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Frequently asked questions

Back to Economics and Business

Why is there no Economics and Business curriculum prior to Level 5-6?

While there is no formal Economics and Business curriculum prior to Level 5-6, students may develop relevant knowledge and capabilities through other curriculum areas and interactions in everyday life. For example, money and financial transactions are covered in the Mathematics curriculum, and in Geography and History, students are asked to explore their local areas and family and personal histories, which may include topics such as businesses and employment.

The knowledge that students bring with them to the Economics and Business classroom should be taken into account when planning the teaching and learning program. This applies to Levels 5-6 but also Levels 7-8 and 9-10. This student experience will strengthen the learning and provide relevant and contemporary contexts.

Should every content description be taught?

Each strand contains content descriptions, but these content descriptions should not be regarded as a checklist. The teaching and learning program should draw together the content descriptions from different strands into ‘topics’ or units of work. This will allow the content to be covered in a meaningful way and students to progress their learning along the curriculum continuum and demonstrate achievement related to the standards.

Do I have to teach the Economics and Business curriculum each year and what are the implications for reporting?

Schools will develop their whole-school curriculum plan in order to deliver the Victorian Curriculum F–10 in a way that is meaningful and relevant to their students. It is, therefore, a school-based decision as to when the Economics and Business curriculum is delivered. For example, schools may choose to deliver a concentrated unit of work to Year 5 students to align with the school fete and not teach any component of the Economics and Business curriculum to students in Year 6.

Schools will report student progress along the continuum when it has been taught. For example, if the concentrated unit is taught to Year 5 students, then this will be included on the Year 5 report accurately representing the level of achievement.

Does my school need to have a specific Economics and Business subject/class to deliver the curriculum?

No, the Economics and Business curriculum can be delivered in a variety of flexible and relevant ways depending upon the whole school curriculum plan, resources available and ensuring the needs of the students are met.

Delivery methods could be, for example, through an integrated Humanities subject, a cross curriculum approach where the appropriate components of different areas are incorporated to provide a locally relevant unit or theme, or a dedicated ‘day/week’ where the curriculum is covered through activities/speakers/excursions. It is important when planning integrated units that there is still explicit teaching of the specific content and assessment to progress student learning.

Why focus on economics and business issues, events and case studies throughout the curriculum?

Making connections between what is learned in class and events or issues that are occurring in the students’ local area, Australia and the world is vital to the study of Economics and Business. Integrating these events, issues and case studies into the teaching and learning program enables the curriculum to be taught through relevant and contemporary contexts.

Do all students in Years 9 and 10 have to study Economics and Business?

In the pathways stage of schooling (Years 9-10) students should have the opportunity to engage with the full structure of the Victorian Curriculum. The school curriculum plan should demonstrate how across these two years of schooling students will be offered a program that includes the Economics and Business curriculum.

The school curriculum plan should recognise that in these two years of schooling some students begin to focus on areas of specialisation related to both their future schooling and intended pathways beyond school. The learning program for these Pathways years can, therefore, be based on the curriculum areas set out in the Victorian Curriculum, or where a student has already demonstrated achievement of the knowledge and skills at level 10, senior secondary studies could be drawn from equivalent curriculum areas.