Enhance your curriculum by addressing the QAA Guidance on skills for your subject, and incorporating the QAA (2018) Guidance on Enterprise and Entrepreneurship.

QAA Benchmark Statement

  • Respond creatively and imaginatively to research tasks
  • Develop working relationships with others in teams
  • Adapt to different demand and tasks
  • Appreciate the benefit of giving and receiving feedback
  • Evaluate and reflect on their own practices and assumptions
  • Initiate and take responsibility for their own work

Embedding Enterprise

The following ETC tools can help you to deliver these skills in the curriculum

How To Guides

These guides have been selected to build QAA (2018) enterprise skills in your teaching.


Team Development through Skills Analysis (QAA 2,4,5,6,7)

Group Size ? 1.) Small group (teams of 4-6)
2.) Individual Task
3.) Large Group
4.) Any

Small group (teams of 4-6)

Learning Environment ? 1.) Lecture Theatre
2.) Presentation Space
3.) Carousel Tables (small working group)
4.) Any
5.) Outside
6.) Special

Carousel Tables (small working group)

QAA Enterprise Theme(s) ? 1.) Creativity and Innovation
2.) Opportunity recognition, creation and evaluation
3.) Decision making supported by critical analysis and judgement
4.) Implementation of ideas through leadership and management
5.) Reflection and Action
6.) Interpersonal Skills
7.) Communication and Strategy
8.) Digital and Data Skills

2Opportunity recognition‚ creation and evaluation 4Implementation of ideas through leadership and management 5Reflection and Action 6Interpersonal Skills 7Communication and Strategy

Objective:

The learner seek to recognise the skills inherent within a team or are needed for a group to achieve a goal/complete a task.

To recognise difference and how contributes to overall success.

Overview:

An exercise to understand the different skills needed by different individuals working within an organisation and how each person is integral to the overall mission.

Activity:

By presenting a group challenge (which could be an assessment or in-class group activity) ask the students in groups to identify the roles needed to achieve and deliver this task.

The task could be a research study, a group project or a live case from an employer. They can be actual/live or "typical" to your sector and industry or could be created from tender/proposals or research opportunities that you are aware of. This activity can assist a group if they are starting a long term project or assessment together or can be a stand-alone activity which helps them think through roles and responsibilities and underpins future group work.

Firstly ask them to identity the number and type of roles required to deliver the proposal, project, tender or group challenge. Typically they will focus on the project deliverables, but ensure that they also think of the skills needed within the project, such as communication; team leader; organised; patient; good listener. 

Using flip chart paper, they can start to shape these responsibilities into roles or jobs.

Some of their skills may link directly to roles, others may be standalone elements that they wish to see in the team and these can be identified on post its.

Provide outline images of people or a new piece of flip chart and ask them to present the roles required to deliver the job/meet the challenge. This can be presented to the group, or a poster-showcase can be created which includes the brief/project and their proposed solutions (job roles and skills).

Skill Development:

In order to review the skills developed in this task it is important to review the process with the group as well the outcome. They will have had to make judgements and rely on expertise and leadership from within the group and it can be powerful to explore their group dynamics against those they have created in their "dream team". Reflection questions can include:

  • Who demonstrated leadership?
  • Who analysed the task most effectively?
  • How did you overcome any barriers – or "stops" in your work?
  • What resources did you rely on? What networking skills supported this task

Ask the group to reflect upon the skills analysis they have undertaken and their ability to meet the challenge/task. What do they need within their team to be the "dream team" and what qualities would they need? What steps do they need to take (personally and professionally) in order to develop their skills to become a team player for this challenge?

Resources:

Scenarios or group challenges for the groups to tackle (can be different or the same) created from a proposal or tender, or the group assessment.

Flip chart, pens

(optional: outline of a person to create their "job description" with)

About the Author
This guide was produced by ARP.

Enhancing Reflective Practice: Think Pair Share (QAA 5)

Group Size ? 1.) Small group (teams of 4-6)
2.) Individual Task
3.) Large Group
4.) Any

Any

Learning Environment ? 1.) Lecture Theatre
2.) Presentation Space
3.) Carousel Tables (small working group)
4.) Any
5.) Outside
6.) Special

Any

QAA Enterprise Theme(s) ? 1.) Creativity and Innovation
2.) Opportunity recognition, creation and evaluation
3.) Decision making supported by critical analysis and judgement
4.) Implementation of ideas through leadership and management
5.) Reflection and Action
6.) Interpersonal Skills
7.) Communication and Strategy
8.) Digital and Data Skills

5Reflection and Action

Objective:

  • Build deeper reflection by working with others
  • Explore and understand process and experience through reflection
  • Develop reflective practice within learning

Overview:

This simple and effective reflective technique works in all teaching spaces and across all group sizes. This requires some individual time, some time working in pairs and then working wider across the group. It is a collaborative process that deepens individual reflection and shares collective thinking effectively with a group of any size.

Activity:

This activity is a cooperative learning technique that encourages individual reflection that builds through three distinct steps:

Think: Students think independently about the question that has been posed, forming ideas of their own or reflecting up their own learning experience or journey. This stage should not be rushed as it is key that individuals take time to think on their own, making notes or reflecting personally.

Pair: Students are grouped in pairs to discuss their thoughts. This step allows students to articulate their ideas and to consider those of others.

Share: Student pairs share their ideas with the full group and the tutor supports or facilitates a group discussion on the consensus of ideas.

This technique works well for reflection but also any open-ended questions or problems that require discussion. Other amends are to "Write- pair-share" which ensures that the individual element of the task is not rushed, or to avoid the third stage of "share" across the whole group.

Skill Development:

You can enhance the presentation skills within this task by asking each person to stand and respond individually, moving round the group – or to create a powerpoint slide to share their individual or joint thinking from the process. However the immediacy of this process, requiring no resources and yet engaging all the learners in reflective practice is very attractive to use in class, with large groups.

References:

http://www.cultofpedagogy.com/think-pair-share/

http://blogs.edweek.org/teachers/coach_gs_teaching_tips/2014/12/a_think-pair-share_on_think-pair-share_1.html?intc=es&intc=mes

http://www.learner.org/jnorth/tm/InstrucStrat36.html

http://blogs.edweek.org/teachers/coach_gs_teaching_tips/

About the Author
This guide was produced by ARP.

Timelines (QAA 5)

Group Size ? 1.) Small group (teams of 4-6)
2.) Individual Task
3.) Large Group
4.) Any

Small group (teams of 4-6)

Learning Environment ? 1.) Lecture Theatre
2.) Presentation Space
3.) Carousel Tables (small working group)
4.) Any
5.) Outside
6.) Special

Carousel Tables (small working group)

QAA Enterprise Theme(s) ? 1.) Creativity and Innovation
2.) Opportunity recognition, creation and evaluation
3.) Decision making supported by critical analysis and judgement
4.) Implementation of ideas through leadership and management
5.) Reflection and Action
6.) Interpersonal Skills
7.) Communication and Strategy
8.) Digital and Data Skills

5Reflection and Action

Objective:

  • The learner will develop reflection techniques transferring this information into a group self development/ action plan
  • Experience of discovery through interactive learning processes including learning from failure.

Overview:

(small paragraph/ 2 -3 sentence)

The focus of this task is group reflection, understanding and learning from experience when faced with challenges.

Activity:

As a tutor you will need to prepare in advance to deliver this activity.

PREPERATION:

Depending on class size the activity timings is 2 hrs when working with 4-5 groups of learners. The exercise can be assessed or used as a reflection exercise within a group assignment. You will need to make sure the room is suitable with moving space and tables which can accommodate seating of each group. To deliver the session you will have a box of materials (listed in resources) prepared including laminated titles from 5 sections discussed below.

This activity is divided into 5 sections: -

  • Past – What have you done?
  • Barriers/Pathways – What barriers did you face/ what pathways did you experience?
  • Present – Where are you now?
  • You (Your Opportunity Unrealised) – What did you learn/ what opportunities did you miss?
  • Future – Action plan/ group self development looking forward

Each section is introduced in a timed sequence of 10 minutes per section/ 50 minutes. The group are tasked with creating a “time line” using materials and space provided. The timeline will be created based on group discussion and reflection after each of the sections. Each group will share their timeline, ideally one learner per topic.

Skill Development:

short – focus on reflection; review; feedback; learning

Opportunity to focus and reflect on group working, learning through reflection with chance to put this understanding into practice as the group work for assignment continues.

Resources:

  • String
  • Scissors
  • Selotape
  • Flip Chart
  • Paper
  • Newspaper
  • Post-its or similar sticky pads
  • Pens
  • Cardboard boxes 

About the Author
This guide was produced by Penny Matthews Coleg Llandrillo Enterprise Coordinator, Grwp Llandrillo Menai.

Developing Self-Awareness in Teams (QAA 5)

Group Size ? 1.) Small group (teams of 4-6)
2.) Individual Task
3.) Large Group
4.) Any

Individual Task

Learning Environment ? 1.) Lecture Theatre
2.) Presentation Space
3.) Carousel Tables (small working group)
4.) Any
5.) Outside
6.) Special

Any

QAA Enterprise Theme(s) ? 1.) Creativity and Innovation
2.) Opportunity recognition, creation and evaluation
3.) Decision making supported by critical analysis and judgement
4.) Implementation of ideas through leadership and management
5.) Reflection and Action
6.) Interpersonal Skills
7.) Communication and Strategy
8.) Digital and Data Skills

5Reflection and Action

Objective:

  • To enhance self-awareness in team work through reflective practice
  • To reflect upon individual behaviour and practice
  • To explore individual approaches to team work
  • To develop approaches to improved future team working

Overview 

This reflective activity is based upon 'open questioning' to encourage students to explore their own behaviour in a group. As this activity focuses upon the individual it can be run effectively in any learning space and with any group size, however there are modifications available if the group has worked together before. 

Activity

Students are asked to work alone to complete the following sentences in relation to yourself when working in teams:

My greatest skill in teams is

A skill in teams which I could handle better is

My quality which team members respond to best is

I respond best to team members who

If there is one thing I do too much of, it is

If there is one thing I could do more of, it is

Team members find my manner predominantly

Students are asked to attempt this task individually (3-5 minutes) making notes for their own use.
Then they are invited to turn to the person next to them and ask them 'How did you get on?'.
This question is worded that way in case anyone does not want to talk about the specifics of what they have put down but still talk about how difficult or otherwise they found the exercise.
After they have discussed for 5 minutes or so, the tutor should ask the whole group the question, 'How did you get on?'
Individuals respond by exploring the difficulties they found in answering this and collectively the group seeks to identify three pre-requisites for developing self-awareness. 
These are:

  1. you have to be curious about yourself: many have never really thought about their behaviour or attitude in teams;
  2. you have to willing and able to seek information (feedback) about yourself from others;
  3. you have be prepared to consider and process all feedback; many are concerned about how they will handle the information (inclined to filter out the 'good' news or the 'bad' news)

Modification: If the group have worked together before you can ask them to undertake this task in pairs. First answering for themselves and secondly answering for their partners.

Then they can discuss/compare perceptions, and hopefully learn about the accuracy of individual self-awareness.
This deepens their skill development as will require effective interpersonal skills.

Modification 2: Completing a list of prescribed incomplete sentences can be a simple but very powerful tool for getting started on the reflective process. You can issue similar open questions after presentations or group work for individuals to reflect on. For example:

  • What I like most about my performance is ..
  • I have most difficulty when I ..
  • The bit I look forward to most is ..
  • If I could change one thing about my approach it would be ..

Here are some incomplete sentences for use by a student or lecturer in reflecting on a teaching /presentation session:

The part of the session that I found most rewarding was ..
The one part I would do differently if I had the chance would be ..
I was at my most uncertain when ..
I was most relaxed when ..
I felt anxious when ..
I was pleased with ..
I felt awkward when ..
One part of what I said that I could have worded differently was ..

Skill Development

Developing effective reflective skills requires practice and repetition. These open questions, together with the opportunity to share and comment, create the space for students to review their approach and consider the future lessons for their practice/behaviour. The technique of 'open questions' supports reflective practice and can be adapted to review many of the individual and group activities that students are challenged to undertake. Collective debriefing on personal reflection is also incredibly useful in helping the students appreciate wider viewpoints or to deepen their own practice. However it may be helpful to share clear ground rules regarding personal disclosure during these discussions to ensure that individuals only share elements of their reflection that they are comfortable with. 

Resources:

None

References:

Mortiboys, A. (2012) Teaching with Emotional Intelligence 2nd edition London: Routledge
Paperback www.alanmortiboys.co.uk

About the Author
This guide was produced by Alan Mortiboys (Higher Education Consultant (Emotional Intelligence)).

Workshop: Being Heard (QAA 5,7)

Group Size ? 1.) Small group (teams of 4-6)
2.) Individual Task
3.) Large Group
4.) Any

Any

Learning Environment ? 1.) Lecture Theatre
2.) Presentation Space
3.) Carousel Tables (small working group)
4.) Any
5.) Outside
6.) Special

Lecture Theatre, Presentation Space

QAA Enterprise Theme(s) ? 1.) Creativity and Innovation
2.) Opportunity recognition, creation and evaluation
3.) Decision making supported by critical analysis and judgement
4.) Implementation of ideas through leadership and management
5.) Reflection and Action
6.) Interpersonal Skills
7.) Communication and Strategy
8.) Digital and Data Skills

5Reflection and Action 7Communication and Strategy

Objective:

  • To provide students with a greater understanding of the principles behind effective communication.
  • To provide students with a greater understanding of the importance of a personal brand, and how a personal brand is developed.
  • To provide students with a greater understanding of how communication strategies and brand apply to individuals and businesses in a social media context.
  • To provide students with the ability to utilise social media to generate opportunities for themselves and their enterprises. 

Overview:

'Being Heard' is a presentation which can be delivered to a group of any size, and tailored to ensure its relevancy to any audience. 

The ability to communicate effectively through social media is becoming of increasing importance, to individuals and to businesses. Those who master it, are able to generate more leads, find more opportunities, and get their message heard more clearly, than those who don't. Though social media itself is anew phenomenon, many of the principles behind its effective usage are not: clear communication skills, and a strong brand identity, lie at the heart of it. 

Being Heard is a workshop which to introduce students to these themes, discussing the importance of social media as a communication tool, exploring communication strategies and effective branding, and investigating cases where these have been put to effective use within a social media context.

The activity is designed to fit within a typical one hour lecture session, with ample opportunities for extension, and through practical activity, group discussion or independent research, could easily form the basis of a more comprehensive scheme of work on the subject. The AV presentation for use in the delivery of the workshop can be downloaded via the link to the 'ZONE Enterprise Hub' webpages listed in the resources and references at the end of this document. 

Activity:

(See Resources / References for materials to accompany the delivery of this activity).

Activity Part 1: Introduction

  • The themes of the workshop are introduced to the audience.
  • The group share which social media platforms they use, what their aims and objectives are with using each, and fi they have ever reflected on how to use these platforms to greatest effect.

Activity Part 2: Communication

  • The group explore principles behind effective communication (I any arena), namely; presentation structure, the use of tools, and powerful delivery.
  • Here, the group explore how they would structure presentations on various themes, how tools (pictures, videos etc.) could make this delivery more effective, and how the use language and tone impact on information being communicated.
  • This section follows the format of the workshop 'How to Speak in Public', a guide and resources for which, can be found in the 'Resources / References' section of this document.

Activity Part 2: Personal Brand

  • Students are presented with the logos of various companies, and discuss the words and feelings which a brought to mind when they see each.
  • They discuss what the reasons for these are, and the actions companies have taken to bring them about.
  • Next the process is repeated with individuals (as opposed to companies) and the same questions are explored.
  • Students reflect of the words and feeling they would wish to be brought to mind when their name was heard (and their objectives in wanting these associations). They reflect on the actions they could take to bring about these associations. 

Activity Part 3: Social Media

  • Students discuss how each of the points discussed in communication and branding applies within a social media context.
  • Real world case studies are explored, seeing how individual social media posts, series of posts, and users' platforms as a whole, adopt the above to great effect.
  • You may wish to include your own case studies in this section, to ensure the workshop is up-to-date and maximally relevant to the audience. 

Activity Part 4: Conclusion

  • The main themes of the workshop are re-capped.
  • Students are invited to share a post regarding their experience of the workshop, via their own social media channels.
  • You may wish to recommend a specific hash tag for students to include in this post. 

Skill Development:

  • Students will have greater awareness of the importance of strong communication skills and a well-developed personal brand, and a better understanding of how to achieve these.
  • They will understand how these themes relate to social media, how social media can be used advantageously, and how this related to their own studies, careers and endeavours. 

Resources:

  • Copies of the slides which accompany this presentation can be downloaded here ? Being Heard [PDF]
  • For a How To Guide expanding upon the communication elements explored in Being Heard, see 'Workshop: How to Speak in Public.'

References:

Associated Case Studies

About the Author
This guide was produced by Mike Corcoran (www.macorcoran.com). If you would like to contact the author, please use this email address:- m.a.corcoran@outlook.com.

Using Externals to Create a Guest Lecture Series (QAA 5)

Group Size ? 1.) Small group (teams of 4-6)
2.) Individual Task
3.) Large Group
4.) Any

Large Group

Learning Environment ? 1.) Lecture Theatre
2.) Presentation Space
3.) Carousel Tables (small working group)
4.) Any
5.) Outside
6.) Special

Any

QAA Enterprise Theme(s) ? 1.) Creativity and Innovation
2.) Opportunity recognition, creation and evaluation
3.) Decision making supported by critical analysis and judgement
4.) Implementation of ideas through leadership and management
5.) Reflection and Action
6.) Interpersonal Skills
7.) Communication and Strategy
8.) Digital and Data Skills

5Reflection and Action

Objective:

  • To bring 'real world' (industry; practitioner; client; customer) perspectives to your students
  • To identify 'real world' problems and issues that the industry/sector faces and engage your students learning, knowledge and professional understanding to address these, anchored by practicalities of professional practice/industry constraints

Overview:

By inviting a range of sector/industry experts into the lecture theatre, you create the opportunity for students to appreciate their learning within their professional context. This approach can be viewed as "one off" or offered as a full module/programme where each week experts, users, clients, or sector experts address your students to broaden their understanding and deepen their appreciation of professional practice.

Activity:

This activity requires preparation in advance to secure relevant speakers for your students. Personal contacts and professional networks often yield great opportunities to engage speakers however there are also professional speaking associations that you might be able to tap into. It is also useful to consider customer bodies, consumer groups, patient action groups and other sector or industry stakeholders however internal experts can also be found across faculty, and within your own, or neighbouring, institution.

The preparation (agreement and confirmation of the speaker brief) is key to the development of a guest lecture series, and typically if you have the opportunity to schedule a programme of inputs, you have the opportunity to expose the students to a wide range of perspectives.

Skill Development:

A deep appreciation of their learning/skill development across the full programme of study can be achieved through the guest speakers however it is also possible for a guest lecture series not to create the deep learning that you would seek. It is therefore important to consider how you wish your students to reflect upon what they have heard and build deep connections to their wider learning.

There are opportunities to deepen the learning gained by guest speakers through regular reflection and also through assessment of their learning. This can be achieved through ETC: TOOL Reflective learning Diary or drawing upon the reflective models (Gibb1988; Driscoll 2000) to support your classroom debriefing.

Within a series of guest speakers it is important to ensure that there is reflection time without the externals present which allows you to connect up the inputs, critique and question what has been presented.

Resources:

Planning – it can be helpful to create an individual brief for your speakers that outlines the key logistics (time; length; location; travel; expenses if offered) and indicates what is expected in terms of

  • Approach (time; questions)
  • The general module/programme/ outcomes and purpose
  • The specific elements you are seeking to explore
  • Details of the audience – year; background; experience; interests;
  • Why you asked them (what they offer to your students)

This is often best undertaken through the development of a shared understanding/discussion, followed up by written confirmation.

Additional ETC resources include:

Guest Speaker Guidance – to support the development of individual sessions

Reflective Learning Diary – as a potential assessment method for a full programme of speakers

References:

For reflection:

Gibb's reflective cycle: from Gibbs, G (1988) "Learning by doing: A guide to teaching and learning methods"

Atkins and Murphy Model from Atkins, S. and Murphy, K. (1994) Reflective Practice. Nursing Standard 8(39) 49-56 Driscoll, J (2000) Practising Clinical Supervision Edinburgh Bailliere Tindall

About the Author
This guide was produced by ARP.

Your How To Guide Here

If you would like to have your How to Guide featured, please download the template and email the completed version to hello@etctoolkit.org.uk.

We have produced a guidance sheet which will assist you in completing the How to Guide.

If you have any questions regarding completing the template, please Contact Us.

Case Examples

Group Size ? 1.) Small group (teams of 4-6)
2.) Individual Task
3.) Large Group
4.) Any

Learning Environment ? 1.) Lecture Theatre
2.) Presentation Space
3.) Carousel Tables (small working group)
4.) Any
5.) Outside
6.) Special

QAA Enterprise Theme(s) ? 1.) Creativity and Innovation
2.) Opportunity recognition, creation and evaluation
3.) Decision making supported by critical analysis and judgement
4.) Implementation of ideas through leadership and management
5.) Reflection and Action
6.) Interpersonal Skills
7.) Communication and Strategy
8.) Digital and Data Skills

Communication Icebreaker – Interpersonal skill development (Simventure) (QAA 6,7)

Group Size ? 1.) Small group (teams of 4-6)
2.) Individual Task
3.) Large Group
4.) Any

Any

Learning Environment ? 1.) Lecture Theatre
2.) Presentation Space
3.) Carousel Tables (small working group)
4.) Any
5.) Outside
6.) Special

Carousel Tables (small working group)

QAA Enterprise Theme(s) ? 1.) Creativity and Innovation
2.) Opportunity recognition, creation and evaluation
3.) Decision making supported by critical analysis and judgement
4.) Implementation of ideas through leadership and management
5.) Reflection and Action
6.) Interpersonal Skills
7.) Communication and Strategy
8.) Digital and Data Skills

6Interpersonal Skills 7Communication and Strategy

Objective:

The learner will be able

  • to address the challenge by gathering a wide range of solutions
  • to evidence the power of group work as more ideas are created through team work
  • to encourage individuals to work together (icebreaker) before undertaking a significant team challenge (Simventure business start-up simulation)
  • to energise and interest a mixed group

Introduction:

This quick ice-breaker can be used with any size of group (if you have sufficient resources for each group/individual) and acts an immediate energiser.

Activity:

All participants are given a scrabble letter (or similar) at the very start of a session (You can either run this as an individual challenge, or with larger groups, create teams/groups).

Set the challenge to make the longest word possible within a set time frame (3 mins).

An enhancement of this can be to bind the task in some way – so to make the word to do with the topic/subject or related on the up-coming challenge.

This very busy activity results in people getting to know each other very quickly, having fun and finding immediate common ground.

Impact:

This active and engaging task brings the students together, energising them before they are issued with their main group challenge (to run SIMVENTURE – business start-up simulation). It is highly effective as an ice-breaker task as the task is sufficiently engaging, but 'low-risk' as not related to the large challenge of the day (competitively running a business simulation).

Learner outcome:

The need for good interpersonal skills, working within specific time constraints, means that the students engage in the task and each other from the first moments of the class.

Reflection the task at the end of the 'game' can allow for key points to be bought out regarding team work, expectations of team members or colleagues and provide a foundation for creating ground rules for working together.

Resources:

Scrabble letters – or similar

Timer (watch/phone)

References:

http://simventure.co.uk/the-product/overview

Author:

Simventure www.simventure.co.uk

About the Author
This guide was produced by Marcus Hill, SDDU University of Leeds and Peter Harrington.

Teaching the Teachers

Group Size ? 1.) Small group (teams of 4-6)
2.) Individual Task
3.) Large Group
4.) Any

Small group (teams of 4-6)

Learning Environment ? 1.) Lecture Theatre
2.) Presentation Space
3.) Carousel Tables (small working group)
4.) Any
5.) Outside
6.) Special

Presentation Space, Carousel Tables (small working group)

QAA Enterprise Theme(s) ? 1.) Creativity and Innovation
2.) Opportunity recognition, creation and evaluation
3.) Decision making supported by critical analysis and judgement
4.) Implementation of ideas through leadership and management
5.) Reflection and Action
6.) Interpersonal Skills
7.) Communication and Strategy
8.) Digital and Data Skills

6Interpersonal Skills 7Communication and Strategy

Objective:

  • To successfully embed essential procedural knowledge.
  • To enliven a traditionally dry area of the curriculum.
  • To expose students to working within a high pressure, novel, real-world environment.
  • To develop students presentation and communication skills.
  • To develop students teamwork and interpersonal skills.
  • To develop students ability to communicate information effectively to diverse audiences.

Introduction:

In the first year of the Forensic Science undergraduate degree programme at Glyndwr University, students undertake a module in ‘Crime Scene Investigation.’ This module is a core module for all Forensic Science Students, and an elective module popular with students from various degree programmes including media, psychology and the humanities. Students studying this module have a broad range of career ambitions, including work within forensic science and associated services, the police force, criminology and criminal psychology, as well as many others looking to develop broader skills for future graduate level employment and self-employment.

A key part of the module is the learning of the rigorous practices and procedures that must be followed, for example, when handling evidence, or attending a scene of crime, something which can traditionally be one of the drier areas of the course. In working life, a forensic scientist is exposed to unpredictable and high pressure environments, is required to work with diverse teams, where clearly designated roles and effective decision making are essential, and will potentially be required to communicate complex and sensitive information in a number of settings to a diverse range of individuals. As such, we look to embed each of these skills into module delivery throughout the programme. Each of course, is also an enterprising behaviour, which will well equip students irrespective of their future career path.

To enliven this area of the module delivery, we partnered Science Discovery Centre Techniquest Glyndwr (who offer practical workshops on forensic science themes to high school students), and invited our students to train Techniquest Glyndwr’s presenters on various areas of procedural practice.

Activity:

The activity was delivered over a three hour period, with a group of approximately 20 students. Prior to the session, students had been made aware that the subject of the session would be procedural practice (something which had been covered in a traditional lecture format in previous weeks), and recommended key texts to read in preparation, but were given no further information regards the session’s content.

Upon arrival, students were told that in precisely 2 hours’ time, a group of professional educators from Techniquest Glyndwr would be attending, to receive training from the students themselves, on various aspects of procedure (handling evidence, attending a crime scene etc.).

Students were then instructed to organise themselves into small groups (of three to five individuals), select an aspect of procedure from those made available, and to prepare a 10 minute presentation on their chosen aspect. The students were encouraged to use the University library, phones, computers and other resources as they saw fit and report back to the classroom 15 minutes in advance of their presentations. A selection of props, and other presentation materials were provided for groups to use at their discretion.

Once two hours had passed, the students then each presented to their invited audience in turn, with groups observing one another, and fielding conducting a short Q and A at the end of their presentations. The presentation period was an hour in length.

Though the work was not summative, a formative assessment was made for each group.

Impact:

The activity, though simple to organise and deliver, served its purpose in both bringing to life an important, yet dry, area of the curriculum, and in developing the essential enterprise skills needed of the graduates. Though group presentations are often valuable in their own right, key elements that added to the impact of the exercise in this care were the fact that groups were presenting to an external audience, not only their peers, and that groups were given only 2 hours’ notice of the task, and so had to meet the challenge under a particular pressure.

Through its novelty it proved to serve as a strong aide memoir, and was able to support students in the completion of their summative assessed work on the themes covered too.

The activity also served to develop the relationship between the degree programme and the science discovery centre, leading to further opportunities for students to gain professional work experience thereafter.

Learner outcome:

When presented with the challenge, the initial response of the majority of students was one of trepidation, due to the unfamiliar situation into which they were being placed. However, the high pressure environment, novel circumstances, strict time constraints, and real-world context (with presentations being delivered to externals), served to focus the minds of the learners, with students remaining on task, focused, and coordinating responsibilities amongst their groups well.

Students came through their presentations successfully without exception, developing their communication skills and confidence in the process, and the activity ensured that the procedural knowledge was better remembered going forward.

After the activity had taken place, all students reflected that they had found the experience to be an enjoyable and worthwhile one.

Resources:

  • Access to appropriate materials for students to prepare a presentation (i.e. reference books, computers etc.).
  • Rooms with suitable space both for preparation, and group presentation.
  • An appropriate captive audience for students to present their work to.
  • For a step-by-step guide to this activity, see How To Guide ‘Teaching the Teachers.’

About the Author
This guide was produced by Mike Corcoran. If you would like to contact the author, please use this email address:- m.a.corcoran@outlook.com.

Imagine and Create Your Future

Group Size ? 1.) Small group (teams of 4-6)
2.) Individual Task
3.) Large Group
4.) Any

Small group (teams of 4-6)

Learning Environment ? 1.) Lecture Theatre
2.) Presentation Space
3.) Carousel Tables (small working group)
4.) Any
5.) Outside
6.) Special

Presentation Space, Carousel Tables (small working group)

QAA Enterprise Theme(s) ? 1.) Creativity and Innovation
2.) Opportunity recognition, creation and evaluation
3.) Decision making supported by critical analysis and judgement
4.) Implementation of ideas through leadership and management
5.) Reflection and Action
6.) Interpersonal Skills
7.) Communication and Strategy
8.) Digital and Data Skills

2Opportunity recognition‚ creation and evaluation 3Decision making supported by critical analysis and judgement 5Reflection and Action 6Interpersonal Skills 7Communication and Strategy

Objective:

  • The learner will discover that they have entrepreneurial abilities and potential
  • The learner will get an insight into the world of ‘everyday’ entrepreneurship
  • The learner will become more alert to opportunity recognition
  • This is a useful session for the reluctant entrepreneur – those who might think it’s not for them, particularly arts students.

Introduction

This activity has been used with 3rd year Design and Visual Arts student, 2nd year Photography students and MA Contemporary Art students at Coventry University to project forward and encourage students to imagine their potential future. This encourages students to consider how to ‘make their job’ not ‘take a job’ by working forward potential scenarios post-graduation.

Activity

This 2 hr session is based around a hypothetical case study told as an engaging story and featuring several of the students in your class. It is told by the session leader and is followed by group discussion and analysis of their colleagues’ journey which leads them to recognise and identify with the enterprising actions and activities.

For 3rd year Design and Visual Arts student, 2nd year Photography students and MA Contemporary Art students at Coventry University, the following case study was created.

I start by selecting a likely student and ask their name – and if they reply “John” then your script to the class would be:

In 5 years’ time John will be running a successful technical consultancy for the art world providing a range of services, including haulage, framing, hanging and conservation.

How did he get there? Well, 1 year ago, as a 2nd year student he attended the 3rd year Arts degree show. Here he began chatting with a few people including the curator of the Hebert Art Gallery, Jeanette Smith. They got on well: they talked about the art, the exhibition, the Herbert programme and discovered a mutual interest in (ask John about his interests i.e. baking). They got on so well that a week later John decided to pop into the gallery to ask Jeanette if there was any chance he might get an exhibition at the gallery. After Jeanette stopped laughing she did say, 'but seriously, we do have an immediate opportunity for work experience'. The gallery was busy installing an exhibition by Douglas Rainford and were a bit behind schedule, could John help? Now John had planned to spend the next week finishing off assignments, which he was behind on, and there had been a baking festival in Northampton that he wanted to go to.

John took the leap and spent the next two weeks installing the exhibition at the gallery. At the same time he was getting to know Douglas, they discussed art, rail travel (Douglas was coming up from London most days) and discovered a mutual interest in (ask John about his other interests, i.e. cycling).

John said goodbye to Douglas at the private view a week later but kept in touch via twitter. John spent the rest of the summer, baking and cycling and then returning to university for his final year. He pursued his dream of getting an exhibition and continued approaching galleries, bars and cafés, but without much luck.

8 months later, round about the time of his degree show, John is invited to Douglas ' private view at the exclusive Charlie Smith Gallery in London, an independent gallery featuring some of the brightest young things. John is a bit torn, he is busy in Coventry, and the London train fare will be a few quid. But it seems like a good opportunity so he accepts the invite. The private view is full of London art glitterati and he chats to and swaps cards with several artists and gallerists. Douglas introduces him to Charlie Smith, the owner of the gallery they are standing in. They chat about the art and about Douglas and discover their mutual interest in (ask John) Silent Cinema. It transpires that Charlie is touring an exhibition through Europe over the summer and he is looking for technical help with the show, would John be interested? Well John had planned to go travelling that summer with some mates, but decided this would be more interesting.

So John started working freelance for the Charlie Smith gallery as a gallery technician and for the next two years was meeting other artists, other gallerists, he was speaking to specialist haulage companies and shipping agents. At the same time he was making ends meet working in a bar and finding other bits of casual work. But he was getting more and more offers from other galleries to help out, to tour exhibitions, moving from assistant roles to coordination roles. He was moving onwards and upwards. 3 years later there was a public tender to manage a European touring exhibition of medieval Masters for the National Gallery. This was John's big opportunity to move on to some very exciting work. But oh dear, the tender says the applicant must have arts conversation expertise. Them john remembers, (pick on a class mate) Charlotte went onto an MA in Arts Conservation at The University of Norwich. John picked up the phone:

'Hi Charlotte, how are you?'

10 minutes later Charlotte is on board.

John put in the proposal....he didn't get it. Main reason, he didn't have experience in bid writing.

But two months later a similar tender from the V&A was announced to tour an exhibition. This time John approached Jeanette, remember, the curator at the Herbert, she had lots of experience in assessing bids and she joined them in putting together a proposal. This time they we're successful.

The session finishes with 10-15mins reflection where students have to pledge to do something entrepreneurial that week. It could be something they had been thinking about for a while but had made excuses not to do it. Others may need a little help and guidance from peers about what they might do, so reflection and pledge setting should be discussed in groups.

Impact:

The impact was significant, particularly with students who would not consider themselves to be entrepreneurial. The immediacy of creating a case around a team member makes a deep connection with the student group that connects them powerfully with the potential of this story.

Learner Outcome :

The follow up session or debrief seeks when more detailed reflections can emerge and when students can get a measure of where they might be regarding their own development in terms of entrepreneurship and the enterprising mind-set.

Resources:

Post-its or similar sticky pads

Pens

Flip chart

About the Author
This guide was produced by Dr Peter McLuskie. If you would like to contact the author, please use this email address:- Peter.McLuskie@coventry.ac.uk.

Bath Spa University: Critical Reading 2

Group Size ? 1.) Small group (teams of 4-6)
2.) Individual Task
3.) Large Group
4.) Any

Any

Learning Environment ? 1.) Lecture Theatre
2.) Presentation Space
3.) Carousel Tables (small working group)
4.) Any
5.) Outside
6.) Special

Any

QAA Enterprise Theme(s) ? 1.) Creativity and Innovation
2.) Opportunity recognition, creation and evaluation
3.) Decision making supported by critical analysis and judgement
4.) Implementation of ideas through leadership and management
5.) Reflection and Action
6.) Interpersonal Skills
7.) Communication and Strategy
8.) Digital and Data Skills

5Reflection and Action

This example features in 'Bath Spa University Careers - Embedding Enterprise and Employability in the Curriculum' - Download the full document HERE.

 

Introduction:

 

The English Department at Bath Spa University needed an alternative to the generic “one size fits all” graduate development module as attendance, engagement, and feedback was generally very poor.

Embedding an employability thread within the 2nd year core module has connected better to students by including an element of choice and by linking to assessment - giving them a bona fide reason to engage and resulting in much better feedback. Consistent and supportive staff rhetoric has also played a significant part.

 

Activity:

 

The inaugural lecture entitled ‘Surviving Year 2’ is an introduction to the academic expectations and structure of the module, where justification for the employability aspects are positioned against the previous alternative; allowing current students to hear things from a ‘you said, we did’ perspective. The first assessment (a targeted professional CV) is supported by linked Careers Consultant, and submitted as a formative, and then summative assignment after getting feedback. The assessment criteria itself has evolved into a comprehensive marking grid that ensures clear guidance for students, and clarifies the expectations for a graduate level CV.

Following this, there is a two week period where the regular timetable is suspended, and students must choose to attend at least one workshop (with many opting to attend more) from a selection of 16 different career development themes, specifically designed with the client group in mind. These workshops ‘feed into’ the second assessment (the personal development plan: 1000-2000 words of reflective writing, focused on career goals and how to achieve them).

An ‘Alumni Roundtable’ lecture is designed to introduce the forthcoming workshops by using the student voice to carry the message, and to provide an inspirational and motivational, yet realistic, context.

 

Learner outcomes:

 

Evaluation is gathered at the end of every workshop and consistently scores very highly. In addition, the end of module evaluation also provides evidence of impact and effectiveness:

“I have really found the employment section of this module really helpful, coming to the end of year 2 is a scary time and it has certainly made things a lot more reassuring - the workshops really helped me understand how to figure out what I want to do.”

“I liked the fact that a CV was part of the assessment because it made sure that we had the best CVs possible. I also liked the workshops that were put on for the PDP; again they were very useful with gaining information about later career choices.”

“The employability element of the module was useful and I think it is better integrated into the module instead of a separate module.”

 

References:

 

About the Author
This guide was produced by David Jarman (Bath Spa University).

Your Example Here

If you would like to have your Case Study featured, please download the template and email the completed version to hello@etctoolkit.org.uk.

We have produced a guidance sheet which will assist you in completing the Case Study.

If you have any questions regarding completing the template, please Contact Us.

Embedding Entrepreneurship

If you or your students are interested in developing a business idea, becoming self-employed/freelance or creating a business here are some tools to help and also some links to business start-up support.

How To Guides

These guides have been selected to build QAA (2018) entrepreneurship skills in your teaching.


Defining your Customer Base (QAA4,5)

Group Size ? 1.) Small group (teams of 4-6)
2.) Individual Task
3.) Large Group
4.) Any

Individual Task

Learning Environment ? 1.) Lecture Theatre
2.) Presentation Space
3.) Carousel Tables (small working group)
4.) Any
5.) Outside
6.) Special

Any

QAA Enterprise Theme(s) ? 1.) Creativity and Innovation
2.) Opportunity recognition, creation and evaluation
3.) Decision making supported by critical analysis and judgement
4.) Implementation of ideas through leadership and management
5.) Reflection and Action
6.) Interpersonal Skills
7.) Communication and Strategy
8.) Digital and Data Skills

4Implementation of ideas through leadership and management 5Reflection and Action

Objective:

  • Develop and demonstrate their understanding of their customers, by describing their characteristics and motivations.

Overview: 

This activity should be undertaken individually by the entrepreneur, then to be discussed with the business development provider or peers in a group situation.  Asking the entrepreneur to explain their answers will help them to deepen their understanding of their customers, help to identify where there are information gaps and therefore what additional market research may be required.

Activity: 

Instructions

Invite the entrepreneurs / small business owner to consider their customers and to describe them in terms of each of the following categories:

  • Demographic, who are your customers?  What is their typical profile in terms of age, gender, income, employment status etc.? 
  • Geographic, where are your customers and where do they buy your products / services?
  • Psychographic, what’s important to your customers? What are their values and aspirations; what kind of lifestyle do they have? 
  • Behaviour, how often and when do your customers buy?

And then describe what the benefits the product or service brings to customers.

My customers …..

The benefit of my product / service to my customers is …..

Skill Development:

By developing analytical and reasoning skills within entrepreneurial learners, it is possible to test assumptions and explore research findings with a clear context of start-up.  This activity focuses upon the understanding of the potential customer and requires research and reflective skills.

About the Author
This guide was produced by Lisa McMullan.

Design Thinking: From creative thinking to enterprising action (QAA1,2,3,5,6,7)

Group Size ? 1.) Small group (teams of 4-6)
2.) Individual Task
3.) Large Group
4.) Any

Large Group

Learning Environment ? 1.) Lecture Theatre
2.) Presentation Space
3.) Carousel Tables (small working group)
4.) Any
5.) Outside
6.) Special

Any

QAA Enterprise Theme(s) ? 1.) Creativity and Innovation
2.) Opportunity recognition, creation and evaluation
3.) Decision making supported by critical analysis and judgement
4.) Implementation of ideas through leadership and management
5.) Reflection and Action
6.) Interpersonal Skills
7.) Communication and Strategy
8.) Digital and Data Skills

1Creativity and Innovation 2Opportunity recognition‚ creation and evaluation 3Decision making supported by critical analysis and judgement 5Reflection and Action 6Interpersonal Skills 7Communication and Strategy

Objective:

  • Know about a range of ideas and concepts about enterprising mind-set and entrepreneurship
  • Reconnecting with your creativity 
  • Introduction to design thinking and exploring a challenge 
  • Apply design thinking to addressing a challenge 
  • Developing a chosen idea (including proto-typing if possible) 
  • Introduction to engaging others in your ideas (moving beyond a ‘Pitch’) 
  • Introduction to crowd funding and funding the idea from within the student and stakeholder audience (external if possible)

Introduction: 

This session suits larger groups of learners being introduced to the concept of enterprise, creative thinking and solving complex challenges. Working with interdisciplinary groups works best to encourage maximum creativity and adds depth to the chosen solution. An introduction to effective engagement with audiences which moves beyond a pitch is introduced and the session closes with the audience crowd funding the idea using specially designed local currency. 

Activity:

This is best run over a 4-6 hour period and can be split between 2-3 sessions to allow for further research into the challenge. Session starts with some team building activities set firmly within the context of the challenge. This can help students to better appreciate the challenge area and develop empathy with various perspectives/realities in relation to the challenge.  

Then follows some creativity exercises with an introduction to design thinking. Teams then apply this process (as time allows) through to completion with ideally prototypes being developed (if not posters/electronic adverts etc). 

Then the large group is introduced to the need for effective and authentic engagement of themselves and their ideas (moving beyond the ‘pitch’). Individual or group presentations are developed and practiced. Depending on timing and group size, there can then follow a couple of rounds of presentations with a final selection presenting to the whole group. Ideally this should include at least one external stakeholder/s linked to the challenge context (clinical/engineering/finance etc) able to provide authentic feedback. 

It can be fun then to introduce/revisit the concept of crowd funding and provide everyone in the audience with some currency (we have developed some university notes) and get them to fund their favourite proposal. Of course it could be that there will be some real funding available…

Impact:

This works best with some facilitators to help support the various groups as they progress through each activity and often can make a significantly positive impact where groups from different curriculum areas meet for the first time. Utilising external stakeholders to share their challenges can also help to add real value and excitement for learners. Learners tend to enjoy the active nature of the workshop and the rigours of presenting to an external stakeholder with potential solutions to the challenges set. 

Learner outcome:

Tend to see an increased awareness of wider enterprise and boost in confidence in terms of team working, design thinking, negotiation and engagement with audiences. A useful taster for deeper enterprising learning. Skilled reflection is vital throughout and post session/s through on-going programme.  Depending on the nature of the ‘challenge’ this can be extended to a module/programme duration.

Resources: 

  • Team building activities based in context – e.g. Clinical setting/Engineering/Creative/Education. 
  • Usual flip charts and pens etc. 
  • Raw materials for prototyping if possible 
  • Electronic devices to film short presentations 
  • Bespoke Currency for crowd funding session 
  • Prizes 

References:

Brown, T (2008) Design Thinking, Harvard Business Review, June 2008  (pages 85 – 92)
Dweck, C (2006) Mindset: The New Psychology of Success, By Dweck, Carol S. ( Author ) Dec-26-2007 Paperback
Krueger, N.F.Jr. (2010) 13 Looking Forward, Looking Backward: From entrepreneurial Cognition to Neuroentrepreneurship in Acs, Z.K and Audretsch, D.B. (eds.), 2nd Edition of the Handbook of Entrepreneurship Research, Springer 
Westfall, C (2012) The New Elevator Pitch: the definitive guide to persuasive communication in the digital age, Marie Street Press  

About the Author
This guide was produced by Carol Langston.

Defining the Marketing Message (QAA3,7)

Group Size ? 1.) Small group (teams of 4-6)
2.) Individual Task
3.) Large Group
4.) Any

Individual Task

Learning Environment ? 1.) Lecture Theatre
2.) Presentation Space
3.) Carousel Tables (small working group)
4.) Any
5.) Outside
6.) Special

Any

QAA Enterprise Theme(s) ? 1.) Creativity and Innovation
2.) Opportunity recognition, creation and evaluation
3.) Decision making supported by critical analysis and judgement
4.) Implementation of ideas through leadership and management
5.) Reflection and Action
6.) Interpersonal Skills
7.) Communication and Strategy
8.) Digital and Data Skills

3Decision making supported by critical analysis and judgement 7Communication and Strategy

Objective:

  • Develop their own ‘marketing message’ – content that can be used to describe their product / service that will inform customers about what it is; inspire them to make a purchase by explaining the benefits the product / service offers; and provide details of how to engage so that the customers knows what to do to make a purchase.

Overview:

The focus of this task is to develop a well-constructed marketing message which describes the benefits of a product/service to customers.

Activity:

Instructions  

Invite the entrepreneur to complete the ‘Message Matrix’ below to describe their product or service:

Inform

What is it you are selling?

Inspire

Why should the customer buy from you? 

Engage

What should the customer do next? Ensure they have all the information they need

     

By sharing and discussing their Message Matrix with a business development provider or fellow entrepreneur, the ‘Marketing Message’ can be refined and developed to ensure that it is clear, understandable to a wider audience and that key information is not omitted.

This activity can be undertaken for different groups of customers as a slightly different message may be needed for each.

Skill Development:

By working in groups, or through watching each other present their work, students are able to learn further and deepen their own work.  It is useful to draw any presentation or discussion session to a close by asking what they now wished they had done, or what they are now going to do, in order to ensure there is action from learning.

Competitor Analysis: SWOT Analysis (QAA2,3,4)

Group Size ? 1.) Small group (teams of 4-6)
2.) Individual Task
3.) Large Group
4.) Any

Individual Task

Learning Environment ? 1.) Lecture Theatre
2.) Presentation Space
3.) Carousel Tables (small working group)
4.) Any
5.) Outside
6.) Special

Any

QAA Enterprise Theme(s) ? 1.) Creativity and Innovation
2.) Opportunity recognition, creation and evaluation
3.) Decision making supported by critical analysis and judgement
4.) Implementation of ideas through leadership and management
5.) Reflection and Action
6.) Interpersonal Skills
7.) Communication and Strategy
8.) Digital and Data Skills

2Opportunity recognition‚ creation and evaluation 3Decision making supported by critical analysis and judgement 4Implementation of ideas through leadership and management

Objective:

To create a clear understanding of their competitors, using SW analysis.

Overview: 

A SWOT analysis is a useful tool for analysis, when actions and conclusions are drawn from it.  

Activity: 

Instructions

Invite the entrepreneur / small business owner to identify their key competitors (at least 3), and list the strengths and weaknesses of each.

Examples of strengths and weaknesses for a bicycle manufacturing business,

Strengths 

  • Reliable products
  • Well respected brand 
  • Competitively priced
  • Focussed on specialist market 

Weaknesses

  • Limited capacity to produce 
  • Outdated methods of production
  • Lack of marketing expertise
  • Low profit margin

Consideration should then be given to each of the competitors, and compared with the entrepreneur or small business owners’ view of their own business.

  • What can be learnt from the competitors’ strengths?  
  • What can be done better than the competition?
  • Are there any weaknesses that can be exploited?

This analysis can then inform what approach the entrepreneur / small business owner takes to developing their own business and to understand how they can best create or sustain a competitive advantage.

The key to using SWOT is now determine a course of action from this analysis.

Students can be invited to present their work and comment to provide constructive criticism, which is future focused.  

Skill Development:

By placing a clear focus on future action, rather than analysis, this will build skills of evaluation, decision making and judgement which lend themselves to action.  

About the Author
This guide was produced by Lisa McMullan.

SWOT Analysis (QAA 2,3,5,6,7)

Group Size ? 1.) Small group (teams of 4-6)
2.) Individual Task
3.) Large Group
4.) Any

Individual Task

Learning Environment ? 1.) Lecture Theatre
2.) Presentation Space
3.) Carousel Tables (small working group)
4.) Any
5.) Outside
6.) Special

Any

QAA Enterprise Theme(s) ? 1.) Creativity and Innovation
2.) Opportunity recognition, creation and evaluation
3.) Decision making supported by critical analysis and judgement
4.) Implementation of ideas through leadership and management
5.) Reflection and Action
6.) Interpersonal Skills
7.) Communication and Strategy
8.) Digital and Data Skills

2Opportunity recognition‚ creation and evaluation 3Decision making supported by critical analysis and judgement 5Reflection and Action 6Interpersonal Skills 7Communication and Strategy

Objective:

• Understand the use of a SWOT Analysis
• Complete a SWOT Analysis for a business


Overview:

The activity is designed to assist the entrepreneur/ small business owner to create a SWOT Analysis for their business. This is normally completed before the business starts, however review and examination (re-completing a SWOT Analysis) throughout the life of the business is recommended, especially to support any major decision making.
This activity can be completed by anyone/group who wants to understand what a SWOT Analysis is.

Firstly, what is a SWOT & how is it used?

A successful business considers the wider environment in which it operates.  In the business planning process, the SWOT analysis provides a framework to consider the strengths and weaknesses of the internal aspects of your business; and the opportunities and threats of the environment in which you are operating.

For example, your business planning should consider factors such as:

  •  The state of the economy [local/regional/national] and how growth and decline are likely to affect your sales business
  •  Changes in legislation that could support or create a burden for your business
  •  Social trends that may have an impact on market size or consumer choice
  •  Political pressures for or against your business activity

Carrying out a thorough SWOT helps you to plan to maximise strengths, take opportunities to meet customer needs and develop the business.  It also allows you to develop ways of overcoming any weaknesses, and removing or being prepared for potential threats.

Strengths and Weaknesses
Strengths and weaknesses are issues that already exist and are internal to the business. 

Examples of common strengths and weaknesses include:
Strengths: You as the entrepreneur
 Relevant experience e.g. 5 years working in retail/with children
 Transferable or life skills such as being a good organiser / time manager etc.
 Skills that are directly related to the business such as design skills, customer service, financial management skills
Strengths: Your business
 A good location, convenient and accessible to customers
 Highly level of expertise in staff team
 Confirmed orders for your product / service
Weaknesses: You
 Inexperienced at running your own business
 Additional training / accreditation required e.g. hygiene certificate
 Limited selling skills
Weaknesses: Your business
 Need to borrow funds to set up
 Waste in business operations
 Working from home, with limited space to work and danger of becoming isolated

Opportunities and Threats
These are external issues that your business may face, consider what could happen?
Opportunities
 Fulfil some needs of customers which you know at this stage are not  being met e.g. a delivery service to busy or housebound customers
 Offer something different (compared to who you know to be probable competition) or something better e.g. beauty services for men / a luxury product range
 Possible changes in the business environment or market place e.g. increase in mobile phone market creates growth in accessories
 Access certain support – if your business is in a regeneration area, for example
 Changes in the law which might affect your business operations, such as changes in licensing laws
Threats
 Increasing cost of borrowing
 Emerging competition using your ideas
 Personal illness may affect running of the business
 Technological advances making your equipment or methods outdated
 Changes or reductions in government spending
 Disagreements between partners

Sample SWOT Analysis:
 
1. For a domestic cleaning business:

 Strengths:

  • Knowledge of sector
  • Contacts within referral agencies.
  • Health safety, COSHH, customer care.
  • Business qualifications and experience

Weaknesses:

  • Sickness / holiday pay
  • Competition.
  • New to self employment.
  • Need accounting support.

Opportunities:

  • The elderly population in the UK and in local area is continuing to grow.
  • Social Services benefits will be transferred to clients who can decide on how to spend this funding to support their needs.

 Threats:

  • Care agencies offering domestic help in addition to normal services.
  • Cleaning agencies already in area. 
  • One sole trader already offering domestic cleans aimed at older people.
  • Lower than average domestic income within the Borough.


Activity:

If you are working with an individual or group who is going to set up their own business, invite them to complete a SWOT Analysis for their business.

If the individuals are not considering setting up their own business, then ask the group to complete a SWOT Analysis on a famous company. A favourite is to chose well known brands such as McDonalds, what are the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities & threats for them, but specific sector specialists can be chosen.

Another exercise is to consider what a SWOT would have looked like when designing a product. For this exercise, split the groups into 4-6 people. Ask them to think back to when they owned a CD player or depending on their age, a Walkman or even record player.
Ask them to imagine that they have invented the ipod and need to outline its strengths and weaknesses to their shareholders.

Give each of them a piece of flip chart, draw a cross and mark an S, W ,O, T (one in each of the quadrants) and work on each section together as a group.
Ask them to ask themselves, What are the Strengths of the IPOD – How is it a better product that the CD player? What are the weaknesses of the product?
Looking at the wider environment, what opportunities has the iPOD got to develop and finally what are the weaknesses.

The session should take no more than 30 minutes and around the same if they are to report their findings back to the group.

 
Skill Development:

Completing a SWOT Analysis helps individuals to consider both internal and external factors. To complete the exercise, the group will need to use a number of skills including – research, audit, evaluation, discussion, debate, negotiation & presentation.


 
Resources:
• Post-its or similar sticky pads
• Pens 
• Papers/pads
• Flip charts 

About the Author
This guide was produced by Mike Marsden (Programme Manager, The Women's Organisation).

Your How To Guide Here

If you would like to have your How to Guide featured, please download the template and email the completed version to hello@etctoolkit.org.uk.

We have produced a guidance sheet which will assist you in completing the How to Guide.

If you have any questions regarding completing the template, please Contact Us.

Case Examples

Your Example Here

If you would like to have your Case Study featured, please download the template and email the completed version to hello@etctoolkit.org.uk.

We have produced a guidance sheet which will assist you in completing the Case Study.

If you have any questions regarding completing the template, please Contact Us.

Additional Resources

Cases Studies of Good Practice

can be found in Higher Education Academy booklet (2014) Enhancing Employability through Enterprise Education Case Studies and includes an example from Liverpool John Moores University School of Humanities and Social Science.

Business Start-Up Resources

BOSS stands for the Business Online Support Service, provided by Business Wales. This service provides online learning courses to help people who are thinking about, or actually, starting a business, already running a business or looking to grow their business.

Big Ideas Wales The Big Ideas Wales campaign is part of the Business Wales service, designed to support the next generation of young entrepreneurs in Wales.

Nesta Creative Enterprise Toolkit
Our enterprise resource toolkit contains tried and tested methods for teaching enterprise skills to creative individuals who are thinking about setting up a business.  Available for purchase - with access to resources here http://www.nesta.org.uk/sites/default/files/cet_worksheets_case_studies_and_tutor_notes.pdf