Design is our success--The importance of modeling a virtual enterprise

Virtual Enterprise is a multidimensional teaching method based on a business simulation for learning purposes. In a Virtual Enterprise, students execute procedures similar to real-life companies in a virtual market economy. To enable that students can act according to existing business principles, teachers must design this Virtual Enterprise as an economically valid business model. This paper discusses the importance and the process of modeling and introduces several ways of designing a Virtual Enterprise for different learning objectives

How to become a good business teacher: Developing competences of prospective business education teachers

The mission of teacher education is to equip prospective teachers with the knowledge, skills, attitude and behaviour they need to deliver their best performance in the classroom and at school. This paper presents ideas for optimizing teacher education using the example of the master\u27s program of Business Education and Development at the University of Graz, placing a special focus on the acquisition of teacher competences. The biggest milestone in the curriculum is the teaching practice, the success of which strongly depends on good cooperation among students, teachers, schools, university, and school authorities. The second part of this article will be devoted to the introduction of various instruments designed to support the mentoring process during the teaching practice and to guide the development of teacher competences by the student (self-perception) and the mentor (external perception)

ePortfolio implementation in the master\u27s program of Business Educaiton and Development

The introduction of the new Master’s Program of Business Education and Development in the winter term of 2009/10 also marked the ePortfolio-initiative’s kick-off. At the same time the companion research was started to accompany the initiative for a period of at least six terms. This article gives insights into the initial results of the companion research, which has the purpose to examine the ePortfolio-initiative’s effectiveness

Providing feedback, orientation and opportunities for reflection as key elements for successful mentoring programs: Reviewing a program for future business education teachers

The first steps into teaching are critical for novice teachers. Near to the end of their masterΓÇÖs program, students of Business Education and Development spend a particular semester at an assigned school and are introduced to teaching, while being assisted by peer students, mentoring teachers and an companion course. Mentors receive a special training and preparation in advance, thus contributing to a high quality mentoring program. The program is organized threefold: (1) providing feedback, (2) opportunities for reflection and (3) career orientation.The purpose of this paper is to assess key elements of successful mentoring programs and to question which competences of mentors contribute most to the success of these programs. Between 2012 and 2015 188 persons (student teachers and their mentors) were questioned via online survey at the end of their mentoring program. Additionally, data from a study (1,245 questionnaires) regarding the student teachersΓÇÖ perception of their own competences was utilized, allowing for a comparison of the situation before and after the mentoring program.The present results provide insight into the key elements of successful mentoring programs; both from a student teacherΓÇÖs and mentorΓÇÖs perspective. During the semester, students show an increase regarding their self-perception of their professional competences. Students and mentoring teachers value direct feedback after each lesson more than feedback in regular meetings. Opportunities for reflection (e.g. exchange with peer students, learning diaries) are considered helpful. The structure of the mentoring program enables students to perform orientation on the choice whether to become a teacher or not

Orientation on learning outcomes with multidimensional student assessment

The orientation towards learning outcomes implies the need for competence-based learning as well as a competence-based student assessment. The ideas for innovative self and peer assessment presented in this paper enable individualized business education. Furthermore, various methods and instruments for a multidimensional design of students assessment are introduced, such as assessment circle (360°feedback), portfolio, learning diary, skills demonstration, and appraisal interview

Experiences in Using Technology: A Comparative Study Between Traditional and Alternative Teacher Certification Students in Business Teacher Education

Teacher shortages have been a national challenge in American education and Alternative Certification Teacher Programs have been proved to be part of the feasible solutions. Compared with traditional students in business teacher education programs, alternative business teacher certification students enter the program with more working experience, dedication and more interpersonal skills. To become effective business teachers, however, they must keep up with the latest technological advances and learn how to use and incorporate technology in classroom instruction. The direct experiences with technologies have been found to be related to confidence, positive attitudes and self-efficacy in technology, which all contribute to more infusion of technology in classroom teaching and learning. This study intended to investigate the experiences of the alternative business teacher certification students in their use of technology as compared to traditional business teacher education students

Providing entrepreneurship education to business and non-business students: A holistic view on different approaches

Entrepreneurship education has developed to a field of great significance, since a thoroughly carried out entrepreneurship education might serve as catalyst to enable economic growth and sustainable development. This paper follows a broad understanding of entrepreneurship education and concentrates on entrepreneurship education at universities. Several strategies to foster entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial spirit are introduced and didactical possibilities are presented by practical examples, such as business simulations and the project TIMEGATE. Finally, consequences and limitations of teaching entrepreneurship with a special focus on interest profiles of business teachers are discussed critically. As a practical implication, it becomes apparent that measures of entrepreneurship education require accurate reconcilement of didactical aims, teaching methods and assessment. Additional measures such as the introduction of role models can provide another contribution to foster entrepreneurship education within the classroom

Mind the Gap - Über die Berücksichtigung von Finanzbildungsinhalten im Lehrstoff österreichischer Pflichtschulen

Da Finanzbildung im Idealfall schon bei Kindern und Jugendlichen ansetzt (vgl. Grohmann/Menkhoff 2015; Whitebread/Bingham 2013), hat eine Sub-Arbeitsgruppe des International Network on Financial Education (INFE), unter Mitarbeit der Österreichischen Nationalbank (OeNB), einen umfangreichen Katalog an Core Competencies für die Finanzkompetenz von Jugendlichen veröffentlicht (vgl. OECD 2015b). Dieser legt fest, welches Wissen und welche Fähigkeiten Kinder und Jugendliche im Alter von 15-18 Jahren in Bezug auf finanzielle Fragen haben sollten. Angesichts der hohen Relevanz von Finanzbildung stellt sich ausgehend von diesem Rahmenwerk die Frage, inwieweit die Core Competencies bereits durch die Lehrstoffinhalte der Pflichtschulen in Österreich abgedeckt sind. Das Projekt Financial Core Competencies in Austria (FinCCA) knüpft mittels zweistufiger Gap-Analyse an dieser Fragestellung an: In einem ersten Schritt ist das Projekt darauf ausgerichtet zu untersuchen, inwieweit die Core Competencies durch die Lehrplaninhalte abgedeckt sind. Auf Basis der inhaltsanalytischen Auswertung der Lehrpläne werden in einem weiteren Schritt ausgewählte, in Österreich approbierte, Schulbücher analysiert. Auf Grundlage der zweistufigen Gap-Analyse sollen zentrale Unterrichtsinhalte identifiziert werden, für die abschließend Lehrkonzepte zur Lehrer/innen/bildung im Bereich Finanzbildung entwickelt werden. Insgesamt soll damit ein weiterer wissenschaftlicher Grundpfeiler für eine nationale Strategie zur Förderung von Finanzbildung im Sinne der OECD (vgl. OECD 2015a) geschaffen werden. FinCCA wird als gemeinsames Projekt der Wirtschaftsuniversität Wien, der Karl-Franzens-Universität Graz und der Österreichischen Nationalbank (OeNB) durchgeführt. Dieser Artikel gibt unter Berücksichtigung des Forschungstands einen Einblick in die Zielsetzung, das Projektdesign und ausgewählte Projektergebnisse. Die Ergebnisse geben einen Einblick inwiefern bestimmte inhaltliche Themenbereiche grundlegender Finanzbildung bereits innerhalb des Lehrstoffes österreichischer Pflichtschulen berücksichtigt sind. Der Artikel schließt mit Ansatzpunkten zur Verbesserung grundlegender Finanzbildung und gibt einen Ausblick über die weitere Vorgehensweise

SIEC-ISBE: Quo vadis? Strategy suggestions for the SIEC-ISBE

In order to escape the danger of stagnation, the SIEC-ISBE needs fresh perspectives. A strategy to increase membership numbers will be introduced in this paper, based on a study instigated from the Austrian chapter. After a short introduction of the status quo of the SIEC-ISBE, the paper will focus on the USP (Unique Selling Proposition) and the benefits of SIEC-ISBE membership. Some selected recommendations (for instance lowering the threshold for attending conferences or increased targeting of students) form the completion of this thesis

Practice enterprises in times of distance learning: The impact and consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic to the collaboration of practice enterprises

The aim of this paper is to outline the consequences which arise from the digital transformation of the multidimensional teaching and learning setting of practice enterprises and to discuss how digital collaboration of students can be supported during the COVID-19 pandemic. As an evolutionary moment also in the field of education, one can consider the experiences of COVID-19 as a catalyst for digital transformation and distance learning in education. How digital collaboration can be fostered in times of distance learning is shown by using the example of business simulations such as practice enterprises (PE). While previously this multidimensional teaching and learning setting was organized to a large extent onsite in a special classroom, a new learning and working environment had to be created with the transition to distance learning. By presenting two specific PE-activities (the Erasmus+ Project HEIPNET and the Online Trading Day at the University of Graz) a better insight is gained into how practice enterprises work and how the digitalization of teaching and learning settings is achieved in this context. It is concluded that COVID-19 has led to an accelerated need for teachers to rethink their didactical settings, with the role of the teacher as a designer of an adequate learning and working environment getting even more relevant than before. In addition, the article aims to identify opportunities to promote digital collaboration and contribute to learners\u27 employability