Professional Focus Paper
Course: Economics
1.
Level: National 5
Who is this paper for and what is its purpose?
This paper is for teachers and other staff who provide learning, teaching and support as learners work towards
Economics National 5.
Curriculum for Excellence is a unique opportunity to raise achievement and to ensure that all learners are better
prepared than they have been in the past for learning, life and work. This is because the new curriculum gives real
scope to build learning 3–18 in a joined-up, seamless way. As a result, progression in learning can be much
stronger with a clear focus on attributes and capabilities, skills (including higher-order thinking skills), and
knowledge and understanding. These are delivered through the experiences and outcomes of the 3–15 Broad
General Education (BGE) and, at the senior phase, through programmes that build directly on the BGE leading to
qualifications. Because of a strengthened focus on the nature and quality of learning experiences, self-motivation is
likely to be increased and learners consequently more engaged and enthused. To ensure continuity and
progression, qualifications at the senior phase have been designed to embrace this unambiguous focus on highquality learning.
Curriculum for Excellence has the flexibility to meet the needs of all learners in their local circumstances, enabling
each to achieve their very best. For example, some centres may take the opportunity to offer qualifications over two
years which might involve learners bypassing qualifications at a given level, whereas others may enable learners to
work towards qualifications within one year. In both cases, the advice in this paper is relevant to the learning and
teaching approaches that learners will encounter. This paper, then, is intended to stimulate professional reflection
and dialogue about learning. It highlights important features of learning which are enhanced or different from
previous arrangements at this SCQF level.
How will you plan for progression in learning and teaching, building on the Broad General Education?
2.
What’s new and what are the implications for learning and teaching?
Economics National 5 consists of three Units, providing learners with the opportunity to develop a wide range of
transferable skills which can be applied over a range of contexts.
 Economics of the Market
 UK Economic Activity
 Global Economic Activity
To achieve Economics National 5, learners must pass all of the required Units and a course assessment, which
covers the added value of the programme.
ECONOMICS
What are the key aspects of Economics National 5?
The Economics National 5 reflects Curriculum for Excellence values purposes and principles and gives learners
good opportunities to build further on the attributes and capabilities of the four capacities. It builds upon the
principles and practice papers and the relevant experiences and outcomes for the technologies and social studies
curriculum areas.
Learning experiences will enable learners to develop a wide range of transferable skills including: using and
interpreting a range of economic data and information; interpreting and explaining solutions to economic problems;
using a range of information to distinguish between fact and value judgements; analyse economic data to make
informed decisions; and communicate information effectively. Learners will also develop skills and attributes that
will enhance their employability. This course prepares learners for everyday life, equips learners with skills for the
world of work and provides progression to further study economics and other economic-related disciplines.
Hierarchy of Units
Learning experiences should be planned to encourage learners to aim for the highest level of achievement.
Economics National 5 has a hierarchical Unit structure that provides progression from National 5 to Higher.
Wider range of evidence of learning
There is a new emphasis on learning that can lead to naturally occurring evidence and combined assessments.
Staff can make use of a wider range of learning experiences that lead to evidence for assessment, including, for
example, digital or oral presentations, extended writing, research activities, creation of media and podcasts.
Added value component
At Economics National 5, the added value will be assessed in the course assessment by a question paper and an
assignment. The learner will draw on, extend and apply skills, knowledge and understanding from across learning.
The assignment should be seen as an opportunity for learners to demonstrate their abilities and develop a deeper
understanding of the topic they choose. Considerable flexibility exists in the way information is gathered for the
assignment to allow for personalisation and choice.
How will you ensure that the added value aspect will reflect learners’ progress throughout the course?
What are the key features of learning in Economics National 5?
Active learning
Learners are expected to continue to experience active learning in the senior phase. It is essential that learners
have regular opportunities to engage and challenge their own thinking and to develop the higher-order thinking
skills required to do so. Learners should have the opportunity to develop skills, such as problem solving, by testing
out their ideas, and logical and creative thinking skills through doing, exploring and taking initiative.
Learners should take an active role in the learning process. Learning and teaching approaches should encourage
active, participative and experiential opportunities to allow learners to develop skills such as problem solving.
Throughout Economics National 5, it is essential that learners have opportunities to engage and challenge their
own thinking and to develop the higher-order thinking skills required to do so. Staff will want to reduce the focus on
teacher-led activities and place a greater emphasis on learners’ experiences. Opportunities to engage learners in
real-life scenarios, allow them to evaluate the impact of economic issues on themselves, firms and the UK
ECONOMICS
economy as a whole. For example, allowing students to use online resources or contact local banks to gather
information on personal economies.
How will you ensure active learning encourages self-motivation and resilience in your group of learners?
Learning independently
The greater focus on skills and applying learning gives much greater scope for learners to exercise personalisation
and choice. Learners, therefore, have the opportunity to experience a wider range of learning and teaching
approaches in different contexts, which can better meet their needs and build on their experience and
achievements in the BGE. To enable independent thinking skills and learning, staff will want to reduce focus on
teacher-led activities and place a greater emphasis on learners’ experiences within which choices are made, by the
learner, based on their expertise and skill level. For example, learners can research a local issue, such as local
unemployment, its causes and effects. Learners can feedback their findings using a method of their own choice,
incorporating other skills, such as IT and communication.
How will you plan opportunities for learners to work independently?
Responsibility for learning
With much greater emphasis on personalisation and choice, learners are expected to take more responsibility for
their own learning and develop an understanding of how best they learn. Learning activities could be planned in
consultation with learners taking account of interests, aspirations and prior learning. This will promote motivation
and ensure that individuals are challenged appropriately.
Learners should be encouraged to monitor their own progress and set targets, aiming to make effective use of
feedback to improve. By planning regular opportunities to discuss and review learning, including self- and peerevaluation, staff will help learners engage with this process and set meaningful targets for improvement.
How might you develop a more flexible approach embedding personalisation and choice? How will you ensure that
learners are making informed decisions about where they are in their learning and what they need to do to
progress?
Collaborative learning
Learning and teaching approaches should encourage collaborative working which develops essential social and
interpersonal skills. In order to be successful, a group of learners would want to demonstrate how each member’s
particular area of skills and expertise could be best utilised to meet the needs of the group and the task. An
enterprising approach to learning activities will ensure that learners can be challenged appropriately across the four
contexts of learning. Effective collaborative learning challenges learners to think independently and engage in
discussion, debate and activity. Effective collaboration makes the learning process visible and encourages deeper
and more reflective thinking.
Learners can work together in pairs or groups to research topics in all Units, for example, by studying the impact of
decisions made by the UK government they can then share their learning and provide information and explanations
to others. They can work on team challenges, for example, producing a podcast about a rise in inflation. They can
take on roles and responsibilities, for example, considering the impact of unemployment in the UK. They can
debate current issues to develop informed views, for example, taxation.
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How will you ensure that learners have the confidence to take on appropriate roles and responsibilities in
collaborative tasks?
Applying learning
Learning experiences should ensure opportunities for all learners to develop higher-order thinking skills including
applying their knowledge in unfamiliar situations. A main feature of learning will be the development of enterprise
and employability skills through which learners will gain an understanding of the value of the skills to their future
careers, through relating knowledge, understanding and skills to real-life economic contexts. Learners should have
opportunities to tap into their natural creativity and their desire to develop and work in practical ways. Learners will
also develop a range of essential skills and attributes that will enable them to utilise the acquired skills, knowledge
and understanding at home, in the wider community and in their future careers.
Economics lends itself to the development of literacy and numeracy skills including, in particular, reading, writing
and information handling. Economists have used thinking skills approaches for some time now and staff will
continue to develop and apply these in their teaching and learning. Citizenship will be an important feature of
learning. Exploring current local, national and global economic issues and how they impact on themselves, other
individuals, firms and the economy at large will raise learners’ awareness and encourage them to see the
relevance of their learning. Engaging with employers through visits and speakers will broaden their horizons and
help prepare learners for the world of work.
Links with a range of curriculum areas, such as mathematics and other social studies subjects, are essential to
help learners apply and make connections in their learning. This will help to ensure their skills are reinforced and
transferrable.
How can you ensure that learners can access opportunities to apply their learning in different curriculum areas?
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3.
Qualification information
The SQA website provides you with the following documents:
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Assessment Overview
Course Specification
Unit Specification
Support Notes
Course Assessment Specification
Unit Assessment Support Packages
Full information on arrangements for this qualification is available at the SQA website:
Economics National 5: http://www.sqa.org.uk/sqa/45695.html
4.
What other materials are available on the Education Scotland website which staff
could use?
http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/nationalqualifications/subjects/businessmanagement.asp
Support materials have been produced over the last year to support Curriculum for Excellence and further support
materials and events are planned. This downloadable list is updated quarterly with the most up-to-date details
available from the page below.
Published and planned support for Curriculum for Excellence:
http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/publishedandplannedsupport
T +44 (0)141 282 5000 E enquiries@educationscotland.gov.uk W www.educationscotland.gov.uk
Education Scotland, Denholm House, Almondvale Business Park, Almondvale Way, Livingston EH54 6GA
© Crown copyright, 2012
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