Q&A with LSX Fellow Margie Worthington-Smith on Building an Entrepreneurial Education System for South Africa

By

Carrie Gillispie

The Learning Sciences Exchange (LSX) is a groundbreaking fellowship program and problem-solving platform for transforming education and activating more playful, joyful, child-centered and research-based learning experiences for all kids. In the coming months, we'll be publishing interviews with several LSX Fellows from the 2022-2024 cohort. Margie Worthington-Smith was the Executive Programme Director of E3, an initiative of South Africa's Department of Basic Education, until 2021 when she moved to the Research, Innovation and Development team. She now focuses on international research and best practice, learning systems, pedagogies and innovative learning practices to inform the design and development of an entrepreneurial education system for South Africa that will prepare learners with the skills and competencies that they need to thrive in the changing world. This interview was conducted via email and was edited for length and clarity.

In your approach to strengthening South Africa's educational system, why do you focus on entrepreneurial mindset?

South Africa has a bleak situation of extreme unemployment (and especially youth unemployment), low levels of entrepreneurship, and disengaged and unprepared youth. The mandatory schooling system creates a huge opportunity to unlock the vast potential that lies in all our youth. The thirteen or so years that children spend at school gives us the chance to grow the entrepreneurial qualities innate in all young people - by creating solution-seeking, motivated children with an entrepreneurial way of being. Children adapt to their social and physical world by learning through natural curiosity and playfulness, which is the basis of the skills and competencies of all entrepreneurs. They develop self-efficacy (I believe in myself and my abilities) and agency (I have purpose and I am useful to others) through engaging in self-exploration and reflection through playing, which in turn supports the development of entrepreneurial mindset. Most children develop these skills by age five or six, but it is not encouraged as they grow up - in fact during schooling non-creative behavior is learned and creativity is unlearned. Learning through play is not given sufficient attention as we underestimate the connection between play and learning, particularly for learning entrepreneurial skills.

At E³, the entrepreneurial spirit is not the exclusive domain of a select few but a fundamental aspect of the human spirit residing within all of us. We believe in the notion that non-entrepreneurial behaviors are learned, and while not everyone may aspire to start a business, that we are all born with the inherent inclination to be innovative and entrepreneurial. If we could emulate the conditions at school that created their innate entrepreneurial way of being and intrinsic motivation to learn, we would be well on our way to growing young "entrepreneurials"- people of the search and discovery generation who are self-directed in their pursuit of adding value for others. E³ strives to champion a humanistic view of entrepreneurship, one that recognises the capacity of ordinary individuals to think critically and creatively, both individually and collaboratively. This concept is deeply intertwined with the African philosophy of Ubuntu, which asserts that humanity is achieved through our connections with one another. Our interconnectedness as humans necessitates a generosity of spirit towards each other, fostering a collective responsibility for the well-being of our communities.

At the heart of South Africa's entrepreneurial education lies the understanding that entrepreneurship is inherently social, extending beyond individual pursuits. It hinges on activating the hidden mechanism, our mindset, which shapes our thoughts and actions, especially within the educational process. Enabling social entrepreneurship in education means empowering individuals, particularly the emerging search-and-discovery generation, to proactively identify and address challenges. It involves fostering curiosity, self-direction, collaboration, problem-solving, and a commitment to adding value to others. This approach emphasizes the cultivation of the entrepreneurial mindset in all young people, irrespective of their future paths in education, employment, or entrepreneurship (E³). It equips individuals to harness their innate potential and drive their self-directed pursuit of opportunities, ultimately shaping a society where problem-solving, innovation, and communal well-being flourish.

Graphic provided by Margie Worthington-Smith

What is a bright spot you've witnessed?

A math teacher had a mindset change herself and decided to teach her math syllabus by using the principles of playful learning to activate the entrepreneurial mindset of the learners - namely where Social interaction, Purpose, Enjoyment, Curiosity, Iteration, Active engagement, and Learner agency are present to active real learning. (We call these factors S.P.E.C.I.A.L. and teachers have certainly grasped this concept and many are now embedding it in their classroom practice).

This teacher approached a local motor dealership (using her social capital), took her whole class, and used all of the real life elements that surround such an environment to activate the learning of math. This included calculating interest payments, the circumference of tyres and distance, the consumption of fuel, etc. Her learners were captivated, engaged, curious, purpose-driven, and activating deep thinking for meaning which meant that true learning was taking place. The teacher said, "I will never be able to teach any other way again after seeing the effect on my learners."

What have you learned during your fellowship that policymakers need to know?

I have learned that policymakers should be proud of taking this step to embed entrepreneurial education at a national level across the entire public system because I have not seen a system yet that positions entrepreneurial education at the core rather than at the periphery. We are encouraged that the World Economic Forum recognizes entrepreneurship education as essential.

South Africa is pioneering this and I would love the policymakers (and the world in fact) to be aware of this and do everything in their power not to let politics, bureaucracy, and personal interest get in the way of seeing this vision come to fruition, in the interests of all South African youth.

In the group process I have learned how challenging it is to find unity in decision-making, and consequently will be even more so given the diversity of the world. South Africa itself has eleven official languages and is a rainbow of different cultures. Without the unified will to listen, engage, find common language that contributes to clarity and understanding, and have a growth mindset willing to change, succeeding with such a big project will be very challenging.

The E³ teaching-for-learning approach is grounded in evidence from the science of learning and I was very encouraged by the universality of this body of knowledge experienced through the LSX opportunity. The challenge for South African policymakers is to balance this universal information with the specific context of South Africa (i.e. being sensitive to the need to create an African solution for an African situation) while realizing the value of global experience and expertise.

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