1. An Overview of Economics in the new Junior Cycle Specification
Mr Gary McConway
Saturday 9th September 2017

2. Business Studies Specification
The new Junior Cycle Business Studies specification was introduced into all schools in September The main change for us as business studies teachers is that we are moving from a syllabus with a strong focus on content to a learning outcomes-based specification.

3. Business Studies Specification…
‘The specification for Junior Cycle Business Studies focuses on improving students’ understanding of the business environment and on developing skills for life work and further study through three inter-connected strands: Personal finance, Enterprise and Our economy.’
Understanding and skills for life work

4. Learning Outcomes…
Learning outcomes are ‘statements that describe what knowledge and understanding, skills and values students should be able to demonstrate after a period of learning’.
There are 37 learning outcomes in total across the three stands of the Junior Cycle Business Studies:
13 learning outcomes in Personal Finance
13 learning outcomes in Enterprise
11 learning outcomes in Our Economy

5. Strand 1: Personal Finance
This strand focuses on students developing a set of skills, knowledge and values that allows them to make informed decisions to effectively and responsibly manage their financial resources.
The 13 learning outcomes in this strand are set out on page 14 of the Business Studies specification.
They include areas such as income and expenditure, financial lifecycle, consumer rights and borrowing.

6. Strand 2: Enterprise
The Enterprise strand encourages students to identify opportunities and turn them into practical and targeted activities within business and wider society through the development and application of their understanding, skills and values. It develops students’ basic understanding of the financial, marketing and operational functions of an organisation. There are 13 learning outcomes in this strand. They are set out on page 15 of the Business Studies specification. They include areas such as entrepreneurship, marketing, sources of finance and bookkeeping.

7. Strand 3: Our Economy
The ‘Our Economy’ strand enables students to understand the dynamic relationship between the local, national and international economic situation. It develops students’ ability to identify and understand basic economic concepts as they relate to personal finance, enterprise and the Irish economy.

8. Strand 3: Our Economy
There are 11 learning outcomes in this strand, which are set out on page 16 of the Business Studies specification.
They include areas such as:
Scarcity of resources
Sources of government
Revenue and expenditure
Taxation
EU membership

9. Glossaries in the Business Studies Specification
The Business Studies specifications contains two glossaries:
The Glossary of business terms is Appendix 1 on page 23 of the Business Studies specification
The Glossary of action verbs is Appendix 2 on page 25 of the Business Studies specification.
These glossaries are provided as an aid to the Business Studies teacher when working with the learning outcomes from the three strands.
The glossary of ‘Action Verbs’ clarifies the learning outcomes and will be aligned with the command words used in assessments

10. Learning Journey…
The Framework for Junior Cycle 2015 and the Business Studies specification make it clear that everything we do is to support student learning.
The Framework document highlights the greater prominence given to classroom-based assessment as part of teaching and learning. This will involve realigning assessment as an integral aspect of our teaching and learning.
The three-year journey is built upon, and underpinned by, formative assessment. The Framework stresses the role and value of formative assessment.

11. Changes in Assessment…
The most significant change in the new Junior Cycle is in the area of assessment.
There is a substantial body of research evidence to show that educational outcomes for students can be improved by broadening the approach to assessment.
There is also a recognition that no single assessment event can provide evidence of the full range of student achievement. All assessment in junior cycle should have as its primary purpose the support of student learning.

12. The Learning Journey
1st Year
2nd Year
3rd Year

13. First Year Business Studies
Using Learning Outcomes from across the strands, we create rich learning experiences.
Students’ learning is being built through their engagement with these rich learning experiences. Examples include:
Student taking responsibility for their learning
Collaborative learning
Promoting higher-order thinking processes
Assessment that is broader than pen and paper tests, that gives a fuller picture of the student and supports them in their learning with formative assessment, effective questioning and feedback being vital.

14. Planning for Business Studies
Built around the 37 learning outcomes in the specification.
Create a unit of learning by linking learning outcomes from across the three strands.
Students of Business Studies interact with all three stands over the three years of study. Economics becomes embedded in the three years of study through the linking of the learning outcomes contained in ‘Our Economy’ with other relevant learning outcomes from the two other strands.

15. The Learning Journey
1st Year
2nd Year
3rd Year

16. Second Year Business Studies
In Second Year, students progress through the course working with learning outcomes from across the three strands.
Towards the end of Second Year, students complete their first Classroom-Based Assessment (CBA1).
It is a group project completed over a four-week period. The groups are made up of 3-5 students who produce a word group project.
Students complete a student reflection form and a research template at the end, which sets out their individual contributions to the group project.
This CBA1 is called Business in Action. There are three options:
Enterprise in Action
Finance in Action
Economics in Action

17. CBA1: Business in Action
Details
Assessment
3 options:
Enterprise in Action
Finance in Action
Economics in Action
4 areas of activity:
Conducting research
Evaluating information
Developing action plans
Reporting findings
Assessed by the teacher using descriptors not grades
Assessed at a common level using Features of Quality
Subject Learning and Assessment Review meeting (SLAR)

18. CBA1: Economics in Action
Students are given an opportunity to explore an economic trend, development, change or policy that is impacting positively or negatively on the Irish economy and society
(page 9).

19. CBA1: Economics in Action
As part of this action project students will:
Carry out research on their economic issue
Evaluate their research findings. The economic evaluation will include identifying the economic, social and environmental benefits and costs for different key stakeholders.
Demonstrate use of relevant economic indicators and graphic representations to support their research findings
Develop an action plan outlining an economic policy change that might improve the resulting economic outcomes
Compile a project to summarise their work.

20. The Learning Journey
1st Year
2nd Year
3rd Year

21. Classroom-Based Assessment 2: Presentation
This is an individual task.
A three-minute presentation.
It is awarded a descriptor using features of quality set out in the guidelines.
After this CBA is completed, it is followed by a Subject Learning and Assessment Review (SLAR) meeting.

22. Classroom-Based Assessment 2: Presentation
The presentation requires students to investigate and present on a business-related topic.
Some potential topics are:
Field visit to a local enterprise
Investigation of the impact of an organisation on a community
Consumerism
Investigation of a current economic issue
Careers in business.

23. SLAR Meetings Take place after each Classroom-Based Assessment.
Teachers have an opportunity to discuss the descriptors applied to the students’ work.
The review process is centred on teachers discussing student work at structured meetings.
It will play an important role in helping teachers to develop an understanding of standards and expectations by enabling them to reflect on the evidence of students’ work and to share the learning and teaching strategies supporting that work.
As per Eoghan’s advice ‘I’d talk up that SLARs are not a procedural event but a place when teachers get to share teaching strategies and build a shared understanding of standards’

24. The Assessment Task
After CBA 2, students will also have to complete an Assessment Task. This will be sent from the school to the SEC to be included with their final exam. The SEC assesses it for certification.
It is a reflection on the CBA2 and is completed in a pro-forma booklet that will be issued to schools.
The Assessment Task is sent away with the final exam in June.
It is worth 10% of the overall final grade awarded and acts as the bridge between the second CBA and the Final exam.

25. The Final Examination
The Final exam takes place in June of Third Year. It is set, marked and certified by the SEC. There is one examination paper at a common level.
The examination will be no longer than two hours in duration.
During this assessment, students will be required to engage with, demonstrate comprehension of, and provide written responses to stimulus material.
In any year, the learning outcomes to be assessed will constitute a sample of the 37 learning outcomes.

26. 1st Year 3rd Year 2nd Year The Learning Journey
Our Economy Strand with the 11 Learning Outcomes

27. Business Studies Specification
It is the ‘go to document’ for the Business Studies teachers
Available at:

28. Assessment Guidelines
A full description all the assessment parts is available in ‘Junior Cycle Business Studies – Guidelines for the Classroom-Based Assessments and Assessment Task’. This booklet is published by the NCCA and is available at:

29. Supports Available…
Website:

30. JCT Website: Business Studies

31. JCT Website: Business Studies Planning Section…next steps

32. Supports Available…
Website:

33. Thank you. Additional Support… The JCT Business Studies Team:
Thank you.