FAQ's

THE FOUR W’S

1. What is the AFEE Mission?
2. How did AFEE get started?
3. How is AFEE funded?
4. What does AFEE want from mentors, teachers and Socratic Guides?
5. What do teachers have to do to get the curriculum?
6. Why should an entrepreneur do this?
7. Who else has taught the curriculum?
8. What’s the difference between Acton and AFEE?
9. What is the case method?
10. How is the case method different from lecture?
11. Who develops the cases?
12. Can I use a combination of lecture and case method teaching?
13. Should I create my own curriculum?
14. What are the benefits to becoming an Acton Foundation teacher?
15. Will you help me establish my own center?
16. Why are the class contracts so important?
17. Can you talk to my Dean or the Director of my center?
18. What is in it for the Acton Foundation?
19. How long will it take?
20. How will AFEE assist?
21. What are the qualities of a good case teacher?
22. What do I have to do to get started?

1. What is the AFEE Mission?

   The Acton Foundation for Entrepreneurial Excellence’s goal is to revolutionize entrepreneurship education. AFEE seeks to equip successful, principled entrepreneurs to effectively inspire, mentor and teach the next generation. Through the passing of wisdom, AFEE teachers and mentors establish a legacy of character-driven entrepreneurs who, in turn, have a positive influence on future generations. This chain reaction ultimately strengthens the foundation of the free market and a free society.

2. How did AFEE get started?

   In 1990, a group of successful entrepreneurs with a deep commitment to freedom and a calling to teach developed and taught entrepreneurship courses for the University of Texas’ McCombs’ School of Business MBA program. These courses became the basis for the Acton curriculum. In 1997, they formed AFEE to hold this intellectual property and find ways to spread it to serve even more aspiring entrepreneurs.

3. How is AFEE funded?

   AFEE is funded by its entrepreneur founders, who direct some of their philanthropic giving to supporting entrepreneurship education. AFEE does not fundraise or seek outside donations (but we’ll always gladly accept them!).

4. What does AFEE want from mentors, teachers and Socratic Guides?

   For them to join our revolution; to transform the MBA and entrepreneurship education; and, to change the learning experience for aspiring entrepreneurs by using our curriculum and teacher-training tools.

5. What do teachers have to do to get the curriculum?

   Teachers must complete the AFEE teacher training process and sign a curriculum contract which includes a requirement that they share with AFEE their student ratings and feedback. The cost for the curriculum license for use in non-profit settings is currently $1 per year.

6. Why should an entrepreneur do this?

   The reasons are endless, but the most common reasons why entrepreneurs tell us they want to mentor, coach and/or teach include: they want a new challenge and personal growth – and learning the Socratic Method and teaching students may be one of the greatest challenges they ever face; they have a desire to help their students develop the skills it takes to be a successful entrepreneur in their calling; they know there is much they still want to learn and that teaching is one of the best ways to learn and master a subject; they know that their own MBA or formal education did little to prepare them to be an entrepreneur and that there must be a better way.

7. Who else has taught the curriculum?

   AFEE’s courses have been or are being taught not only at the Acton School of Business and the University of Texas, but also at Rice University, Baylor University, the University of Oklahoma, Hardin-Simmons University, Texas Christian University the Holon Institute of Technology in Israel and others.

8. What’s the difference between Acton and AFEE?

   They are sister organizations. The Acton School of Business, founded in 2002, is a one-year MBA program that fully utilizes AFEE’s curriculum and is focused on serving its students at its campus in Austin. Acton’s master entrepreneur-teachers continually improve AFEE’s curriculum. While Acton is focused on its students, AFEE has a broader mission beyond the Austin campus to spread entrepreneurship education and the Socratic Method throughout America.

9. What is the case method?

   The case method is a discussion-based model used to teach ideas, skills and tools needed in the business world. The teacher employs the Socratic method of asking questions in leading a case discussion.

10. How is the case method different from lecture?

    As a case teacher, you do not need to be an expert giving students specifics on business situations. Instead, teachers act as guides as students work through and examine the different options available. It is not the teacher’s role to answer questions. They instead ask students questions, and have them think through, analyze and find answers. The main idea is to get the student to think, not just to absorb and regurgitate information. Teachers never make a declarative statement.

11. Who develops the cases?

    The cases are real-life business situations that Harvard, Stanford, AFEE and other case schools have developed as a basis for class discussion.

12. Can I use a combination of lecture and case method teaching?

    Acton Foundation teachers must teach primarily by the case method and have student participation count for a large portion of their final grade (usually 60%, but not less than 40%).

13. Should I create my own curriculum?

    You can; it will just be harder and take longer. The Acton Foundation's flagship course,Entrepreneurial Journey, has been practiced and perfected for 17 years, first at the University of Texas' McCombs School of Business and then at Acton School of Business. The entire course, including the course introduction and framework, supporting materials, and teacher's notes, can be delivered on a downloadable CD so that teachers can introduce a top-rated course their first semester.

14. What are the benefits to becoming an Acton Foundation teacher?

    As an Acton Foundation teacher, you will be a member of a select group of talented entrepreneurship teachers. These individuals have years of experience translating lessons from the trenches and the boardroom to the entrepreneurship classroom. Acton Foundation teachers have access to eleven proven courses and the materials, teacher's notes, and the Master Teacher Files, an online database of case preparation notes. They can solicit guidance and advice from our Acton Foundation Master Teachers, and they receive a special invitation to our annual case-teaching workshop in Austin, Texas.

15. Will you help me establish my own center?

    No, but we will provide you with a curriculum to use provided you attract qualified entrepreneurship teachers who are dedicated to teaching by the case method. We will even help with their training process at the Acton School of Business campus in Austin, Texas.

16. Why are the class contracts so important?

    The class contracts are central to the Acton Foundation accountability model. The contract specifies the conduct expected of each party. Teachers and students are held to equally high standards of preparation and attendance; students are encouraged to express their opinions through weekly surveys. The Acton Foundation can provide you with an example.

17. Can you talk to my Dean or the Director of my center?

    No, we only deal directly with entrepreneur-teachers.

18. What is in it for the Acton Foundation?

    All we ask is that your course is rated among the top 25 percent of the courses taught in any particular school. We ask the teacher to submit class ratings to the Acton Foundation within two weeks of the close of the semester.

19. How long will it take?

    If you want to mentor, read some of AFEE’s notes and tips and tips on how to be Socratic in a 30-minute meeting. You are then ready to be more effective – and efficient – in advising and mentoring others who come to you seeking advice. To get prepared to formally teach at a university or in a leadership program takes four months – to dive deep into the Socratic Method, understand a course, and learn how to prepare a case. When class starts, it takes 20 hours of preparation during the first week, and thereafter on average 5 hours a week just on the case work.

20. How will AFEE assist?

    In addition to its battle-tested curriculum, which includes teacher notes and access to the Master Teacher File system for successful case preparation, AFEE’s teacher-training process provides a step-by-step approach to learning the Socratic Method and becoming a transformative case teacher.

21. What are the qualities of a good case teacher?

    Listening well, being curious and open-minded, asking good questions.

22. What do I have to do to get started?

    Understand fully what it takes to do this – then start doing it!