Week 1: Overview of the NSW Economics Syllabus: Teaching and Learning Strategies

Topics, assessment and general capabilities

Important key documentsRevised syllabus: date on the

front of your document should be 2009◦Available on the web only

Assessment are in a separate document to the syllabus Also on the web

Key information in the syllabusThe aim of Economics Stage 6 is to develop

students’ knowledge, understanding, skills, values and attitudes for effective economic thinking that contributes to socially responsible, competent economic decision-making in a changing economy.

The objectives◦Knowledge and understanding◦Skills◦Values and attitudes

More key informationObjectives and outcomes

◦ Important for assessment as well as planning learning sequences

◦Preliminary vs HSCKey competencies

◦Collecting, analysing and organising information

◦Communicating ideas and information◦Using mathematical ideas and techniques◦Working with others in teams◦Solving problems◦Using technology

Still more…the contextProblems and issues approachKey issues are:

◦Economic growth and quality of life◦Unemployment◦ Inflation◦External stability◦Distribution of income◦Environmental sustainability

Effects on individuals, firms and governments

Global, regional and national contexts

Topic structureOutcomesLearn to

◦Examine economic issues◦Apply economic skills

Learn about◦Looks like the content◦Explicit◦Arranged under bolded headings◦Dot points◦Dash points

OVERVIEW OF THE PRELIMINARY COURSE

Prelim Topic 1- Introduction to EconomicsCritical first up theory

◦Opportunity cost, PPCs, circular flow of income, business cycle

Economies: their similarities and differences to focus on an Asian economy◦Melbourne Declaration

Prelim Topic 2 - Consumers and BusinessTopic 2: Consumers and Business

◦Consumers- Income Needs the theory around Y = C+S, if students

are capable in Year 11◦Business-

Basic questions Goals of the firm Efficiency and production Impacts: Ethics and environmental

sustainability a new area to consider for impacts on a firm

Prelim Topic 3- MarketsIntroductory microeconomic

theoryDemandSupplyMarket equilibriumGovernment interventionElasticityMarket structures

Prelim Topic 4- Labour Markets

◦Demand and supply of labour Factors affecting LFPR The Australian workforce: unemployment

key here◦Labour market outcomes

Labour market trends Link to distribution of income

◦Labour market institutions Important for the HSC course

Prelim Topic 5- Financial marketsTypes of financial marketsRegulation is keyShare market

◦Listed as a ‘type of financial market’ and not a separate section

Domestic and global financial market distinction highlighted

Interest rate determination is key

Prelim Topic 6- Government and the EconomyImportant prep for HSC courseRole of govt

◦Key…economic functions of govt Reallocation of resources Redistribution of income Stabilisation of eco activity GBSs Competition and envt policies

Federal budget (key…fiscal policy)Influences on government

OVERVIEW OF THE HSC COURSE

HSC Topic 1- The Global Economy 1International economic integration is the

focus of the topic. ◦Global economy and globalisation◦Trade, financial flows and foreign investment◦Protection, including reasons, methods,

international orgs, and govt forums as well as trade blocs and agreements

Globalisation and economic development the other key area◦Case study- evaluation of strategies and

influence of globalisation

HSC Topic 2- Australia’s Place in the Global EconomyTrade and financial flows

◦Make sure that they get this!Balance of Payments

◦Structure, links and trends◦Students find this difficult

Exchange ratesFree trade and protection

◦Two examples of both multi and bilateral FTAs required

◦ Implications for Australia of protectionist policies now other countries and trading blocs

HSC Topic 3- Economic IssuesEconomics growth- include demand

and supply side◦Focus here. The rest hangs off it.

UnemploymentInflation External stability. Topic 2, but not!Distribution of income and wealth

Environmental sustainability◦Climate change explicit and important◦Set up well for policy in topic 4

Scaffold for issuesDefine the termDefine the issueMeasurementDate and trendsTheoryCausesEffectsPolicy

HSC Topic 4- Economic Policies and Management 1Topic ‘bookended’ with the issues

reframed as objectives. Important. Theory embedded in the macro

and micro policy. Needs to be clear and detailed with diagrams and applications

FiscalMonetaryMicro

HSC Topic 4- Economic Policies and Management 2Labour market policyNational and global context for

environmental management Limitations important, but briefStudents need to be able to

analyse limitations in terms of the theory, the application and also with the use of evidence

Assessment ◦Assessment not in the

syllabus...underneath the syllabus on the web

◦Apply the assessment components and weightings

◦Rubrics for the HSC◦800 word guide for extended

responses◦Writing ‘booklets’

Implications of recent changes to assessmentQuestions designed to minimise

prepared responses from studentsReversed causalities? Students need to learn to (be taught

to...) write conciselyStudents need to be able to use their

knowledge, skills and understanding and apply them in a range of contexts

Minimise use of prepared answers

General CapabilitiesThese are well-reflected in our syllabus

and place us well as we move towards an Australian Curriculum in Economics. They guide is with pedagogical approaches:◦Literacy◦Numeracy◦ ICT Competence◦Critical and creative thinking◦Ethical behaviour◦Personal and social competence◦ Intercultural understanding

Literacy and NumeracyLiteracy

◦Need to be explicit with literacy strategies◦Lots of language, terms and concepts◦Sample task for BOP, which is dense in language

and concepts◦Liaise with English and others to facilitate transfer

Common scaffolds?Numeracy

◦Embedded◦Needs to be taught explicitly and with confidence◦Liaise with Maths and others to facilitate transfer

Impact of greater student access to technologyHeaps of current information, BUT...

Students need help with how to find it Example: Google can be used to assist in searching the

ABS siteStudents need skills of analysis and evaluation

to assess it How do they validate what they find? Is there better

data (and what does this mean)?Overload

Being realistic about the amount of supporting data that they can usefully recall and helping students work out what matters

What does ‘recent’ mean in the digital age?

Growing importance of critical and creative thinking

Metacognition◦ More talk about how students learn in Economics◦ Reflection

Economics is a great subject for enhancing critical thinking and creativity◦ Evaluation is key to our course ◦ Problem solving is our business◦ We can assist with scaffolds

Extended response scaffolds Eco issue scaffolds (define, measure, current data and trends,

theory, cause, effect, policy)◦ Importance of students finding connections for themselves

Mind maps and other graphic organisers Flow charts Connections between issues and policies

Ethical behaviourGFC is an example to bring

economics and ethics togetherOther examples too...

Environment, transnational corporations, international division of labour. The area of ethics is strengthened in the changes.

We need to make the connections.HSC ‘All My Own Work’ supports

notions of ethical behaviour for our students

Personal and social competence Economic literacy enhances personal and

social competenceHSC ‘All My Own Work’ also supports

notions of personal competenceExplicit teaching of appropriate use of

technologySyllabus guides us with some group

(team) tasks to enhance positive relationships between our students◦Can be easier to build team work into Year 11,

and it is more evident in the syllabus there too

Intercultural understanding Asia in Prelim Topic 1Whole of HSC Topic 1

◦Case study in HSC Topic 1Notion of Australia’s connectedness with

the global economy throughout the courseImportant to consider this focus in

program and lesson design◦E.g. simulation games around global trade,

guest speakers, articles from journals and websites sources from a range of countries, IB Economics resources

Professional Learning Implications: Teaching StandardsLearning opportunities are not

just for the studentsA new syllabus provides

opportunities

The Australian Professional Standards for TeachersNational Standards

◦Standard 2 is around content knowledge and pedagogy

◦Includes numeracy explicitly as well as literacy

◦Does not explicitly reference NSW syllabuses, but is implied

Requires that teachers differentiate and modify work for individual needs

Reflect the Australian Curriculum

Economics is a subject rich in learning opportunities...for students to think and learn, and... for teachers to meet teaching standards (both the NSW and National sets)

Source: http://www.google.com.au/imgres?imgurl=http://www.atesolact.org.au/media/images/6187b3a8e9ff41399534d1af2402b1e0.png&imgrefurl=http://www.atesolact.org.au/recent-atesol-act-events.html&usg=__7MMTnMoZ4vv7a5rld0gyvVO0Xl0=&h=201&w=322&sz=42&hl=en&start=0&sig2=ACl9hBZ0Tig7hiQ8MtaXjg&zoom=1&tbnid=4s0n8ZWkMWdg_M:&tbnh=119&tbnw=190&ei=s0dHTaPcKsODcIe3pfgC&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dnational%2Bstandards%2Bfor%2Bteachers%26hl%3Den%26biw%3D1680%26bih%3D855%26gbv%3D2%26tbs%3Disch:1&itbs=1&iact=rc&dur=477&oei=s0dHTaPcKsODcIe3pfgC&esq=1&page=1&ndsp=45&ved=1t:429,r:34,s:0&tx=93&ty=67

Some final thoughts on classroom implicationsChanges in assessment have implications

◦ How do we prepare students best so that they can use their knowledge to answer the set question?

◦ Considering the general capabilities in the way we design lessons may assist e.g. critical thinking, literacy skills, numeracy skills

Be pedantic about using the current language of the syllabus with your students.

Exam committee will expect the new terms to be used by students

Use resources in the classroom with care◦ Use pre-2011 texts and resources with care, and update

the content, terms and concepts for your students◦ Updated content is at the author’s discretion, so teachers

and students are advised to supplement texts (as we have always done anyway...), especially in the new areas