EUROPEAN EDUCATIONAL PROJECT Comenius Azione 1 

INTEGRATED FORMS OF POLITICAL ECONOMICS BUSINESS ECONOMICS AND

LAW  IN A EUROPEAN PRESPECTIVE

Uncertainty about the introduction of Euro: studying of the impact of the new currency on 

• Family

• Companies

• National economy

• Government

• Society in general

Psychological effects connected to it

Methodological introduction

The project is the result of a confrontation among different  levels of teaching law and economics in secondary schools in countries specifically Italy, France , and England. Differences can be found not only in the syllabus but also a different kind of education system .

In many European countries these subjects vary a lot according to the kind of schools they are thought in with very different curricular structures connected to the approach to education that is peculiar to every country.

Economics and Law subjects are  essential for the development of a conscious citizen but also for his professional preparation which enables him to work in many fields in UN countries.

In this context we have exchanged information concerning our experience in order to improve teaching methods and reinforce students learning .

The exchange of information about the education system of different countries , the importance of the above mentioned subjects in the school and finally the analysis of the curriculum,  teaching methods and evaluation has led to an  experimental teaching project to be carried out in parallel “classes” of students from 14 to 16 and 16 to 18 ( which refer to our “biennio” and “triennio” of our school system ).

A starting point of the research on a topic will be the analysis of the actual results and the students’ experience of the reality of their everyday life. The work will be based on a survey  carried out by the students  through a  questionnaire and its subsequent results. The aim of the survey will be to reveal how much people know about the introduction of the Euro. The sample will be divided into : family, young people, old people, companies. There will be Graphs concerning the electronic data processing in the computing laboratory .

The gathering data of  informative material  in the local and national press such as specialized magazines, newspapers, Internet research: interviews, opinions etc. The purpose is to observe how much space the media have given to the topic, the principal opinions  and the Italian political attitude towards it . Special attention will be paid to the pro and con opinions on the introduction of Euro.

Moreover the parallel development of the topic of the project in different countries will give a useful exchange of information on the different approaches the project has been carried out. in the different social environment.; particularly it will point out the different expectations and opinions (optimism or scepticism) of the different social grounds such as media,  political opinions etc.

The last two steps concern the analysis of the results of the previous two phases:

• theoretical organisation of the material through a gradual introduction of concepts and categories concerning the topic. In this phase the most important articles will be translated into the official language of the project (English);

• a complete theoretical organisation of the topics: E.U. and the institutions, the economic system and currency system.

Objectives                       

• Verifying the expectations of citizens and young people in some European countries ( U.K., France, Italy) connected to the introduction of Euro and of course the different position of UK and the most of the other UN countries.

• Verifying if in the choice of introducing the Euro there are elements of uncertainty and unpredictability .

• Investigating on the different effects of Euro in the following areas:

• Personal

• Business , companies and other productive sectors

• In society and public institutions

• studio dei dati primari emergenti da un'analisi di tipo quantitativa sulla sfera personale familiare/delle aziende/sociale politica.

• Studying the primary data concerning the personal political and business areas.

• Studying the sources of information already published in newspapers, magazines, on TV, and other media.

• Developing researching and analysing abilities connected to the interpretation of the data concerning social demographic and economic fields (essential for the development of a conscious citizen but also for his professional preparation which enables autonomously and responsibly in the society and in the business fields)

• learning the UN institutions.

Content

• European currency in : family, companies, national economy,  government, society in general

• Psychological effects of it

• UN and the institutions

• Economic and monetary system

Tests

• Test will  verify:
• The ability developed by students
• The way the ability have been developed
• The objective reached in each class
• Motivation

In each class teachers will decide the more suitable tests .

Time

May 1999 – February2000