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SAC Economics Unit 2

SAC

Economics Unit 2

SAC 5 – Applied economic analysis of local, national and international economic issues

(2024)

Task Details

Assessment Task – Paired research project

Outcome 2: Explain the factors that affect two economic issue at a local, national and international level and evaluate actions to address the issues.

Instructions and conditions

Start date: Monday 7 October (Week 1, Term 4)

Due date: 11:59pm, Friday 25 October (Week 3, Term 4)

Instructions: See attached instructions and rubric

Conditions: To be completed in pairs, during class time and outside of class

Time allowed: 3 weeks (12 periods in class)

Marks allocated: 42 marks (see rubric)

SAC 5 – Instructions and rubric

Student instructions:

Your task is to work in pairs to investigate an economic issue, related to either international trade or environmental sustainability, and create a product that presents the findings of your research.

You need to pick an economic issue that interests you and apply the skills and knowledge you’ve learnt throughout this Area of Study to analyse the issue. Examples of issues that you could investigate include:
- Local
  - Melbourne’s population boom and urban sprawl and the impact this is having on environmental sustainability
  - The growth of international e-commerce (e.g. TEMU and Amazon) and its impacts on Melbourne’s retail industry
- National
  - The impact of China’s demand for Australian resources and how it caused the mining boom
  - The environmental impacts of Australia’s mining boom and agricultural production
  - The impact of Covid and the post-Covid economic recovery on migration of people to Australia and the impact this has had on Australia’s economy
  - The need to reduce Australia’s carbon emissions and the impact this will have on different markets (e.g. switching to renewable energy in the energy market, fuel-efficient standards for cars in the car market)
  - The economics and ethics of carbon offsets
  - The economic and social cost of climate change in Australia (e.g. bushfires, floods, storms) and how the Australian economy is changing as a result.
- International:
  - The global fast fashion industry and its impacts on people and the environment
  - The rise of palm oil production and its environmental and social costs
  - The impact of the War in Ukraine on international trade and Australia
  - The impact of Covid on international trade
  - Trade wars between China and the USA or China and Australia

You will need to organise yourselves into pairs or your teacher may select these groups for you. If you prefer, you can also complete this task as an individual but this will mean that you have more work to complete.

Starting in Week 2 of Term 4 each group will have 2 weeks in class to research their chosen topic and prepare the final product that presents their research. You must have references that show where you got your research.

The final product can take any form that you wish, as long as its contents meets the requirements of the rubric. Examples include: a poster, a video, a podcast, graphic novel or magazine, newspaper article, a written report, or an information booklet. If you are unsure, ask your teacher.

Everyone’s final product will be viewed in class as part of a gallery walk after your final products are submitted. This will be an opportunity for you to view other groups’ work, ask other groups about their work, and questions about your work.

Each group’s product will be assessed as a group so ensure that everyone is allocated roles and contributes equally. Members may need to take on more than one role to complete their group’s work to a high quality.

To assist with planning and structuring your work and to ensure everyone is contributing equally, each group is required to meet a series of deliverables. The table below outlines the schedule of deliverables required.

Deliverable	Details	Due date
Proposal	Outlines the research topic, why you have chosen it, the proposed method of presentation and a prediction of the findings you expect to make	Monday 9 October
Draft materials part 1	Submission of materials that demonstrate that the group has been working productively and is on track (e.g. research notes, reference list, draft presentation, script, research findings, outline of who has done what and what is left to complete etc).	Wednesday 13 October
Draft materials part 2		Wednesday 18 October
Final product	The end product that contains your research findings and meets the requirements of the rubric. The form of the product is up to each group.	Friday 20 October
Gallery walk and Q&A session	Presentation of your final product as part of a gallery walk, answer questions from students/teachers	Monday 23 October

Assessment Criteria

Each final product created will need to address the criteria and rubric.

Each group’s final product needs to address the following relating to the course content:

A description of a specific economic issue that relates to either international trade or environmental sustainability.

An explanation of why the issue is of importance to the Australian economy, either at the local, national or international level.

An outline of the statistics that are or could be used to measure the issue and the current trend in those statistics, including a display and description of relevant charts/graphs.

An explanation of how at least two economic factors are affecting the issue and the implication they might have on Australia’s economic activity and living standards.

An analysis of the experience of at least two types of economic agent in Australia (households, businesses or government) in relation to the issue.

An evaluation of the arguments for and against a response that is being undertaken by a relevant economic agent at either a local, national or international level to address the issue.

A prediction of how the issue might evolve or change in the future and the impact this is likely to have on Australia’s economic activity and living standards.