Distance learning course - BrainFood To Go

The Art and Science of Entrepreneurshipis a distance-learning course that can be offered by secondary schools, community colleges, universities, and the armed forces to individuals who are interested in – or simply curious about – the establishment and operation of a business enterprise or a non-profit organization. The course can be offered for credit or certification through a number of participating educational institutions. These institutions can modify supplement, or customize course content and presentation to meet their unique pedagogical standards, core learning objectives, syllabus requirements, and instructional design parameters. Participating institutions can employ their own faculty as course facilitators or tap the talents of qualified, independent adjunct instructors who are specifically recruited and vetted by the Center for Business Ownership Inc.

This campus-independent course is currently in the final stages of construction by the Center for Business Ownership Inc. and will soon be accessible everywhere in the world via the Center's BrainFoodToGo.com Internet portal. It will also be made available via the Intranets of participating educational institutions, corporate training departments, non-profit organizations, and government agencies.

Each lesson consists of a number of print, audio, or video modules produced in popular formats. They can be accessed directly on the BrainFoodToGo.com web portal or downloaded for even more convenient use by students possessing MP3 players or similar portable electronic devices. No expensive, conventional textbook is required; all essential reading material is provided in the form of downloadable printouts and e-books via the web.

FREE WHITEPAPER

To receive a free whitepaper on the challenges and benefits of distance learning, e-mail info@BrainFoodToGo.com

Course content is experience-based and is assembled from accomplished entrepreneurs, innovative managers, and authors who’ve “been there; done that.” The mantra of these “Distinguished Contributors” is “Experience is the best teacher; shared experience is the best education.” Course construction and pedagogy is overseen by experienced, professional educators.

STUDENT INVOLVEMENT

During their course of study, students are challenged with writing assignments, tests, and assessment tools to ensure their progress and to provide outcome measurements. Importantly, they also have an opportunity to serves as “collectors” of instructional content that can be added to the course. Working independently and collaboratively, they can gather input from the accomplishments of others and from interviews, books, speeches, blogs, web sites, and other, often-overlooked, sources of knowledge and know-how. They boil it down to its essence and re-present it in short, “sweet,” and simple caches of profound wisdom that can be "bolted" to the course platform for the benefit of their peers and succeeding generations of entrepreneurial aspirants.

Some of the aggressive “hunters and gatherers” of this knowledge use audio and video equipment to record the observations and advice of obliging resource persons in one-on one interviews. This approach adds a personal dimension that is difficult to capture with pencil and paper. (Imagine how exciting it would be today for students to be able to have access to actual video interviews with Peter Drucker, Henry Ford, Thomas Edison, or Sears and Roebuck!) Students are provided with interview questions from which they can select – or modify – to create an interview agenda of the most appropriate queries for the subjects they've invited to participate.

Students can also compile course content as they read. By preparing a “shopping list” for knowledge when beginning a book or a research project, they can key in on – and preserve – snippets of wisdom that are most important to peers’ needs and interests. Students who collect content in this manner are provided with guidelines concerning the restrictions that pertain to the use of intellectual property created by others. Where lengthy citations are abstracted, students gain the permission of the creator for their use.

By carefully screening, personally re-prioritizing, and selectively condensing expertise that's readily available in the real world, students can provide helpful information, insights, and inspiration to their peers as well as interested instructors. An annual print and CD "yearbook" of especially helpful contributions will be published by the Center. “Students teaching students” is a powerful premise in an information intensive, interactive world!!!

Ideally, submitted written instructional modules are from fifty-five to five-hundred-and-fifty-five words in length; audio and video presentations run from one to fifteen minutes. Content can be submitted as text (i.e. Microsoft Word documents or PDF files), as audios (MP3 or WAV files), and as MP4 video interviews.

BENEFITS

This peer-to-peer instruction methodology provides substantial benefits to all who participate.

Professional educators, authors, researchers, and business practitioners provide core content that is carefully edited and formatted – and electronically embellished – to accommodate the exacting standards of educational institutions. This is know-how that is based on real-world experience. Such content is relevant, current, and always changing. Moreover, it is engaging, motivating, and, very often, entertaining.
These course modules can be easily easily accessed and augmented by authorized students. They can also be shared by them – and discussed and debated by them – via e-mail, blogs, and text messaging devices, making the learning process interactive, creative, and fun!
The experience of proven "movers and shakers" in the business is tapped, enabling them to share practical bits of insight, advice, and information with members of a new generation who have similar interests, needs, and aspirations. These "mentors" can gain unique satisfaction from imparting the successful – and unsuccessful – experiences of their professional lives. It's "reality education!"
Educational institutions gain recognition and appreciation from key participants in the business community. This is an especially significant tool for connecting an institution with its alumni and financial supporters in the business community.
A wide range of valuable content can be accessed and archived for the benefit of current and future generations of students and instructors.
The global distribution of this course content via the Internet enables students in foreign nations and remote, rural domestic venues everywhere to learn the power of entrepreneurship.
Module creators – both professional and student – can learn, collaborate, network, and gain experience as they compile.
Most important are the benefits that students gain from their community outreach initiatives:
- Student compilers learn, make valuable personal contacts, get prominent exposure in the business world, and establish enduring links to peers with whom they can continue to interact during their careers.
- Students enjoy a premise from which they can arrange interviews with “mighty moguls” to get their feedback on one or more course topics. In the process, a student will learn real-world lessons and make important contacts in the business world.
- The resulting instructional modules also afford a contributing student important public recognition. Students can insert links to their creations as presented on the BrainFood portal in their resumes!

This course is truly “living” …. constantly being expanded, made more relevant, and refined as new knowledge and know-how emerges… and as new generations of students are inspired to harvest it.

To receive a free whitepaper on the opportunities and challenges of distance learning, e-mail info@BrainFoodToGo.com or fill out the form below:

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