Doing Development Education: Junior Cycle Business Studies

‘The rationale for junior cycle Business Studies recognises that ‘young people are growing up in a globalised and dynamic’ and ‘interconnected world’. Business Studies ‘explores the interdependence of economic prosperity, societal well-being and the environment and encourages students to think and act as responsible and ethical citizens’. The aim of the specifcation includes the development of ‘skills, knowledge, attitudes and behaviours that allow [students] to make informed and responsible decisions with all of the resources available to them, ensuring their and society’s well-being’.

– p.3, Doing DE: Junior Cycle Business Studies (2016)

Resource structure

1. On pages 8-25 the learning outcomes named in Figure 2 are presented with background information, ideas for activities in the classroom and beyond, and useful links for sourcing additional information, and for classroom activities.
2. For each of the ‘main’ learning outcomes, there is a ‘Thinking about Global Goals’ section, referencing one or more of the United Nations (UN) Global Goals for Sustainable Development. These are a universal set of goals, targets and indicators that UN member states, including Ireland, will be expected to use to frame their agendas and policies until 2030.
3. The Global Goals follow, and expand on, the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), which expired at the end of 2015. As Business Studies teachers you will fnd the Global Goals very useful in terms of ensuring that your students fully understand the breadth of the concept of sustainability, and the relevance sustainability has for a thriving business environment.

More ‘Doing DE’ guides are available from WorldWise Global Schools, such as:

• Junior Cycle Science
• Junior Cycle English
• Junior Cycle Digital Media Literacy
• Junior Cycle Modern Foreign Languages
• Junior Cycle Visual Art
• Doing Development Education Through a Global School Partnership
• Doing Development Education for Practitioners and Organisations
• Doing Development Education as a School Network