The SEED approach uniquely uses a “knowledge creating context” (through contextual change), to enable students to practice entrepreneurship and creativity in an unfamiliar environment, in order to facilitate experiential learning through the practice of intercultural and creative problem solving, teamwork, leadership, and entrepreneurship. This is a unique and novel approach based on our research at the Asia Research Centre (such as in Patrick Reinmoeller and Li Choy Chong, “Managing the Knowledge-Creating Context: A Strategic Time Approach”, Creativity and Innovation Management, 11:3, Sept. 2002) as well as our past experiences, particularly in developing and implementing innovative training programs and courses. Students, normally from 2 or more universities (to facilitate the setup of the multicultural and multinational teams), attend seminars to learn the requisite subject matters and to be prepared for their unique “experiential learning through practice” before going into the field to work with the SEED villagers for a period of 7-10 days. Every SEED program is unique because the contexts of each village and the villagers involved in each program are unique. The subject focus and the course requirements at different universities may also be different.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The program yields highly engaging learning opportunities as students work with their newly discovered “entrepreneurship” and “creativity” (in the new context of the village), to convince the villagers through empathy and problem solving as they adapt their varied experiences and knowledge, using their diverse, student-focused learning and working styles, to learn and work together with the villagers to evolve peculiar strategic processes in “transformational leadership” and “entrepreneurship”. Such a process of team learning encourages mentoring and authentic learner-learner collaboration through the regular exchange of understanding and ideas as they plan their daily evolving strategy to work with the villagers. These highly socially impactful skills have resulted in SEED being highly welcome by villagers, local and national governments and their agencies and businesses in the region. Student assessment is uniquely based on (1) students’ practice as demonstrated by the viability of their business plans, and (2) a personal learning essay which reflects each student’s learning. SEED programs are largely self-sufficient financially as students pay their own costs, with program subsidies from the local university, government and/or business sponsors.