A Critical Evaluation of the Role of Business Education to the Whole Curriculum.

A critical evaluation of the role of Business Education to the whole curriculum.
The Curriculum.
“The word ‘curriculum’ comes from the Latin word curree (to run) and means a course of study (to be run) or a set of ideas (to be taught or developed)” (Ellis, Butler and Simpson 2004, p.34).
The curriculum describes what pupils learn, and what teachers teach, and represents the aims of education at the time. It is a selection of subjects which is a mandatory part of pupils’ learning and tends to be shaped by the social, cultural and political context within which it operates (Husbands, 2007, pp. 171-176).
The National Curriculum (NC) was introduced by the Education Reform Act of 1988. It is a curriculum structure controlled centrally by the state. The Education Act of 2002 went on to make it essential for all schools to provide a balanced and broad curriculum which would aim to develop learners spiritually, mentally, morally, culturally and physically. Currently, the NC for key stage 4 makes the following subjects statutory: Citizenship, English, ICT, Maths, PE and Science. Within the curriculum there are also certain non-statutory elements; teaching economic wellbeing and financial capability, which includes the requirements for Careers Education; personal wellbeing, which includes the requirements for sex and relationship and drugs education; religious education, based on the Framework for Religious Education (QCA, 2009). The NC comes hand in hand with attainment targets and national assessments, which are used as performance indicators for pupils, teachers and schools.
A statutory core curriculum allows for the establishment of entitlement and standards, and promotes continuity, coherence and public understanding. The QCA (2009) summarises the aims of the current NC as, enabling young people to become “successful learners who enjoy learning, make progress and achieve, confident individuals who are able to live safe, healthy and fulfilling lives, [and] responsible citizens who make a positive contribution to society”.
How business education (BE) contributes to PSHE and citizenship.
Citizenship aims to enable and empower pupils to function effectively in society. One of the main areas of citizenship is ‘political literacy’. However, “teachers in England perceive citizenship chiefly in terms of social and moral attitudes and secondarily in terms of political knowledge” (Davies and Brant, 2006, p.12), BE is therefore necessary, as without it, pupils’ citizenship education may not be complete.
Jephcote (2005, p.47) asserts that there is a strong link between citizenship and BE, referencing Hall et al. (1998)- “citizenship appeared in the curriculum because of concerns about the economy, unemployment and income disparity” . This is also the view of the QCA (2003, in Jephcote and Abbott, 2005), who recommend pupils “learn about work through vocational courses... and learn for work by developing skills for enterprise and employability”. BE fulfils this requirement by its very nature. BE pupils learn about companies, how they operate and how profits are made. During my 20 day placement, a few of our year 11 business pupils had formed a mini-enterprise selling snacks to the rest of the student body at lunch times; evidence of their enterprising spirit. Pupils also learn about different types of company and different positions of employees, helping them to make informed career decisions. Learning about CVs, interviews and the recruitment process further enhances employment skills.
The 1988 Resolution of the Council of the European Community asked schools to give “greater emphasis on the European dimension in education” (Needham et al, 1992, p.43). BE improves knowledge and understanding of how European Union issues and legislation effect citizens and companies in the U.K. Europe’s customs union and its single currency are also explored. Such knowledge is vital to being an active European citizen, and the recent European election turnout is perhaps an indicator of a lack of such knowledge.
Domestically, pupils are given the chance to look at how government legislation impacts work and social lives, and learn about economic differences between the main political parties. Pupils consider the individual in a democratic society, in influencing and decision-making; e.g. as a company shareholder or member of a pressure group.
PSHE, which aims to “prepare them [pupils] in the most general terms for the demands of adult and social life” (Lang and Husbands, 2007,p.324), has gained a new programme of study: “economic wellbeing and financial capability” (QCA, 2009). A concise understanding of economics, can only be gained through BE lessons, rather than “reduced to a set of handy hints delivered via a worksheet in PSHE” (Davis, 2002 in Jephcote, 2005, p.52). BE gives pupils the “competence to apply appropriate knowledge, concepts and skills of critical review and analysis”, and the “capability to participate positively as a producer, consumer and citizen in adult society” (Butler, 1990), all of which are essential PSHE skills.
BE contributes to citizenship, PSHE and the curriculum generally, in a massive way. The above is just the beginning; producing enterprising individuals, with employment skills, who are informed British and European citizen, and aware of the economics of their surroundings.
How the planning, teaching and assessment of BE enhances PSHE and citizenship.
Enhancing PSHE and citizenship is beneficial for any classroom. It provides teachers with the tools to improve pupils’ learning through practicing the skills they will need for everyday life.
BE teachers should offer knowledge in the form of telling, demonstrating and explaining, designing a range of activities, which allows “practice, development or generation of a wide range of knowledge and understanding” (Bennett and Dunne ,2002, p.32), thereby developing or changing pupils’ pre-existing “partial schemata” (p31).
Discussion activities act as a “vehicle for moral development through sharing ideas, developing awareness of the opinion of others, [and] promoting appropriate social procedures” (Turner, 1999, p.208). As learning is increasingly effective when pupils achieve co-operative success, group work too should be included. These elements can be incorporated in any topic of BE, whether acquiring knowledge, problem solving or peer assessment, and the processes involved, actively enhance PSHE and Citizenship.
Critical thinking is important for pupil development; e.g. thinking about strengths and weaknesses, or looking at costs and benefits from different perspectives. Therefore, teachers should plan structured tasks, in a supportive environment, where pupils are able to independently practice this skill.
BE pupils have to show they understand concepts, can apply knowledge, select and use information from various sources to analyse problems, evaluate evidence and make recommendations. These expertises are important in citizenship and are also needed at election time. Business case studies, mock examinations, and peer assessments, are especially useful.
Turner (1999) points out that “moral standards come from parents, peers and teachers” (p.206), so teachers must ‘practice what they preach’ by modelling good citizenship. “The classroom in itself is a small community of citizens” (Kitson and Haydn, 2007, p.242), so what happens in it, will impact upon pupils, e.g. if pupils are allowed to run riot, they will assume this is acceptable behaviour.
How BE contributes to pupils’ understanding of ethical issues.
Ethical issues can be found in all areas of BE and corporate responsibility is strategically important to companies. The ethics (or lack of) of companies are frequently reported in the media. Different pupils have different ideas about what is right and wrong, and recently the actions of bank bosses and issues in the manufacturing industry have provide business lessons with relevant contexts for exploring different ethical insights.
By taking real life business examples, business lessons can also host discussions on pupils’ own actions and judgments, allowing them to consider their own responsibilities as consumers, producers or citizens. Furthermore, all schools have morals and values which are part of the school ethic. Dame Elizabeth’s are represented through the ‘Stepping Stones’ model, including fairness, trust and respect. These values provide a familiar framework of values that pupils can use in discussions.
BE significantly contributes to developing pupils’ skills in considering situations from different perspectives. “This is about exploring alternative perspectives and solutions, being aware of one choice over another and the consequential impacts of decision making on people, communities, the economy and the environment” (Jephcote, 2005, p.50), e.g. when analysing different business stakeholders.
As well as the above, a deeper investigation would no doubt uncover vast contributions by BE to ethical understanding. Business is all about making money, and the way people do this will often be questionable, and so ethical discussions will always take place in a BE lesson.
Conclusion
We have seen that BE makes valuable contributions to citizenship, PSHE and ethical understanding. Business teachers play an important role in this, as they are able to improve pupils’ learning in BE whilst developing the knowledge and skills needed to function as active and responsible citizens.
In my next placement, I hope to contribute in this way also.
The first issue I will address is to look at ways I can incorporate aspects of citizenship and PSHE into my lessons. For every lesson I will need to ask to what extent pupils have been able to: * Learn and work independently/collaboratively, * Think creatively/critically, * Solve problems, * Be enterprising, * Develop autonomy, * Challenge discrimination/stereotyping, * Make informed judgments and independent decisions, * Understand their rights and responsibilities, * Relate to others.
(Kitson and Haydn, 2007, p.243).
The second issue I will be addressing is concerning discussions on ethical issues. During my teaching I have not yet planned or executed a class discussion. I will have to research this teaching method and get advice from my SBM and other colleagues, as well as get to know my pupils more, before attempting this strategy.
After addressing these issues I feel confident I can begin to contribute to the whole school curriculum as other teachers currently do.

References.
Bennett, N. and Dunne, E. (2002) How Children Learn: Implications for Practice. In Moon, B. Mayes, S. and Hutchinson, S. (eds) Teaching, Learning and the Curriculum in Secondary Schools: A Reader. London: Routledge Falmer, pp.31-37.
Butler, D. (1990) Developing Economic Awareness in the Secondary Curriculum. In Cullimore, D. (ed) Teaching Business Education: A Teachers’ Manual. Tyne and Wear: Business Education publishers Ltd, pp.13-28.
Butler, R. Ellis, V. and Simpson, D. (2004) Planning for Learning. In Ellis, V. (ed) Learning and Teaching in Secondary Schools. 2nd ed., Exeter: Learning Matters Ltd, pp.33-52.
Davies, P. and Brant, J. (2006) Business, Economics and Enterprise: Teaching School Subjects 11-19. Oxon: Routeledge.
Husbands, C. (2007) What Should We Teach? Understanding the Secondary Curriculum. In Brooks, V. Abbott, I. and Bills, L. (eds) Preparing to Teach in Secondary Schools: A Student Teacher’s Guide to Professional Issues in Secondary Education. 2nd ed., Berkshire: Open University Press, pp.171-180.
Jephcote, M. (2005) Citizenship and Business Education. . In Jephcote, M. and Abbott, I. Teaching Business Education 14-19. London: David Fulton Publishers Ltd, pp.44-54.
Jephcote, M, and Abbott, I. (2005) The Reform of 14-19 Education and Training: The Emerging Work-Related Curriculum. In Abbott, I, and Jephcote, M. Teaching Business Education 14-19. London: David Fulton Publishers Ltd, pp.19-35.
Kitson, A. And Haydn, T. (2007) Citizenship. In Brooks, V. Abbott, I. and Bills, L. (eds) Preparing to Teach in Secondary Schools: A Student Teacher’s Guide to Professional Issues in Secondary Education. 2nd ed., Berkshire: Open University Press, pp.233-249.
Lang, P. and Husbands, C. (2007) Personal, Social and Health Education. In Brooks, V. Abbott, I. and Bills, L. (eds) Preparing to Teach in Secondary Schools: A Student Teacher’s Guide to Professional Issues in Secondary Education. 2nd ed., Berkshire: Open University Press, pp.324-334.
Needham, D. Yeomans, B. Dransfield, R. and Howkins, S. (1992) Teaching Business Studies. Berkshire: McGraw-Hill.
Turner, T. (1999) Moral Development and Values. In Capel, S. Leask, M. and Turner, T. (eds) Learing to Teach in the Secondary School: A Companion to School Experience. 2nd ed., London: Routledge, pp.199-211.
Qualifications and curriculum Authority (QCA) (2009) Curriculum Purposes, Values and Aims [online]. London. QCA, updated 11 June 2009 [accessed 15 June 2009]. < http://curriculum.qca.org.uk/key-stages-3-and-4/aims/index.aspx>.

References: Bennett, N. and Dunne, E. (2002) How Children Learn: Implications for Practice. In Moon, B. Mayes, S. and Hutchinson, S. (eds) Teaching, Learning and the Curriculum in Secondary Schools: A Reader. London: Routledge Falmer, pp.31-37. Butler, D. (1990) Developing Economic Awareness in the Secondary Curriculum. In Cullimore, D. (ed) Teaching Business Education: A Teachers’ Manual. Tyne and Wear: Business Education publishers Ltd, pp.13-28. Butler, R. Ellis, V. and Simpson, D. (2004) Planning for Learning. In Ellis, V. (ed) Learning and Teaching in Secondary Schools. 2nd ed., Exeter: Learning Matters Ltd, pp.33-52. Davies, P. and Brant, J. (2006) Business, Economics and Enterprise: Teaching School Subjects 11-19. Oxon: Routeledge. Jephcote, M. (2005) Citizenship and Business Education. . In Jephcote, M. and Abbott, I. Teaching Business Education 14-19. London: David Fulton Publishers Ltd, pp.44-54. Jephcote, M, and Abbott, I. (2005) The Reform of 14-19 Education and Training: The Emerging Work-Related Curriculum. In Abbott, I, and Jephcote, M. Teaching Business Education 14-19. London: David Fulton Publishers Ltd, pp.19-35. Needham, D. Yeomans, B. Dransfield, R. and Howkins, S. (1992) Teaching Business Studies. Berkshire: McGraw-Hill. Turner, T. (1999) Moral Development and Values. In Capel, S. Leask, M. and Turner, T. (eds) Learing to Teach in the Secondary School: A Companion to School Experience. 2nd ed., London: Routledge, pp.199-211. Qualifications and curriculum Authority (QCA) (2009) Curriculum Purposes, Values and Aims [online]. London. QCA, updated 11 June 2009 [accessed 15 June 2009]. &lt; http://curriculum.qca.org.uk/key-stages-3-and-4/aims/index.aspx&gt;.