In order for the business plan to be both a useful document and an effective vehicle for the acquisition of skills, the process by which the REAL Entrepreneurship course is taught is critical to participants' success. In order to infuse the process with student choice, design, revision, execution, reflection, and evaluation, the role of the instructor is that of facilitator, coach, team leader, and guide rather than boss. The instructor ensures the academic integrity of the program by creating opportunities for students to master certain basic competencies during the preparation and execution of the business plan. Student action, rather than passive receipt of processed information, characterizes work in the REAL program. The process emphasizes peer teaching, cooperative learning, and teamwork.
Students connect with their communities and work with individuals and groups outside the classroom.
There is an audience for student work beyond the teacher. The audience may include individuals, small groups, or the community at large, but it must be an audience the students want to serve, engage, or impress. REAL's course content builds progressively toward established goals, allowing students to apply and benefit from past experience as they acquire new knowledge and skills. REAL instructors model entrepreneurial attitudes by implementing policies and practices that allow students to think and work creatively. The REAL course provides participants with ample opportunity for conscious, thoughtful reflection on their work.