TEACHERS’ AND LEARNERS’ EXPERIENCES OF ENTREPRENEURIAL EDUCATION: PRACTICE AND CHALLENGES IN RELATION TO VISIBLE AND INVISIBLE PEDAGOGY

Abstract

Entrepreneurial education is described as gaining abilities that enable the future workforce to develop, be part of and adapt to the changing society. International policy texts, from for instance the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the European Commission, agree that entrepreneurial abilities are to be taught and learned in school. Even if this has been on the agenda for decades, it wasn’t inscribed in the Swedish curricula until 2011. This research focuses on lower secondary schools and what is called the broad approach or entrepreneurial education. To foster entrepreneurially, different progressive theories of instruction are often suggested. Basil Bernstein has outlined two generic forms of instructional theories: visible and invisible pedagogy; visible pedagogy can be described as “traditional”, while invisible pedagogy requires progressive teaching and learning. Based on classroom observations, interviews with teachers and learners, this study elaborates on these concepts in relation to experiences of entrepreneurial education. Different challenges, due to contradictory messages in curricula, learners’ backgrounds and experiences, as well as teachers’ approaches, are revealed. The study suggests that, even though more or less ambitious attempts are being made, “pure” entrepreneurial education is difficult to enable in a practice where visible pedagogy is the standard educational practice. Key words: entrepreneurial education, lower secondary school, teachers’ and learners’ experiences, parental background, visible and invisible pedagogy.