Education 460

Resources for other pictures:

Free Trade Implications for both domestic workers and those abroad: http://www.benzinga.com/life/politics/10/06/351878/the-free-trade-myth

Aboriginal Perspectives on Keystone: https://warriorpublications.files.wordpress.com/2012/09/keystones-xl-pipeline-protest-aim-colorado-youth.jpg?w=604

International economic disparity & exploitation: https://s3.amazonaws.com/lowres.cartoonstock.com/social-issues-u-exploitation-exploit-globalization-developing_nations-bven356_low.jpg

Outsourcing (Implications for workers): http://lowres.cartoonstock.com/-globalisation-employment-human_resources-hr-manager-forn495_low.jpg

Free trade implications for local businesses: http://www.cartoonmovement.com/cartoon/1680

Environmental degradation: http://lowres.cartoonstock.com/-climate_change-globalization-private_enterprise-floods-crisis_management-denn25_low.jpg

Critique of austerity: https://standupforamerica.files.wordpress.com/2011/07/free-market-correction.jpg

Consumerism: http://bangladeshunsummit.weebly.com/political-cartoon.html

Government regulation harms industry: http://www.energytomorrow.org/blog/2012/august/~/media/EnergyTomorrow/blog/Comicpng.ashx

Regulation increases prices: http://tarheelteaparty.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/regulation.jpg

Free markets and deregulation creates jobs: http://cdn.static-economist.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/full-width/images/print-edition/20130413_WBD001_0.jpg

STEP 2: Establishing Significance

The next task aims to highlight the significance of the guiding question: to what extent should we embrace neo-liberalism as a means of promoting sustainable prosperity for all people? In order to understand the impact this question has in their lives, students will be presented with a short documentary entitled The Story of Stuff. Following the documentary, the teacher should recap through a class discussion the key contemporary issues that are highlighted by this video: environmental issues, poor working conditions, exploitation, poverty, international economic disparity and consumerism. Using the “what I see and what I think” reporter log, students will investigate their favorite store or product. They will answer the questions: What is the overall environmental and human impact of the chosen corporation, where is production and consumption taking place, who is suffering the consequences and who is benefiting, and why are its operations organized like this?  Finally, there will be a conclusion section that will ask students to form a well-reasoned judgement as to the extent to which their chosen item/store promotes sustainable prosperity for all people. This chart should be submitted for formative assessment to ensure student understanding.

Resources:

The Story of Stuff: www.youtube.com/watch?v=gLBE5QAYXp8

The What I See and What I Think Reporter Log: http://www.learnalberta.ca/content/sssm/html/reporterslog_sm.html

 

STEP 3: Course Content

The teacher will provide a list of key economic events as determined by curricular content (ie. Bretton Woods Conference, NAFTA, The Volcker Shock, Keynesian Economics, the creation of the European Union, ect). Through lecture, discussion and brainstorming the class will determine to what extent these events represent a challenge or opportunity for sustainable global prosperity. After classifying the events as a class, students will be reassigned to their original groups of three. They will need to select one event that presented the biggest challenge for sustainable global prosperity and an event that presented the biggest opportunity.  Using the Justify My Rankings chart, they will justify their answers based on the following three criteria: increased wealth, positive impact on a significant number of people and sustainability over time.

Resources:

Justify My Rankings Chart: http://www.learnalberta.ca/content/ssoc10/html/creatingsustainableprosperity_cc.html

 

STEP 4: Interview with Community Experts

Now that students have a firm understanding of the concept and have been exposed to multiple perspectives, they can commence the research process. The teacher will bring two guest speakers from the community who will differ in their perspectives on neoliberalism. The guest speaker could be an economist, market analyst, or corporate spokesperson. For the alternative perspective a spokesperson from a non-profit agency or a political candidate is suggested. For example, this specific inquiry will bring in Marko Daljevic a regulatory economist for TransCanada and Nassra Abdi the youth liaison for Oxfam Canada. Before the interview, students will be assigned to create one powerful question for each guest in their groups. To guide them with this task they will be shown short videos on how to create a powerful question. They will also need to complete and submit the student self-assessment checklist outlining their question for formative assessment.

Resources:

Video: Exploring criteria for a powerful question part 1 & 2: http://www.learnalberta.ca/content/ssapq/index.html?Page=6

Student Self Assessment Checklist: http://www.learnalberta.ca/content/ssapq/index.html?Page=10

Marko Daljevic: Masters Student in Public Policy & Regulatory Economist for TransCanada

Nassra Abdi: Youth Liaison for Oxfam Canada- Calgary Division

 

STEP 5: Formal Research

In their groups of three, students will have to choose a position on the inquiry question and conduct research. To begin, they will be shown a short video on how to conduct appropriate research through distinguishing between fact and opinion and determining between scholarly and non-scholarly sources. After this, they will be given class time to conduct research using academic and scholarly resources such as academic journals, articles and books. Students will also have to cite any sources they used in proper APA formatting in the later stages of the inquiry. Students should be provided with a link outlining how to format referencing in APA style.

Resources:

How to conduct effective research video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HBSxK7sUTIo

How to format referencing in APA: https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/05/

 

STEP 6: Debate

Students will now present their position to the class through an open debate. Each group will take turns stating their position, providing three supporting arguments, and their two suggestions. After each group presents, the remainder of the students will have the opportunity to provide counter arguments and ask questions. Students should also demonstrate that they understand and recognize the opponents’ arguments through a counter argument. Prior to the date of the debate, the teacher should invite a colleague and demonstrate how a debate is properly conducted in order to provide an example for students. They will highlight voice clarity, speaking respectfully, and the organization of the speech (state, explain, support).

 

STEP 7: Public Service Announcement

Now that students have developed a comprehensive understanding of neoliberalism and its contemporary advantages and implications they will be assigned to create a public service announcement answering the inquiry question. To begin, they will be presented with examples during class. The class will critically evaluate them together using the key criteria that their final product will be evaluated by: creativity/supporting imagery, content/organization, and persuasiveness. The class will assess whether the videos includes a clear position statement that and whether the supporting arguments are relevant. They should also assess whether the events and messages are presented in a logical order. They will then be presented with the following constraints: there video must be made in their groups of 3, be 5-7 minutes in length, should be a recorded video of themselves and should follows the SES (state, explain, support) model. Prior to filming, they will be asked to vocally pitch their ideas to the teacher: stating their position, three supporting arguments, two suggestions and one counter argument.

Resources:

Lily, her mom and no kid hungry: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PtODh6fQ5i0

Fight Inequality: Even it up: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_-fPfQ9KUJA

It will be done, doing good Public Service Announcement: http://youtu.be/SZjIl-IU4rY?list=PLbmSiO2_oic6VQsA3lp1gnJP6ndpfGwGp

No Kid Hungry - Public Service Announcement: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2RUYkzJio24

 

 

 

Curricular Outcomes Addressed by this Unit

 

Big idea: Students will explore related issue 3 of the grade ten curriculum through understanding the impact that neo-liberalism has global sustainable prosperity. They will tie curricular content in understanding how neoliberalism has contributed to resolving/creating contemporary economic issues. After considering multiple contesting perspectives, they will state and defend a position on the matter. Finally, they will practice active citizenship through incorporating suggestions about how to alleviate a contemporary economic issue of their choice.

 

Skills and processes addressed by this inquiry:

• engage in active inquiry and critical and creative thinking

• engage in problem solving and conflict resolution with an awareness of the ethical consequences of decision making

• conduct research ethically using varied methods and sources; organize, interpret, and present their findings; and defend their opinions

• apply skills of metacognition, reflecting upon what they have learned and what they need to learn

• communicate ideas and information in an informed, organized and persuasive manner

 

Knowledge and understandings addressed by this inquiry:

• 3.3 explore understandings of contemporary economic globalization

• 3.4 examine the foundations of contemporary globalization

• 3.5 analyze political and economic challenges and opportunities of globalization (trade liberalization, foreign investment, economic growth, outsourcing, knowledge economy)

• 3.7  explore multiple perspectives regarding the relationship among the people, the land and globalization (spirituality, stewardship, sustainability. resource development)

• 3.8 evaluate actions and policies associated with globalization that impact the environment (land and resource use, resource development agreements, environmental legislation)

• 3.9 analyze multiple perspectives on sustainability and prosperity in a globalizing world

 

Values and attitudes addressed by this inquiry:

• 3.1 recognize and appreciate multiple perspectives that exist with respect to the relationship among politics, economics, the environment and globalization

• 3.2 recognize and appreciate impacts of globalization on the interdependent relationship among people, the economy, and the environment