Managing Change In Economic Education Through A Learning By Doing Program (Practeam)

Entrepreneurial universities have emerged as a consequence of survival in a global competitive environment. It is for that reason change in economic education becomes so important. The aim of this paper is to discuss how well learning-by-doing programs could be used and produce significant and sustainable results in Romanian universities used the results of the implementation of a learning-by-doing program (PRACTeam). The project "The practice of economics students. An inter-regional partnership on the labor market between universities and the business field" (PRACTeam) developed starting from the 1st of October 2010 for a period of three years by three partners working together: the University of Oradea - Faculty of Economics, the West University of Timiºoara - Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, the University "Ștefan cel Mare" of Suceava - Faculty of Economics and Public Administration. For students in the second year undergraduate programs, 180 students/year from each of the three Universities partners, time for practical internship is 90 hours, 6 hours / day, during three weeks. Place of internship for students in undergraduate studies is provided by various units (private companies, public institutions, NGOs) under certain partnership agreements, as well as Framework Convention, which specifies the rights and obligations of the parties involved. The internship- units appoint a tutor, who will guide the undergraduate students during the internship, this is do in collaboration with an representant of the university. Methodology-wise the paper relies upon a qualitative research approach that includes interviews with twelve undergraduate students, systematic Observation (using the PRACTeam Selection Sheet and PRACTeam Sheet of practical skills) as well as secondary data regarding knowing and showing what you know. It is anticipated that a quantitative approach could be used for a follow-up work which can test capacity for generalisation of this paper`s findings. Thus it would be interesting to know whether this increase educational effectiveness through †learning by doing†- basically it is maintained over time (e.g. in the master studies). What would we expect after completing this program is to determine a change, the undergraduates to be transform. How can we improve learning? One way to enhance "learning" is through "by doing". If you want the graduates to learn about business, they must be put in situation to see it with their own eyes how it works, or even how it to do. It is a shift from a learning model based primarily on the reproduction of information from one based on producing results using information. In the economic education by including "Learning by Doing" - program PRACTeam, undergraduates are encouraged to prefer the questions, rather than the imperatives: "how to be done?", instead of "you must do it!".