Teaching Values in Economics through issues Sharing of seconded teachers

Rationale Why teaching values in Economics? Why teaching values in Economics through issues ? Why teaching values in Economics through issues now ?

Rationale 1.Value Education as a new focus in the New SS curriculum

"The economics curriculum in Hong Kong secondary education has a strong tradition in positive economics, which emphasizes its objective and scientific nature. The proposed curriculum also encourages students to formulate and explore normative questions. As a study that places prominence on the making of choices, economics has much to contribute to the enquiry of issues that involve values and preferences. When students investigate controversial issues, they will learn to draw conclusions based on logical analysis, and at the same time be made aware of the value judgments underlying the choices they make. Such analytical power and awareness are essential to making reasoned choices, as well as to develop intellectual capacity in general." (Proposed Subject Framework of Economics in the New Senior Secondary Curriculum) Rationale

2. Value Education as a broadening of teaching experience  equip ourselves ASAP before the implementation of the New SS curriculum Why now?

Rationale 3. Value Education as a broadening of learning experience  generic skills (critical thinking skill: multi-perspective analysis of issues)  value judgment

Suggested Activities

Suggested Activities  Forum  Debate  Group discussion  Video show  Court case (Role play)  Interviews  ……

Try-out Lesson

1.Preparation 2.Implementation 3.Evaluation

Try-out Lesson 1.Preparation 2.Implementation 3.Evaluation

Try-out Lesson Preparation work : 1.Choice of issue 2.Data collection 3.Objectives (Knowledge, skills, values, etc.) 4.Choice of activities 5.Design of teaching materials

Choice of issue : a)Minimum Wage Law b)Fiscal Budget 2005 Consideration:  issues embody competing views and values can stimulate discussion Try-out Lesson

Data collection : -Different sources (newspapers, government publications, political parties’ publications, tv programs …) -Different perspectives -Different viewpoints Try-out Lesson (Minimum Wage)

Objectives : 1.Knowledge 2.Values  To encourage and enable students to know their own values and those of their classmates  To encourage and enable students to talk about their values  To help students both to think and to feel about their feelings, values and behaviours  To develop their own views and make judgements after considering different viewpoints Try-out Lesson (Minimum Wage)

Choice of activities :  Forum (Role Play: multiple perspectives) - RTHK program 城市論壇 - Articles and Newspapers - Forum

Choice of activities :  Discussion - RTHK Program - Articles and Newspapers - Discussion - Presentation - Letter to the editors (Eng. Dept.)

Choice of activities :  Discussion - Articles and Newspapers - Discussion - Presentation - Question and Answer

Choice of activities :  Assignment Budget - collect different viewpoints

Try-out Lesson Design of teaching materials :  Worksheets  Newspapers  Publications  Video clips  … …

Try-out Lesson 1.Preparation 2.Implementation 3.Evaluation

Try-out Lesson Implementation work : Students’ work Video

Try-out Lesson 1.Preparation 2.Implementation 3.Evaluation

Try-out Lesson Evaluation :  Know more about the issue of minimum wage  Pros and cons of minimum wage  After the lesson, I am keen to know more about different standpoints of people  I can understand that everything has its pros and cons  Can learn the economic issue from different points of views from presentation

Students like most … Evaluation :  Students are more active  Lessons become more interactive, all students can have a greater chance to participate during lessons  Can agree or disagree others  The interaction between teachers and students (also among classmates)  Can learn in funny way  Activity is interesting, making me more active and think more in the lessons

Evaluation : Improvements …  More time for discussion  Better control of time

Evaluation: Role of teachers:  Facilitators  Information providers/guiding role  Challenger – stimulation, giving inputs, enriching the discussion

Evaluation: Role of teachers:  Procedural Neutrality in which the teacher adopts the role of an impartial chairperson of a discussion group.  A Balanced Approach in which the teacher presents pupils with a wide range of alternative views.  Stated Commitment in which the teacher always makes known his/her views during discussion.The  Devil ’ s Advocate in which the teacher consciously takes up the opposite position to the one expressed by pupils or in teaching materials.

Difficulties Encountered

Difficulties encountered 1. Language :  MOI  Language used for group discussion  Language of reading materials  Provision of language support (Vocabularies, bridging activities)

Difficulties encountered 2. Time constraint :  More preparation time for both teachers & students is required  More teaching time is consumed

Difficulties encountered 3. Individual differences :  High achievers (quick thinker, active, motivated easily, etc.)  too “slow”  Low achievers (passive, shame, reluctant to share, etc.)  too “fast”

Possible Solutions (??) :  Finish pre-lesson tasks Let low achievers be better prepared for the lesson  Grouping

Difficulties encountered 4. Copy right :  News articles (  TV program

Conclusion

Knowledge Skills Subject skills Generic skills Values & Attitude Choice Change of teaching & learning mode

 Initiation of learning experience by means of stimulus resources materials related to the questions, problems and issues  The active involvement of pupils in the activities aimed at exploring and analyzing the values positions implicit in a given issue  The intention that students be assisted to clarify and develop their own attitudes and values  Active encouragement to students to see the link between their attitudes and values and the actions they take in their own lives  The importance of providing the opportunity to develop skills of values inquiry, which can be transferred and used in their own personal lives Reminder:

Group Discussion

Teaching Values in Economics through the issue of Hunghom- peninsula ( 紅灣半島 )

Teaching Values in Economics through Issue Preparation work : (Lesson Design Sheet) 1.Choice of issue 2.Data collection 3.Objectives (Knowledge, skills, values, etc.) 4.Choice of activities 5.Design of teaching materials

Presentation

Thank you