To illustrate the application of this technique in a real environment, I will share our experience of more than ten years of work. Our names are Carmen Abad Peñalba and Gloria González Sánchez. Gloria has more than 20 years of experience in Education and Carmen has been working for 14 years in the private sector and three years in education and we are both teachers of Vocational Training in the speciality of Training and Work Guidance.

When did you first hear about this technique?

Within the functions of the FOL subjects, this department carries out activities that motivate entrepreneurship and for more than two years we have been collaborating in a Vocational Training Project that Acción contra el Hambre (https://www.fundaciontelefonica.com/noticias/fundacion-telefonica-y-accion-contra-el-hambre-ponen-en-marcha-un-proyecto-de-emprendimiento-inclusivo-para-alumnos-y-profesores-de-fp/ )  in collaboration with Fundación Telefónica in relation to promoting entrepreneurial skills and thus improving employability skills in young people. There, in addition to a more theoretical vision of the subject, we began to look into a more practical aspect and so we started to work more fully with the technique of Prototyping (or Prototyping).

What problems/conflicts/shortcoming did you have in the class that led you to investigate and start to apply “Storytelling” with your students?

In many cases, especially among the less advantaged students, I observed a lack of connection between the students and the content taught. As a result, in some cases, I found indifference resulting from the lack of applicability of the learning to their future professional environment. Particularly in lecture classes, part of the group would drop out of the class, leading to distractions that had to be dealt with through discipline.

How did you learn this technique, and is there a website or book that you have used as a reference? 

With this action project against hunger we met María Solano (https://comunidadlsa.es/ )who is a technician in social entrepreneurship and focused on Prototyping. From there we learned the process of prototyping how to time and how to expose a minimum viable product, being tested by the public.

What were the problems you encountered when implementing the technique in class?

Mainly, the lack of originality is one of the factors that most affects the implementation of this technique. For many students, starting from scratch causes a moment of blockage that does not allow them to move forward until they realise that it doesn’t matter how original the product is, the important thing is to learn the Prototyping process and to realise, as they progress, all the factors that come into play.  Also, some students show a lack of interest in these techniques, as they are more used to a more traditional and rigid education.

What were the benefits you found when implementing the technique in the class?

The first and most obvious is the increase in motivation and attention. The contents take on a real component, as they are linked to what they will soon be doing in their work placements or even in their first contracts. They also learn to be organised in the workplace and to have a broader mental picture of the processes to be developed. In addition, many of them lose a little of their fear of entrepreneurship as they feel a little more prepared by knowing first-hand what the process of creating a product is like and seeing its impact on society and knowing how to detect their target buyers.

Has this technique become recurrent in the classroom? Did you use it with the same objectives as at the beginning? For how long have you been using it?

Yes, in fact the project we started with this technique stopped a year ago as the funds were allocated to other items, but we have continued to implement it and it is already a basic part of the programming of our subjects as we are aware of the advantages it offers both the students and the educational team, who are learning more and more every day by starting new projects.

With which subject/levels/courses/modules/VET degrees… Do you use it? Are there any adaptations of the technique for students of different ages or even with different educational needs?

We have used this technique with all levels and branches of vocational training as our subject is a cross-curricular module.

Are there any factors to take into account when applying this technique with different classes? (also, more appropriate number of students, appropriate space and age).

The factors to be taken into account are:

• Environment: entrepreneurship classroom, it boosts creativity and innovation.
• The number of students: in groups of no more than 16 students.
• Adapt the complexity of the prototype to the age of the students. It is recommended to use virtual prototyping, through computer applications, from 3rd ESO (from 14 years old).

What advantages do you think this technique brings to student’s professional lives?

Once the business idea and the concept of prototyping are dealt with theoretically in class, they choose their own business idea based on the aspect they like the most and which attracts their attention, it doesn’t matter if they choose a service company because they have to exemplify their idea and how they are going to bring it to reality. The final objective of prototyping is to test the product and to get feedback from the future client to know if the method used or the idea of the prototype fits the needs of their target customer. If the idea is good and achieves its objective, the whole project continues to develop and if not, feedback is given and the aspects that do not meet the desired objectives are modified. The main advantage of this process is that in a short period of time the students can observe the success or failure of an idea and get closer to the working reality that awaits them when they leave their training stage. They also learn the scientific method as a real and effective decision-making tool, allowing them to adjust to and learn from the creative process, facing problems and decisions that they had not initially taken into account.

In order to put this technique into practice, it is positive:

• Generate a suitable environment. Provide students with an environment that encourages creativity and innovation with group dynamics.
• Exemplify with prototypes made by students in previous years.
• Bring external professionals to class, even if it is to give a brief talk.
• Make them reflect on the work they have done, to reinforce the knowledge they have learnt.
• Confront them with new problems, for which they do not have all the information, encouraging research and creativity, and combating the learned helplessness from which many suffer.

In order to implement this technique successfully, it is necessary to avoid:

• Class groupings should not be rigid. It is important to encourage dynamism.
• Students being too competitive, which sometimes crushes the motivation of those who are the less capable, although at other times it favours effort.
• Students getting stuck for too long, leading to frustration.
• Not giving importance to the learning they are acquiring, which can lead them to believe that the work they have done will not be verified.

The best way to give the students’ point of view is by showing two prototyping projects they have carried out this year.

1st Project: Student María González Guerrero

The objective set in class was to create the company REMASK lingerie, which will be dedicated to the reuse of masks for the future production of a line of bras as its main activity. In addition, a line of bras made from FP2 masks will also be marketed.

Product levels:

• Basic product: REMASK lingerie sells bras made from recycled masks that have been disinfected beforehand.
• Formal product: the brand name of the product is REMASK lingerie, the company takes care of the smallest detail and that makes its design so elegant, the product will be delivered in a recycled cardboard box and inside the package you will find our REMASK lingerie with a pouch made of surgical masks.
• Extended product: in the package will come a card to give visibility to our company, what does it consist of? You upload a photo to Instagram showing our product and we will give you a discount code on your next purchase.

In terms of logistics, we will have an express service for the most absent-minded and free returns and exchanges.

In this process, they are assisted by family members:

2nd Project: Student Lara Cebrinos Olivera

The aim of this Plan is to create our own company Aestheticcs, which will be dedicated to hairdressing and make-up as well as image consultancy as its main activity. In addition, we also commercialise a new and intelligent machine that will make our work easier. The client brings his face close to the machine, chooses between the different options of make-up or haircut… and can see the result before doing it personally.

PRODUCT FEATURES. 

Basic product: it covers the hesitations when it comes to making a change of image.

Formal product: this product is a private label product (Aesteticcs). It comes with a scanner and a screen with instructions to follow. The following link explains, through a presentation, the use of the application: https://view.genial.ly/602825a86b277f0d30ada469/presentation-aesteticcs

Extended product: a series of benefits are offered, such as a 10% discount for family and friends. In addition to a 25% discount on your second service.