1. Social Entrepreneurship Information Sheet
“OF ALL THE RECENT DEVELOPMENTS in advanced computer networking, it is the World-
Wide Web that has truly captured the imagination of millions of technophiles and information
buffs. Since its popularization in 1993, the Web (also known as W3 and WWW) has caught on
like wildfire in business, research and academia, and many users now tout it as the first real step
to the creation of an "information superhighway." But for all of its profit-making and curiosity-
seeking potential, the Web has largely been ignored until recently as a powerful educational tool.
Scattered throughout cyberspace, one can now find powerful examples of educators, students and
researchers experimenting with Web as a way to teach and to empower students with newfound
creative ability. And now that over half of America's classrooms are wired to the Internet, the
true potential of the Web in education can finally be explored.
What exactly does the World-Wide Web have to offer education?”
(http://www.edwebproject.org/web.intro.html)
“THE ADVENT of the World Wide Web comes at an exciting, yet controversial juncture in
American education reform. Though more detailed information on education reform policy can
be found elsewhere within EdWeb, certain basic trends and terms should be mentioned briefly.
Possibly the most important point that must be addressed is the current emphasis towards
interactivity in the learning process. The term "interactivity" has become somewhat of a
buzzword in American pop culture, teaching and commerce - for example, some educational
software packages attempt to add to their appeal by emphasizing the product's "interactive"
nature. In other words, passive learning doesn't work, yet interactive learning works wonders.
Yet beyond all of the hype and rhetoric surrounding interactivity in education, there is a solid
backdrop of empirical analysis to support the positive nature of interactive learning. Simply put,
students of all ages learn better when they are actively engaged in a process, whether that process
comes in the form of a sophisticated multimedia package or a low-tech classroom debate on
current events. Over the years, social scientists and education researchers have attempted with
reasonable success to debunk the traditional notion of the passive classroom environment. But
considering the nature of that notion - one teacher lecturing to a large class, encouraging
informational absorption and regurgitation, and finally assessing the students by a series of
simplistic standardized tests - it doesn't take a reformer with an PhD in educational psychology
to recognize that the old ways of teaching and learning need some serious restructuring. In order
for today's young people to become competitive in tomorrow's marketplace, yesterday's
pedagogical methodology is no longer enough.”
(http://www.edwebproject.org/web.effects.html)
“Engaging students from a variety of angles and allowing them to feel as if they are a part of
the subject matter will often lead to them becoming more interested in (or at least more willing
to discuss) that subject. Therefore, they invest more mental energy and thus commit the
concept to memory with a better comprehensive understanding of it. Roger Schank of
Northwestern University’s Institute of Learning Sciences proposes that learning be attained
through the use of goal-based scenarios - the teacher, with a set of learning goals in hand,
allows the students to explore the subject from their own particular point of view. Students,
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2. Social Entrepreneurship Information Sheet
when encouraged and given the proper opportunity and medium, can express a wealth of
opinions on nearly any subject. And by giving them the chance to articulate and share their
thoughts, they can grasp the meaning of the subject and thus understand it better.”
(http://www.edwebproject.org/web.effects.html)
From the research above with, I came up with a final point for impact of WWW
on education:
“Education has had its changes ever since the World Wide Web (WWW) became
to be popular. Before the internet, the students had to go to the library or a
specific place in order to get the right information. Students had to find books
and encyclopedias, and then search what they want to know in the book. Now,
the internet enables manystudents to access information instantly, without
needing to move places, kind-of making students lazy but on the bright side,
the internet contains more information you can find in just one place. Looking
the library gives a limited number of sources, it limits the amount of
information a student can get for one topic. But using the internet it will enable
students to find multiple sources on one topic with a great deal of facts.
Looking at Elementary School kids around the globe, most of them are using
technology to learn something. Even teachers are enhancing the use of
computer programs and websites for education, because visuals and fun also
helps kids understand the same information. For example, a website
www.iknowthat.com is a website made for children to learn a specific area they
need help, varying subjects from your standard ABCs to math, sciences and
arts. Most of these programs are interactive games, which are proven to help
kids learn faster than a teacher teaching in a regular-sized classroom. Many
teachers prefer to use these programs because it is proved to be more effective
than teaching the children in an ordinary classroom.
Specifically in college, the online world has enabled connections that help build,
invent, fix, and improve our world. While students are learning subjects specific
to their individual experties, they now have the resources to put them to use.
Most colleges are jumping on this trend of using international communication
to practice problem fixing beyond a textbook and desk. The college of UNLV in
Las Vegas, Nevada, United States offers a class that specializes in PAR
(Participatory Action Research). Here, students practice how to progessively
tackle situations using resources given. One and most common resource used
is the internet. Students can video chat, research, and further understand
problems they are looking to fix. The internet erases the difficulties of travel,
and colleges are taking advantage of this. Also, people that may not be able to
attend courses at a campus can now earn college credits online. This is not only
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3. Social Entrepreneurship Information Sheet
cheaper as the cost of transportation is nearly eliminated, but textbooks are
becoming available online. This excuses students from the costs of printings as
well as saves paper. Colleges are viewing the internet as a valuable tool and are
quickly developing courses and projects that utilize it's efficiency."
-Vidisha’s version
“Social Entrepreneurs are drives of change. Social entrepreneurs create
solutions that are efficient, sustainable, transparent and have measurable
impact.”
But now focusing on Social Entrepreneurship, I have come up with a guiding
question to help me solve this, “How education impacts Social
Entrepreneurship?” To start the research, I will first research, “What is Social
Entrepreneurship?”
Simplest Definition:
“Social entrepreneurs are people who have noticed a need in their community or
somewhere in the world, and have come up with a way of remedying that issue.
The remedy could be creative, innovative, “out of the box,” etc... since most
entrepreneurs tend to think in this manner. In general, social entrepreneurs did
not start out with the goal of making money, but in the long run, switch to a
for-profit business. Also, the majority of social entrepreneurs are faced with an
issue in their youth that motivate them to do something about it in adulthood,
such as poverty, sanitation,etc.,” -(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
Social_entrepreneurship#Defining_Social_Entrepreneurship)
So basically these people think of solutions to help any community around the
world in need. Not necessarily do they think of making money first, but try
solve and build their way up. Through their companies, they try think of
innovative ideas to both porfit them and the world.
Examples:
- Istvan Aba-Horvath: Based in Hungary, Istvan’s mission is to aid Gypsy
children in getting an education and simultaneously earn money (http://
www.romacentrum.hu/kozhaz/debrecen)
-Raul Oscar Abasolo Trincado: Raul lives in Chile and works with poor, outcast
youth in his country. He has provided an opportunity for them to become
meaningful and productive members of society.
-Mohammed Bah Abba: Mohammed has “resurrected” a form of pottery that
was originally used in ancient Egypt. This pottery has allowed his people to
keep their food fresh in the harsh climate of Nigeria.
-Abbass Abbass: Abbass started AlManarah in 2005, an organization centered
in Israel. His mission is to stop discrimination against disabled people in his
country.
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-Rafael Alvarez: Rafael’s goal is to help American youth extend their outlook
beyond graduation from high school, to highly skilled jobs by training
students with the skills they need to do so. He accomplishes this goal through
his organization, Genesys Works. (http://www.genesysworks.org/)
-Anita Ahuja: In India, Anita has addressed problems of waste, sanitation, and
unemployment into a social entrepreneurial organization. Her business
produces high-end accessories, such as wallets and purses, out of plastic
waste. http://www.conserveindia.org/
This would be really helpful to my video, as I could go indepth into their history
and about them and social entrepreneurship.
In-depth information on Social Entrepreneurs and what they do:
“One well-known contemporary social entrepreneur is Muhammad Yunus,
founder and manager of Grameen Bank and its growing family of social venture
businesses, who was awarded a Nobel Peace Prize in 2006. The work of Yunus
and Grameen echoes a theme among modern day social entrepreneurs that
emphasizes the enormous synergies and benefits when business principles are
unified with social ventures. In some countries - including Bangladesh and to a
lesser extent, the USA - social entrepreneurs have filled the spaces left by a
relatively small state. In other countries - particularly in Europe and South
America - they have tended to work more closely with public organizations at
both the national and local level.
In India, a social entrepreneur can be a person, who is the founder, co-founder
or a chief functionary (may be president, secretary, treasurer, chief executive
officer (CEO), or chairman) of a social enterprise, or a Non-Profit , which raises
funds through some services (often fund raising events and community
activities) and occasionally products. Examples of some of the India based
social entrepreneurs are Ramji Raghavan , Founder and Chairman, Agastya
International Foundation, Harish Hande, Founder Selco India, Rippan Kapur,
Child Rights and You and Jyotindra Nath of Youth United and so on.
Today, nonprofits and non-governmental organizations, foundations,
governments, and individuals also play the role to promote, fund, and advise
social entrepreneurs around the planet.A growing number of colleges and
universities are establishing programs focused on educating and training social
entrepreneurs. Wittenberg University in Springfield, OH recently established a
partnership between the entrepreneurship department and Village Markets of
Africa, allowing students hands-on experience with an organization working
directly with producers.”
(To know more about tips being Social Entrepreneur, go here: http://
www.sbs.ox.ac.uk/centres/skoll/about/Pages/whatisse2.aspx)
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There’s an article about Social Entreprenuership and how this organisation help
built an education system in a particular place in Kyrgyzstan, the link to the
article:
http://blog.soros.org/2010/09/social-entrepreneurship-and-education-in-
kyrgyzstan/
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Works Cited
" Defining Social Entrepreneurship ." Defining Social Entrepreneurship. Web.
9 Apr. 2012. <http://www.sbs.ox.ac.uk/centres/skoll/about/Pages/
whatisse2.aspx>.
"A New Tool in the Arsenal." The Role of the Web in Curricular Reform. Web. 9
Apr. 2012. <http://www.edwebproject.org/web.effects.html>.
"A New Tool in the Arsenal." The Role of the Web in Curricular Reform. Web. 9
Apr. 2012. <http://www.edwebproject.org/web.effects.html>.
"Social Entrepreneurship and Education in Kyrgyzstan." Open Society
Foundations Blog. Web. 9 Apr. 2012. <http://blog.soros.org/2010/09/social-
entrepreneurship-and-education-in-kyrgyzstan/>.
"Social Entrepreneurship." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 04 Oct. 2012. Web.
08 Apr. 2012. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_entrepreneurship>.
"The World Wide Web in Education:." WWW and Education Home Page. Web. 9
Apr. 2012. <http://www.edwebproject.org/web.intro.html>.
Vidisha Singh