MAPPING OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP COMPETENCES AS LEARNING OUTCOMES IN THE EDUCATIONAL DOCUMENTATION ON TECHNOLOGY AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP AT PRIMARY LEVEL IN BULGARIA

Abstract

The paper presents the results of a content analysis of the educational documentation on technology and
entrepreneurship, including the State Educational Standard for general education and the syllabuses for the subject
for primary level in their part related to entrepreneurship education. The purpose of the analysis is to establish to
what extent entrepreneurship training within the subject provides the necessary conditions for the full-fledged
development of the key competence of initiative and entrepreneurship (entrepreneurship). The formulations of the
included competencies have been examined from the point of view of the cognitive levels to which they refer. A
mapping has been done to compare the learning outcomes of the entrepreneurship training within the subject set in
the State Educational Standard and, respectively, in the technology and entrepreneurship syllabuses for grades 1 – 4.
Certain discrepancies and inconsistencies have been identified regarding the selection of topics and the wording of
the learning outcomes. There is also a lack of outcomes at cognitive levels, closely related to the essence of
entrepreneurship education. At the next stage, a comparison has been made with the European Framework of
Entrepreneurial Competence (EntreComp), taking into account the characteristics of the age group. It has been found
that the syllabuses do not contain some important topics and concepts necessary to build the knowledge, skills and
attitudes characteristic of the entrepreneurship competence, and those included in them are not discussed in
sufficient detail. This accordingly raises questions about the scope, depth and relevance of the learning content
interpreted on this basis and how effectively it helps building the key competence of initiative and entrepreneurship.
The results of the analysis were used to develop an author's syllabus and educational content on entrepreneurship to
supplement the missing basic topics and concepts necessary to build the key competence of initiative and
entrepreneurship within the elective/optional hours or interest-based activities. Subsequently, the effectiveness of the
training according to the curriculum and the developed materials was verified through a pedagogical experiment, in
which the level of acquired knowledge and skills in entrepreneurship within the compulsory training in technology
and entrepreneurship was also tested.