14. Entrepreneurship vs. working in a corporation

Learning Objectives

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Students will develop argumentation and critical thinking skills regarding the advantages and challenges of entrepreneurship compared to working in a company, empowering them for entry into the job market. Additionally, through research and the creation of presentations or video materials, students will enhance their digital and research skills.

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Teaching methods: active teaching method, research method, discussion method

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Timeline

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Part I – Introduction (10 minutes)

Part II – Research and preparation of materials (30 minutes)

Part III – Debate through presentation of research (40 minutes)

Part IV – Evaluation and reflection (10 minutes)

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Level

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The difficulty level of the debate based on the provided scale is 3.  

• Easy (1): A simple topic that does not require much prior knowledge and allows for easier understanding.  
• Medium (2): A topic that requires some research and analysis, but is not too complex.  
• Difficult (3): A topic that includes complex ideas, intricate arguments, and requires deep research and advanced debating skills.

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Assessment

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Discussion about the experience (5 minutes)

Students share their impressions of the research, material creation, and debate.  

Lesson Evaluation (5 minutes)

Students anonymously complete the lesson evaluation questionnaire ( Appendix 3 – Evaluation Sheet).  

The teacher provides feedback by summarizing key arguments and giving constructive suggestions.

1. Introduction and motivation (5 minutes)

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The teacher explains the importance of preparation for the labor market and various options (entrepreneurship or working in a company).  

The focus is on the impact of technology, globalization, and changes in society.  

An inspirational question is posed to the students: Would you rather create your own business or work for a secure company?  

A brief discussion about students' personal preferences and opinions.  

Expected student responses may include:  

• Working in a company is safer, and a stable salary is important for a peaceful life.  
• I want to be an entrepreneur and control my own path, even if it means accepting risks.  
• Maybe I would like to work in a company until I save enough to start my own business.

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2. Task division, explanation of activities, debate rules (5 minutes)

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Distribution of tasks in printed form for both groups ( Appendix 1 – Assignment ).  

A brief explanation of the debate rules and distribution of the printed regulation ( Appendix 2 – Debate rules) – respecting the opponent, providing well-founded arguments, and time for speaking.  

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Division of students into two groups (7+7):  

Team A – represents entrepreneurship.  

Team B – represents working in a company.  

Each student within the group will receive a role as specified in Appendix 1 (researcher, scriptwriter, designer, speaker, moderator).

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Part II – Research and material preparation (30 minutes)  

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1. Research, task completion, and creation of presentations or video materials (30 minutes):  

Each team selects and researches examples of successful entrepreneurs and successful careers in well-known companies using reliable sources on the internet.    

Students investigate the advantages and risks of entrepreneurship and working in a company using reliable sources on the internet.  

Students use free digital tools (Canva, Prezi, Google Slides, Capcut, Clipchamp, Kapwing, WeVideo) to create short videos or presentations.  

Team A creates content supporting entrepreneurship.  

Team B creates content supporting working in a company.

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Part III – Debate through presentation of research (40 minutes)  

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1.First round (20 minutes):  

- Team A presents arguments in favor of entrepreneurship by showcasing their findings through a video or presentation (10 minutes).  

- Team B presents arguments in favor of working in a company by showcasing their findings through a video or presentation (10 minutes).  

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2.Second round (10 minutes):  

- Teams respond to the opposing team’s arguments.  

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3.Conclusions (10 minutes):  

- Each team gives their final statement (5 minutes each).

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Part IV – Evaluation and reflection (10 minutes) 

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1. Discussion of the experience (5 minutes):  

Students share their impressions about the research, material creation, and the debate.  

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2. Class evaluation (5 minutes):  

Students anonymously fill out a survey about the class (Appendix 3 – Evaluation sheet).  

The teacher provides feedback by summarizing the key arguments and offering constructive advice.  

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Conclusion:

This class allows students to develop critical thinking, teamwork skills, and creativity through practical research, digital tools, and debate, which are essential elements for their professional development.

Tips and tricks

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If possible, the teacher can provide students with additional tools and resources for research, such as the internet, video materials, presentations, textbooks, and statistical reports, in addition to or instead of prepared materials.  

The teacher should define evaluation criteria for objectively assessing the performance of all participants in the debate process, including those who are not direct participants but contribute to the success of the debate. These criteria could relate to argumentation, critical thinking, structure and organization of the presentation, communication and verbal skills, cooperation and engagement, and the final presentation.

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The key competences developed during these lessons are : 

• Communication competence, 
• Critical thinking and problem-solving, 
• Digital competencies
• Cooperation and teamwork, 
• Citizenship competence, 
• Entrepreneurial competence, 
• Creativity and innovation, 
• Personal and metacognitive competence
• Research competence.

Appendix 1 - Assignment  (for all participants)

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Assignment for teams

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Research entrepreneurship and working in a company through specific examples on the internet and prepare the material that you will later present and debate.

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1. Divide into two groups: 

• Team A: Represents entrepreneurship (advantages and risks, examples of successful entrepreneurs).  
• Team B: Represents working in a company (advantages and risks, examples of successful careers in large companies).  

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2. Research real examples:  

• Team A: Successful entrepreneurs and their career paths.  Suggested examples: Henry Ford, Ray Kroc, Estee Lauder, Jack Ma.  
• Team B:  Successful professionals who have built careers in large companies.  Suggested examples: Andrew Andy Grove, Satya Nadella, Indra Nooyi, Ken Kutaragi.  
• Team A and B: Advantages and risks of entrepreneurship and working in a company.  

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3. Prepare material for presentation through slides or video using free digital tools such as: 

• For video materials: Capcut, Canva, Clipchamp, Kapwing, WeVideo, or another tool of your choice.  
• For presentations: PowerPoint, Canva, Google Slides, Prezi, or another tool of your choice.  

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Assign Roles to Team Members! 

Every team member has an important role:  

• Researcher 1: Finds data on successful entrepreneurs / data on successful careers in well-known companies.  
• Researcher 2: Investigates the advantages and risks of entrepreneurship / working in a company.  
• Script Writer: Formulates key points for the presentation or video.  
• Designer: Creates the visual presentation or edits the video.  
• Speaker 1: Presents the researched data through the video or presentation.  
• Speaker 2: Presents arguments during the debate.  
• Moderator: Leads the debate and ensures adherence to the rules.  

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Once you finish the research and material preparation, you will present your findings to the class and participate in the debate.

Good luck with the research and material creation!

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Appendix 2 – Debate rules  

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Debate rules

For the debate to be constructive and successful, it is important to adhere to the following rules:

1.Respect for the opponent  

• Participants should show respect for opposing viewpoints.  
• No interrupting, cutting off, or personal attacks. Focus should be on arguments, not on the individual.  
• The tone of communication should be polite and professional.

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2. Well-founded argumentation  

• All statements made should be supported by facts, logic, or examples.  
• Avoid unfounded claims or manipulating information.  
• Use appropriate terminology that clearly expresses your ideas.

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3. Speaking Time 

• Each participant has a predetermined time for their presentation.  
• Moderators will ensure equal space for all participants to present their views.  
• Time limits must be respected to keep the debate organized and effective.

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Debate structure for presenting research (40 minutes): 

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First round (20 minutes):  

• Team A presents arguments in favor of entrepreneurship by showcasing their findings through a video or presentation (10 minutes).  
• Team B presents arguments in favor of working in a company by showcasing their findings through a video or presentation (10 minutes).  

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Second Round (10 minutes):  

• Teams respond to the opposing team’s arguments.  

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Conclusions (10 minutes):  

• Each team gives their final statement (5 minutes each).

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Additional tips for a successful debate: 

• Actively listen to the opposing team’s arguments to respond appropriately.  
• Stay focused on the topic of the debate and avoid drifting away from the main points.

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Appendix 3 – Evaluation sheet for students

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‍STUDENT EVALUATION FORM 

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Dear students, please answer the following questions honestly so we can improve our lessons and your learning experience.  

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1. How would you rate your engagement during the lesson?  

   ☐ Very engaged  

   ☐ Moderately engaged  

   ☐ Slightly engaged  

   ☐ Not engaged at all  

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2. Which part of the lesson was the most useful for you and why?

   ☐ Research and preparation of materials  

   ☐ Creating the presentation/video  

   ☐ Team presentation  

   ☐ Debate and argumentation  

   ☐ Evaluation and reflection  

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   Explanation: ____________________________________________  

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3. How satisfied are you with teamwork and role distribution?  

   ☐ Very satisfied – everyone contributed equally  

   ☐ Satisfied – most members collaborated well  

   ☐ Partially satisfied – some worked more than others  

   ☐ Not satisfied – the team did not function well  

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4. What did you learn from this lesson about entrepreneurship and working in a company?  

   ______________________________________________________  

   ______________________________________________________  

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5. How would you rate this teaching method, and would you like more lessons like this? 

   ☐ Very useful and interesting – I would like more lessons like this  

   ☐ Useful, but I would prefer less group work  

   ☐ Not very useful, but it was interesting  

   ☐ I don’t see the value of this lesson  

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Thank you for your honest feedback! 

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