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04 May 2019

Introducing Youngsters To Global Economics Using Online Blended Entrepreneurship Education

By Linda Cook


Most educators are embracing technology and using it to their advantage. As business models change they are also coming to the conclusion that the principles of entrepreneurship should be taught as well. Middle schoolers can get an early idea of the way the corporate world works using online blended entrepreneurship education for 6th grade and on.

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.

Culture and business is the subject of one lesson. Students watch a video that introduces them to the different ways people greet each other around the world. Terminology is discussed. There is some discussion about how international businesses adjust their messages to adapt to different cultures as a way of providing service to customers while still making a profit.

There is a lesson on global trade and why countries decide it is in their interest to trade with other countries instead of making all their own products. Kids learn about how technology has affected global trade. Students have a chance to play trading games and use this information to try and convince other students to buy their products.

How and why countries decide to specialize is the primary focus of a lesson. Leaders explain that not all countries have the ability to maintain a stable economy while providing for all the needs of its citizenry. Kids play games that demonstrate this phenomenon. There are discussions about how business decisions in one country negatively or positively impact customers in other countries.

Trade barriers are discussed in one lesson. There are videos for students to watch that explain the nature of tariffs and give pertinent examples. The videos explain how tariffs affect the balance of trade. There is a discussion about the ways customers, employees, and businesses react to trade barriers and the ways these barriers can negatively impact them. The class discusses some of the reasons that balance of trade is important.

Kids love the international currency portion of this course. They learn about the different currencies and what the rate of exchange means. They are taught why currencies have different values. Students are given currency calculators and taught how to use them and how to calculate exchange rates. They learn about the ways exchange rates affect buying power.

The future of the global workforce is discussed in one lesson. There is discussion about the criteria businesses use to attract the best applicants for their companies. Why it can be important to become proficient in a second language is discussed as well as what else it takes for an job applicant to be competitive in the global marketplace. These lessons incorporate science, math, language, and social skill sets along with their introduction to world markets. Students get instruction that they can build on and use in the future.




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