Wednesday, May 1, 2019

Introducing Youngsters To Global Economics Using Online Blended Entrepreneurship Education

By Linda Cook


Technology is a great tool educators can use to their advantage. More and more educators are seeing the wisdom of introducing the concept of entrepreneurship into their classrooms as well. Giving middle schoolers a chance to see how the world works through online blended entrepreneurship education for 6th grade through 8th will give them a start in the right direction.

Online lessons can be successfully blended with the interaction of business volunteers and teaching staff. Students can participate in programs designed to introduce the basics of global marketing. They are introduced to business ethics and how it relates to customers. What constitutes ethical behavior in the workplace is defined. Students are given examples of certain situations and asked to discuss whether the decisions made were, or were not, ethical.

The subject of an early lesson is business and culture. Students are asked to watch videos that introduce them to the various ways people of different cultures greet each other. The leaders discuss terminology. The classroom discusses how different cultures perceive business leaders from other countries and how that affects their buying decisions. Students are led in a discussion about the ways businesses structure their services to accommodate global customers and maximize their profits.

Global trade is the focus of one lesson. Students learn how countries decide to trade with other countries instead of depending on their own resources for everything they need. Children are taught the ways in which technology has affected global trade. They play trading games and use the information they have learned to try and convince their peers to purchase products.

Not every country has the necessary resources to supply citizens with all their needs. Specialization can create a more stable economy. Students are encouraged to participate in games that demonstrate the ways this benefits a country. Teachers lead discussions about how the business decisions of one country affects customers in the global marketplace.

Trade barriers is the subject of a lesson. Students watch a video that explains what tariffs are, gives pertinent examples, and explains how all of this affects the balance of trade. They have discussions about what happens to businesses, customers, and employees when they are faced with trade barriers. They discuss why the balance of trade matters.

International currency is the subject of a lesson. Teachers talk about various currencies and define rates of exchange. They discuss why different currencies are valued differently and why exchange rates go up and down. Students learn to use currency converters and calculate rates of exchange. They discuss how exchange rates impact buying power.

The global workforce is the subject of one lesson. Students learn how businesses use technology to find the most qualified applicants for their companies. The value of learning a second language is discussed. Kids discuss what steps they would have to take to obtain employment in a foreign country. These lessons incorporate technology, language, math, science, and social skill sets along with an introduction to the opportunities entrepreneurship presents. Students who have a chance to participant is these courses are given information that will be invaluable to them in the future.




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