Transition Year Economics Module
Key skills for Senior Cycle: Throughout this module, students will have the opportunity to develop their key skills through a range of activities and cooperative learning methods.
Key Skill / Element· Information processing / · Accessing information from a range of sources
· Selecting and discriminating between sources based on their reliability and suitability for purpose
· Recording, organising, summarising and integrating information
· Presenting information using a range of information and communication technologies
· Critical and creative thinking / · Examining patterns and relationships, classifying and ordering information
· Analysing and making good arguments, challenging assumptions
· Hypothesising and making predictions, examining evidence and reaching conclusions
· Identifying and analysing problems and decisions, exploring options and alternatives, solving problems and evaluating outcomes
· Thinking imaginatively, actively seeking out new points of view, problems and/or solutions, being innovative and taking risks
· Communicating / · Analysing and interpreting texts and other forms of communication
· Expressing opinions, speculating, discussing, reasoning and engaging in debate and argument
· Engaging in dialogue, listening attentively and eliciting opinions, views and emotions
· Composing and performing in a variety of ways
· Presenting using a variety of media
· Working with others / · Working with others in a variety of contexts with different goals and purposes
· Identifying, evaluating, achieving collective goals
Identifying responsibilities in a group and establishing practices associated with different roles in a group
· Developing good relationships with others and a sense of well-being in the group
Acknowledging individual differences, negotiating and resolving conflicts
· Checking progress, reviewing the work of the group, and personally reflecting on one’s own contribution
Being personally effective / · Being able to appraise oneself, evaluate one’s own performance, receive and respond to feedback
· Identifying, evaluating and achieving personal goals, including developing and evaluating actions plans
Developing personal qualities that help in new and difficult situations, such as taking initiatives, being flexible, being reliable and being able to persevere when difficulties arise
· Being able to assert oneself as a person and to become more confident
“School Self Evaluation (SSE) empowers a school community to affirm good practice, to identify areas that merit improvement and to decide upon actions that should be taken to bring about improvements in these areas…. SSE enriches the learning and teaching experience for the benefit of all concerned.” School Self Evaluation Guidelines for Post-Primary Schools, 2012. The evaluation themes and sub-themes to which they relate are set out on the left.
The guidelines set out sample evaluation criteria related to each evaluation theme and sub-theme to help schools develop their school self-evaluation process. The relevant evaluation criteria to the use of this module as a teaching and learning resource are listed below for each of the three themes:
Theme/ Sub-theme / Evaluation Criteria
/ Quality Statement(s)
Learner Outcomes / Attainment of subject and programme objectives / Attitude and dispositions / Students enjoy their learning of the subject and are motivated to learn
Literacy and numeracy / In all subjects and programmes, students can meet the literacy and numeracy demands
Students competently and confidently use and apply the literacy skills that are necessary to develop their learning
The overall attainment of the students with regard to each of the following literacy skills is improving or remains at a high standard: oral language, reading, writing, critical appreciation of digital and broadcast media
Learner Experiences / Learning environment / Resources (including ICT) / ICT is available in the classroom and other learning settings
Individual students and groups of students have access to ICT to support their learning and to enable them to become active learners
Students’ engagement in learning / Active learning / The students are enabled to engage actively in their learning
All students participate in the lesson
There is a balance between teacher input and student participation
Learner Experiences / Students’ engagement in learning / Other learning experiences / Students are provided with a wide range of non-classroom based activities
Challenge and support / The students are adequately challenged and supported in their learning
Attitudes / Students enjoy their learning and are motivated to learn
Equality of opportunity / All students are encouraged equally to participate in lesson
Learning to learn / ICT in Learning / Students are taught across a range of subjects and programmes, including literacy and numeracy to use ICT to:
- present their work
- organise and produce information
- express ideas
- develop, support and extend their learning
Teachers’ practice / Teaching approaches / Focus of learning / Attention is given to the consolidation of student learning during and at the end of the lesson, and to the development and application of knowledge and skills, including the students’ literacy, numeracy and ICT skills and to the development of positive dispositions and attitudes towards learning
Approaches / Teaching approaches support students in engaging with the literacy and numeracy demands of the subject
Opportunities for collaborative and independent work are provided
Students’ prior learning, interests and experiences are taken into account in lesson organisation and content
Differentiation / Clear lower-order and higher-order questions are posed and these stimulate student response
Resources / Students are enabled to use relevant and necessary resources (including ICT) to support their learning
Management of students / Organisation of activities / There is order and structure in the way activities are organised
Opportunities are provided for active learning followed by reflection and discussion, independent learning and collaborative learning
Student voice / Students’ contributions and questions are encouraged and welcomed in the classroom
Due account is taken of students’ views and opinions in accordance with their age and maturity
Assessment / Assessment in practice / A range of assessment including assessment for learning (AfL) and assessment of learning (AoL) is used to evaluate students’ understanding and progress and achievement of expected learning outcomes
Students are involved in the assessment of their work and progress through self-assessment and/or peer assessment
Teaching and learning are amended in the light of feedback
Teachers check students’ understanding during and at the end of lessons
Assessment records / The gathering of information on students’ learning is timely and happens at regular intervals
Module Overview
Topic/Concept / Learning Outcomes-students will be able to … / Resources and Methodologies
Introduction to Economics / 1. Define the term Happiness/Utility
2. Apply the economic term to real life and see how it affects our choices / · Think-pair-share
· Video clips-see teacher notes
· Songs
· Images
· Ranking exercise: “Which would you choose?” activity
Introduction to Utility / 1. Define the concepts utility, marginal utility, diminishing utility and the Law of Diminishing Marginal Utility
2. Apply their knowledge of the terms above with real-life applications
3. Create presentations demonstrating understanding of utility and the Law of Diminishing Marginal Utility
4. Define the term ‘Paradox of Value’ and apply understanding of the concept to water / · Think-pair-share
· Sweets experiment(Law of Diminishing Marginal Utility experiment)
· Jonathan Blake, poem
· Video clips
Topic/Concept / Learning Outcomes-students will be able to … / Resources and Methodologies
The World of Work / 1. Assess the advantages and disadvantages of various jobs
2. Identify why certain jobs demand higher wages?
3. Apply the concept of ‘Rent of ability’ to certain celebrities / · Think-pair-share
· Ranking exercise
· Video clips
Opportunity Cost / 1. Define the term ‘opportunity cost’
2. Recognise the concept ‘Opportunity cost’ in real life
3. Create a presentation on ‘Opportunity cost’ in real life / · Think-pair-share
· Video clips
· Newspaper articles
· Class discussion
Savings / 1. Recognise the link between saving and opportunity cost
2. Assess how savings affect teenagers
3. Identify the need for pensions
4. Calculate the value of saving at various stages in life / · Think-pair-share
· Mathematical and practical analysis
Topic/Concept / Learning Outcomes-students will be able to … / Resources and Methodologies
Demand / 1. Define the term ‘demand’
2. Identify the relationship between demand and price
3. Present Mathematical examples of the relationship between demand and price
4. Interpret Mathematical representations of the relationship between demand and price / · Think-pair-share
· Mathematical and practical analysis
Substitute and complementary goods / 1. Define the term substitute goods
2. Identify real-life examples of substitute goods
3. Define the term complementary goods
4. Identify real-life examples of complementary goods
5. Apply their knowledge of substitute and complementary goods in choices presented in local supermarket(s)
6. Identify the types of goods and factors affecting appearance and price / · Cards: Substitute goods
· Cards: Complementary goods
· Budget Survey
· Discussion of Budget Survey
· Card game –match substitutes
· Memory game-list pairs
· Card game –match complements
· Memory game-list pairs
· Why would you choose different goods-income, taste, price (i.e. factors affecting demand)
Topic/Concept / Learning Outcomes-students will be able to … / Resources and Methodologies
Supply / 1. Define the term ‘supply’
2. Identify the relationship between supply and price
3. Present Mathematical examples of the relationship between supply and price
4. Interpret Mathematical representations of the relationship between supply and price / · Think-pair-share
· Mathematical and practical analysis
Game Theory / 1. Apply the abstract concepts of Economics to reality.
2. Connect Economics to students' lives through games/activities.
3. Using the "Snickers Effect" game students learn how individual demand curves are aggregated into a market demand curve.
4. In the "Prisoner's Dilemma" game students' learn about self-interest and cooperation, thereby learning that even the most individually focussed, self-interested individual may be better off cooperating than always looking out only for number one. / · Notes with explanation of games identified below
1. Introducing Opportunity Cost
2. Demand curve and how to derive it
3. Marginal utility/diminishing marginal returns
4. Demand, supply and determination of price
5. The Snicker Effect
6. The Prisoners’ Dilemma-video clip
Topic/Concept / Learning Outcomes-students will be able to … / Resources and Methodologies
History of Economic Thought / 1. Identify the contribution of economists
2. Assess the validity of their claims
3. Evaluate the relevance of these concepts in our everyday life
4. Create a presentation highlighting the key features of their work / · Notes and podcast on the roles of economists including
Ø Adam Smith
Ø JM Keynes,
Ø Karl Marx
Assessment
E-Portfolio / Students to compile an ongoing, online portfolio throughout the module, which will be assessed at regular intervals / Include personal examples of:
· Opportunity cost
· Budget survey
· Substitute and complementary goods at home
· Savings vs spending diary
Individual Project / Students to present a project, answering the following questions:
1. What is your ideal career?
2. Where will you be in 10 years?
3. What steps do you needs to take to achieve it? / Consider:
· Cost
· Opportunity cost
· Reasons for choice
· Advantages
· Disadvantages
· Salary
Group Project / Economists and Economic Thought / Task:
Plan a dinner party, taking the following into consideration
· Seating plan
· Era
· Menu
· Topics for conversation
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