Geography · Year 12

Active learning ideas

Resistance to Globalization

Active learning works for this topic because resistance to globalization involves abstract economic ideas and complex human perspectives. Students need to experience the tensions between competing values, not just read about them, so simulations and debates help them internalize trade-offs like sovereignty versus integration.

• ACARA Content Descriptions
• ACARA Australian Curriculum v9: Geography 11-12, Unit 4, AC9GGF12S03: analyse the reasons for the spatial variations in the outcomes of global transformations
• ACARA Australian Curriculum v9: Geography 11-12, Unit 4, AC9GGF12S04: analyse the social, economic and environmental sustainability of global transformations
• ACARA Australian Curriculum v9: Geography 11-12, Unit 4, AC9GGF12S05: evaluate a range of strategies that have been implemented in response to the challenges of global transformations

• 30–60 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 4 activities

Activity 01

• Formal Debate
• 50 min · Pairs

Debate Pairs: Protectionism vs Free Trade

Pair students and assign positions on protectionist policies. Provide sources on Australian steel tariffs. Pairs prepare 3-minute arguments, then switch sides and rebut. Conclude with whole-class vote on strongest evidence.

Explain the motivations behind anti-globalization protests.

Facilitation Tip

During Debate Pairs, assign clear roles (e.g., ‘domestic manufacturer advocate’ vs. ‘consumer rights advocate’) to push students beyond generic arguments.

What to look for

Pose the following question to small groups: 'Imagine you are advising the Australian government on trade policy. Present one argument for implementing a new tariff on imported steel and one argument against it, considering both economic and social impacts.'

• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Self-Management
• Decision-Making

Activity 02

• Jigsaw
• 60 min · Small Groups

Jigsaw: Protest Case Studies

Assign small groups one protest event, like Occupy Wall Street or G20 Melbourne. Groups research motivations and outcomes using provided articles. Experts then teach their case to new home groups, synthesizing global patterns.

Analyze how protectionist policies aim to counter global economic integration.

Facilitation Tip

In Jigsaw Groups, require each student to cite at least one primary source (e.g., a protest sign from 1999 or a news quote) to ground their discussion in real events.

What to look for

Provide students with short descriptions of three different trade policies (e.g., a tariff on cars, a subsidy for solar panel manufacturing, a free trade agreement). Ask them to classify each policy as primarily promoting global integration or economic nationalism/protectionism and briefly justify their choice.

• Understand
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Relationship Skills
• Self-Management

Activity 03

• Simulation Game
• 45 min · Whole Class

Simulation Game: Whole Class Trade Negotiation

Represent countries in a mock WTO round. Introduce random events like job losses to trigger protectionist bids. Class votes on agreements, tracking economic impacts on a shared spreadsheet.

Critique the arguments for and against economic nationalism.

Facilitation Tip

For the Simulation, assign students to small country teams and provide a limited set of negotiation tools (e.g., tariffs, subsidies, quotas) to make trade-offs visible.

What to look for

On an index card, ask students to write: 1) One reason a country might implement protectionist policies. 2) One potential negative consequence of such policies for global trade.

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Social Awareness
• Decision-Making

Activity 04

• Formal Debate
• 30 min · Individual

Individual Mapping: Nationalism Arguments

Students create concept maps weighing pros and cons of economic nationalism, using examples like India's 'Make in India'. Share digitally for peer feedback, then discuss in pairs.

Explain the motivations behind anti-globalization protests.

Facilitation Tip

For Individual Mapping, have students annotate their maps with specific policy examples and counterarguments to move from abstract ideas to concrete cases.

What to look for

Pose the following question to small groups: 'Imagine you are advising the Australian government on trade policy. Present one argument for implementing a new tariff on imported steel and one argument against it, considering both economic and social impacts.'

• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Self-Management
• Decision-Making

A few notes on teaching this unit

Teachers approach this topic by starting with students’ lived experiences of trade—like shopping for imported goods or hearing about local factory closures—before introducing formal economic concepts. Research shows that role-playing trade negotiations helps students grasp interdependence, while case studies reveal how cultural identity shapes resistance. Avoid oversimplifying protests as ‘anti-trade’; instead, use primary sources to show protesters’ specific demands, such as labor protections or environmental standards.

Successful learning looks like students articulating nuanced positions, weighing evidence before advocating for policies, and recognizing the human consequences behind economic decisions. They should move from broad stereotypes to specific examples and policy details by the end of the unit.

---

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During Debate Pairs, watch for students conflating anti-globalization with opposition to all international trade.

  Use the debate structure to push students to specify what they oppose: ‘Do you oppose all trade or just trade that harms workers or the environment?’ Have them revise their opening statements after peer questioning.

• During Jigsaw Groups, watch for students assuming protectionist policies always harm economies long-term.

  Provide each group with a short data set (e.g., Australian steel tariffs’ impact on local jobs vs. retaliation by trading partners) and ask them to present one short-term benefit and one long-term risk before making a final claim.

• During Simulation: Whole Class Trade Negotiation, watch for students dismissing economic nationalism as outdated.

  After the simulation, debrief by asking teams to share one policy they chose that reflected nationalism. Then, ask them to defend why it was necessary, using examples from their negotiation outcomes.

---

Methods used in this brief

• Formal Debate
• Jigsaw
• Simulation Game