Abstract:

Previous researches indicate that, at selected universities, students of fields which are considered to be directed to an economical content, such as future mangers in various environments, receive not enough information about other than mainstream ways in economics. In these non-mainstream economics we count, for example, local and complementary currencies, Time Banks, degrowth or even position of non-governmental, non-profit organizations in economy. The idea is, to give future creators of economy full range of the information and instruments to be able to do informed decisions and by that directing the economy to the more flexible and sustainable future. This paper aims to show the way to the possibility of inclusion of the aforementioned information not only to study subjects related to economy. Although the inclusion of the alternative ways of economy to economic subjects would be very beneficial, and it is shame it is not done in a broader scale (in the Czech Republic almost not at all), the main idea here is, to explore the possibility to conduct the information through other subjects. In this study the task of students was to make simulations of the alternative economy systems and implementation of the local currency on classes of subject called Theory of Systems (two stage subject for first and second year students of Information Management). The students knew nothing, or almost nothing, about the issue at first, but the task encouraged them to make own research finding their own ways to an alternative economical solution. By that, students gained another opportunity to obtain knowledge by non-formal learning way, giving them an idea about existence of other approaches to solving problems of current economy.

Keywords:

Non-mainstream economy, education, time bank, economical alternatives.