, innovation, entrepreneurship and entrepreneurship education
are complex and interwoven concepts with multiple meanings, and may be
linked to many other fields. A number of authors have for many years been
conducting studies (Wehner et al., 1991; Sternberg and Lubart, 1999; Ferrari
et al., 2009; Bourgeois, 2012) which aim to provide a more thorough explana-
tion for the common basis of these concepts and to offer a narrower vision
of this phenomenon. In recent years several European documents and guides
have also been produced (Entrepreneurship Education Enabling Teachers as
a Critical Success Factor, 2011; Entrepreneurship Education at School in Eu-
rope, National Strategies, 2012; Razvoj podjetniške naravnanosti in spretnosti v
EU, 2012; Entrepreneurship Education: A Guide for Educators, 2013), which link
the concepts and give more concrete guidelines on school practice. De Bono
(2006) believes creativity is a skill that can be developed and is based on the
use of lateral thinking tools. It cannot be ‘taught’ in a traditional way. A suita-
ble environment needs to be provided, one that fosters production of new ide-
as and curiosity. In analysing and describing the lateral thinking phenomenon,
the author points out that lateral thinking deals with generating new ideas
and that by its nature it differs considerably from traditional vertical thinking.
Burke (2007) holds a similar opinion. He believes that ‘if creativity is difficult to
fostering student achievement on the development of enterpreneurship
