The document discusses setting up a mock business unit for students as part of the ICT curriculum. It describes avoiding the use of outdated software like Flowol and instead focusing on a simulated shopping center business project. Students would develop their own business ideas, corporate images, research appropriate retail units for lease, and create business plans. This allows students to practice spreadsheet skills and other business concepts while engaging in realistic problem-solving, research, justification and presentation of their work. It benefits students by incorporating enterprise skills and focusing on business applications rather than the software itself.

1. Your own business What do you sell? (e.g. mobile phones, music CD’s, clothes) Which unit will you choose? Give reasons

2. Setting up a Business in a Shopping Centre (or… how we ditched Flowol, fooled our students into enjoying spreadsheets, made them think more and ticked the Enterprise box while we were at it) Chris West Faculty Leader ICT Redhill School

3. problem

4. Options

5. “ Will we do Flowol?”

6. Fl ō w’ ŏl n. control software disliked by many students; terrible user interface; stupid name; often completely capitalised (FLOWOL) by those who still think it’s 1994

8. Technology?

10. Flowol

11. solution

12. Shopping Centre

13. own business idea corporate image choose unit research business plan

14. own business idea corporate image choose unit research business plan

15. own business idea corporate image choose unit research business plan

16. own business idea corporate image choose unit research business plan

17. own business idea corporate image choose unit research business plan

18. email presentation

19. email presentation

20. delivery

22. Real (ish) www.bcshoppingcentre.co.uk www.btws.co.uk

23. own business idea corporate image choose unit research business plan own business idea corporate image choose unit research business plan

24. own business idea corporate image choose unit research business plan

25. own business idea corporate image choose unit research business plan HopkinsProductions F ANCY THAT M.J.S Dresses and Shoes

26. own business idea corporate image choose unit research business plan reasons

27. own business idea corporate image choose unit research business plan reasons

28. own business idea corporate image choose unit research business plan skills

29. own business idea corporate image choose unit research business plan

30. own business idea corporate image choose unit research business plan focused on solution not spreadsheet

31. own business idea corporate image choose unit research business plan application

32. own business idea corporate image choose unit research business plan

33. benefits

34. = spreadsheet skills * A1

35. thinking

36. the answers

37. problem solving

38. research

39. justification

40. Enterprise

41. Options

42. ICT

43. own business idea corporate image choose unit research business plan

44. Next? Who benefits from a unit like this? What else can be incorporated into this Unit? Why is this unit more successful than others? Where else can this approach be used? When should a unit like this be tackled?