Teaching V alues in Economics through i ssues

1. Sharing of seconded teachers Teaching Values in Economics through issues

2. Rationale Why teaching values in Economics? Why teaching values in Economics through issues? Why teaching values in Economics through issuesnow?

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

4. Rationale • "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)

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

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

8. Suggested Activities

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

10. Try-out Lesson

11. Try-out Lesson • Preparation • Implementation • Evaluation

12. Try-out Lesson • Preparation • Implementation • Evaluation

13. Try-out Lesson • Preparation work : • Choice of issue • Data collection • Objectives (Knowledge, skills, values, etc.) • Choice of activities • Design of teaching materials

14. Try-out Lesson • Choice of issue : • Minimum Wage Law • Fiscal Budget 2005 • Consideration: • issues embody competing views and values can stimulate discussion

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

16. Try-out Lesson (Minimum Wage) • Objectives : • Knowledge • 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

17. Try-out Lesson (Minimum Wage) • Choice of activities : • Forum (Role Play: multiple perspectives) - RTHK program 城市論壇 - Articles and Newspapers - Forum

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

19. Choice of activities : • Discussion - Articles and Newspapers - Discussion - Presentation - Question and Answer

20. Choice of activities : • Assignment - 2005-06 Budget - collect different viewpoints

21. Try-out Lesson • Design of teaching materials : • Worksheets • Newspapers • Publications • Video clips • … …

22. Try-out Lesson • Preparation • Implementation • Evaluation

23. Implementation work : Students’ work Video Try-out Lesson

24. Try-out Lesson • Preparation • Implementation • Evaluation

25. 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

26. 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

27. Evaluation : Improvements … • More time for discussion • Better control of time

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

29. 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 Advocatein which the teacher consciously takes up the opposite position to the one expressed by pupils or in teaching materials.

30. Difficulties Encountered

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

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

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

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

35. Difficulties encountered • 4. Copy right : • News articles (www.hkcla.org.hk) • TV program

36. Conclusion

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

38. Reminder: • 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

39. Group Discussion

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

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

42. Presentation

43. Thank you