Making government decisions
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Introduction
In this activity, students use a decision-making strategy to decide what the government should do when faced with a dilemma. Students learn that spending more money on one government service will require compensatory action, such as borrowing, selling state-owned assets, reducing spending on other public goods and/or increasing taxes. They learn to use the PACED grid decision-making strategy to support their decision-making.
Achievement standard
By the end of Year 10, students analyse how economic indicators influence Australian Government decision-making. They explain ways that government intervenes to improve economic performance and living standards. They explain processes that businesses use to manage the workforce and improve productivity. They explain the importance of Australia’s superannuation system and its effect on consumer and financial decision-making. Students analyse factors that influence major consumer and financial decisions, and explain the short- and long-term effects of these decisions.
Students develop and modify a range of questions to investigate an economic and business issue. They locate, select and analyse relevant and reliable information and data from a range of sources. They interpret and analyse information and data to evaluate trends and economic cause-and-effect relationships, and make predictions about consumer and financial impacts. They develop an evidence-based response to an economic and business issue. They evaluate a response, using appropriate criteria to decide on a course of action. Students use economic and business knowledge, concepts, and terms to develop descriptions, explanations and reasoned arguments that synthesise research findings.
Content descriptions
Economics and Business Knowledge and Understanding
The ways that government intervenes in the economy to improve economic performance and living standards within Australian society. (AC9HE10K02)
Economics and Business Skills
Develop and evaluate a response to an economic and business issue, using cost-benefit analysis or criteria to decide on a course of action. (AC9HE10S04)
Create descriptions, explanations and arguments, using economic and business knowledge, concepts. And terms that incorporate and acknowledge and research findings. (AC9HE10S05)
Teacher resources
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Decision-making strategy
Student learning resources
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Making government decisions
Suggested activity sequence
This sequence is intended as a framework to be modified and adapted by teachers to suit the needs of a class group.
- Display and explain the information on the visualiser. The visualiser provides a step-by-step guide to using the PACED grid as a tool for decision-making. Explain each step as you display the visualiser.
- Tell students that they will now apply this strategy to making a government decision.
- Use a grouping strategy to organise students into groups of 4.
- Groups follow the group instructions to make a decision and engage in a discussion about their choice.
- Groups share their statements with the class.
- Invite students to individually reflect:
- How do the statements differ?
- What sort of a problem would this pose for any government and the people in the community?
- How important are people involved in the health sector, (and other parts of our community) to work to provide good feedback to the government to ensure the correct services are able to be offered?