APPLICATION TO THE PAPPAJOHN / KAUFFMAN ENTREPRENEURSHIP GRANT PROGRAM
For Iowa State Faculty and Staff – Fall 2006
PROMOTING ENTREPRENEURSHIP ACTIVITIES IN THE COLLEGE OF HUMAN SCIENCES
THROUGH INSTRUCTIONAL TECHNOLOGY
Project Director : Ana-Paula Correia, Assistant Professor
Department of Curriculum and Instruction/ Center for Technology in Learning and Teaching
College of Human Sciences, N031 Lagomarcino Hall,
Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011
Telephone: 515-294-9376 * Email: acorreia@iastate.edu
1. Proposed Concept
The proposed project is focused on the development of entrepreneurship educational experiences for advanced
graduate students in Curriculum & Instructional Technology. The drive behind this project is to offer a knowledge
base and a set of skills and resources on entrepreneurship to a group of students who are interested in taking an
entrepreneurial career path, which may include, start a business, pursue social entrepreneurship activities or
refine processes such as innovativeness, creativity, risk taking, problem solving, leadership, resources
management and leveraging. Curriculum and Instruction traditionally has not been an area for entrepreneurship
opportunities, however, the opportunities brought by the information and communication technologies puts this
field into position to largely contribute to entrepreneurship. Providing expert advice regarding the acquisition and
use of technologies and instructional strategies, designing and developing training to different audiences (e.g.,
ISU undergraduate population and Ames Community School District teachers), carrying out needs analysis for
non-profit organizations are some activities that can contribute to the life quality, economic development, social
well-being of people in Iowa. According to Morris (2006), to strengthen entrepreneurship within the College of
Human Sciences (CHS) is essential to: advance entrepreneurship education at undergraduate and graduate level,
disseminate research in entrepreneurship education, and strengthen collaborations with people throughout the
university and Iowa communities. The proposed project addresses these three critical elements by aiming at the
following objectives:
(1) To enhance a graduate course in Instructional Technology (CI 603: Advanced Instructional Systems Design)
with entrepreneurship content by developing educational experiences in entrepreneurship that create value for
students and communities. These experiences will consist of:
a. Engage students in real-world projects with local entrepreneurs. Preliminary contacts are identifying
local clients in e-learning and instructional consulting companies, community-based organizations,
health centers and schools. The whole class, including students, instructor (proposal PI), and teaching
assistant, will operate as a small, multi-team instructional consulting company which produces
professional-level service free of charge. As such, realistic business elements (e.g., learning contracts,
project management principles, consulting relationship) are embedded in the course.
b. Offer lecture and hands-on activities on entrepreneurship by inviting guest speakers to the class with
strong business and/or entrepreneurship backgrounds. The entrepreneurial capabilities defined by
Morris (2006) will be the core of these sessions. Opportunity recognition and assessment, creative
problem-solving, innovation, role and nature of risk-taking, leveraging resources, and business
models, just to name a few.
c. Implement the concept of effective management of funds. To accomplish this, student teams will
receive a portion of the funds to support their project development and learn by-doing on properly
allocate and maximize these funds.
(2) To develop a web-based portfolio on entrepreneurship experiences in Instructional Technology. The purposes
of this website are: (a) disseminate the results of this project, (b) support discussion and sharing of resources,
and (c) promote partnerships between the CHS and the community.
(3) To provide communities, organizations and individuals in Iowa with knowledge and skills on applying
information and communication technologies in an effective way. This objective especially aligns with the
outreach mission of the Center for Technology in Learning and Teaching (CTLT), one of the leading centers in
technology in the College.
2. Start/Completion Dates
Proposed start date: 3 January 2007. The collaboration with local entrepreneurs and guest speakers will take
place between January and May 2007. The web-based portfolio will be complete by the end of June. Publications
based on the proposed project will be ongoing throughout 2007-2008.
Prepared by Ana Correia
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APPLICATION TO THE PAPPAJOHN / KAUFFMAN ENTREPRENEURSHIP GRANT PROGRAM
For Iowa State Faculty and Staff – Fall 2006
3. Application/outcome – as it relates to entrepreneurship
In addition to Instructional Technology concepts and practices, students will gain knowledge and skills with
entrepreneurial processes. Local communities and businesses will also gain by collaborating with students with an
in-depth understanding of technologies. It is hoped that the opportunity to build partnerships will these
organizations will contribute to the ISU mission as a land-grant university.
Specific measures of entrepreneurial outcomes will include:
a. Deliver entrepreneurship educational experiences during the 2007-08 academic years. This effort will be
one of the first attempts to infuse entrepreneurship education in Curriculum and Instruction at ISU. Only in
the first semester (spring 07), students will assist 3-5 small organizations.
b. Evaluation of students’ work impact on the targeted organizations (e.g., cost-benefit analysis)
c. Use of an invisible web tracker (counts hits and generates real-time statistics) for the purpose of
assessing the impact of and visibility of the electronic presence of the project.
d. Share the results of this project by submitting an article to the Journal of Entrepreneurship Education.
4. Proposed Budget (please see last page of this proposal)
5. How this program will advance entrepreneurship at Iowa State and within the College of Human
Sciences (CHS)
The proposed project by offering students a fully immersive and authentic experience will give them the
confidence, knowledge and skills to become entrepreneurs themselves, which seems to be a perfect fit with the
CHS Entrepreneurship Initiative. Because this project comes from a department traditionally not involved in such
initiatives, makes it an important vehicle for expanding the CHS vision for entrepreneurship. Additionally, and as
an indirect benefit, it strengthens CHS community through teamwork, fellowship, and network development
among different departments. At the university level this project also addresses ISU campus-wide initiative on
entrepreneurship education by infusing entrepreneurship activities in the Instructional Technology curriculum. By
establishing and maintaining a state-wide network with clients/entrepreneurs, CI 603 innovative pedagogical
model will continue attracting students and disseminating entrepreneurship concepts and practices. Attached
letters of support from Carl Smith, Chair of Curriculum & Instruction and Niki Davis, Director of CTLT confirm the
relevance of this proposal to the Department and Center.
This project is sustainable for a variety of reasons:
a. Builds on a pilot conducted in spring 2006, where students worked closely with local non-profit
organizations and ISU Extension to Families. The course is now being modified based on students and
experts input.
b. CI 603 is offered every spring semester, supporting the ongoing sustainability of the proposed educational
experiences.
c. Provides to CHS graduate students opportunities to develop their entrepreneurship skills in an area not
traditionally involved in such activities.
d. Promote resources exchange and leveraging between ISU and organizations and individuals in Iowa
e. Reduces risk for these clients and communities by creating capability in the effective use of technologies.
f. Builds on the expertise of the PI gained as IT consultant within Eli Lilly & Co and her determination.
6. Identify other individuals or departments collaborating on the project
Guest speakers will focus their sessions on topics such as: opportunities in the e-learning business, creative
problem-solving, start-up companies and risk-taking, entrepreneurial behaviors and business models. Preliminary
contacts with Stephen Gilbert, ClearSighted President; Iacovos Zachariades, Global Reach President and CEO;
and Linda Niehm and Elena Karpova, Department of Apparel, Educational Studies, and Hospitality Management
were made. Dr. JaneAnn Stout, Associate Dean and Director of ISU Extension to Families has also been
contacted as a potential collaborator. Her collaboration will be a great addition to strengthen and expand the
outreach component of this project. Local businesses and organizations will be identified with the assistance of
Judi Eyles from the ISU Pappajohn Center for Entrepreneurship.
7. Attendance to a CHS entrepreneurship workshop
None, but downloaded and carefully reviewed materials available on CHS Entrepreneurship Initiative website.
Reference: Morris, M. (2006, October 13). Curricular and Pedagogical Innovation in Entrepreneurship. Public Lecture, Iowa State
University
Prepared by Ana Correia
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