HASS · Year 10

Active learning ideas

Automation and the Future of Work

Active learning works well for this topic because it helps students move beyond abstract concepts to real-world applications. By engaging in simulations, collaborative research, and structured discussions, they connect theory about unemployment and automation to tangible skills and career pathways they may face.

• ACARA Content Descriptions
• AC9E10K02

• 25–50 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 3 activities

Activity 01

• Inquiry Circle
• 50 min · Small Groups

Inquiry Circle: Jobs of 2040

In small groups, students research industries that are likely to grow (e.g., renewable energy, aged care, AI ethics) and those that are likely to decline due to automation. They create a 'skills map' for a future career. Groups present their findings as a 'career guide' for their classmates.

Analyze how automation is transforming the demand for different skills in the labor market.

Facilitation Tip

For the Collaborative Investigation, assign clear roles within groups to ensure every student contributes to research and presentation components.

What to look for

Pose the question: 'Imagine you are advising the Australian government on preparing the workforce for 2040. What are the top three policy recommendations you would make regarding automation and the gig economy?' Students should justify their choices with reference to specific skills and worker protections.

• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Self-Management
• Self-Awareness

Activity 02

• Role Play
• 40 min · Pairs

Role Play: The Gig Economy Interview

Students take on roles as a 'platform' manager (like Uber or Airtasker) and a worker. They negotiate a 'contract' that has no sick leave, no superannuation, and flexible hours. This helps students understand the trade-off between flexibility and security in modern work.

Explain the implications of the 'gig economy' for worker rights and job security.

Facilitation Tip

During the Role Play, provide interview questions in advance so students can prepare thoughtful responses that reflect real gig economy dynamics.

What to look for

Provide students with a short news article about a company implementing AI or a rise in gig work. Ask them to identify: 1) One job likely to be affected by automation/gig work, and 2) One new skill that might be needed for that job or a related one.

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Social Awareness
• Self-Awareness

Activity 03

• Think-Pair-Share
• 25 min · Pairs

Think-Pair-Share: The Impact of Automation

Students list tasks they do at school or home that could be done by a robot or AI. They discuss in pairs whether automation is a 'threat' to jobs or an 'opportunity' to do more meaningful work. They then share their thoughts on how the education system should change to prepare them for this future.

Predict which skills will be most valuable in the Australian economy of 2040.

Facilitation Tip

In the Think-Pair-Share, limit the pair discussion to 3 minutes to keep the think phase focused and the share phase energetic.

What to look for

On an index card, students write down one specific job they are interested in. Then, they list two ways automation or the gig economy might change that job and one skill they believe will be crucial for success in that role in the future.

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Self-Awareness
• Relationship Skills

A few notes on teaching this unit

Teachers should ground this topic in current labor trends while avoiding deterministic views of automation. Start with students' lived experiences, then layer in historical comparisons and policy debates. Research shows that framing technology as a tool—not an inevitability—helps students see agency in shaping the future of work. Avoid framing automation as purely destructive; emphasize adaptation and resilience.

Successful learning is visible when students can explain unemployment types with examples, articulate how automation reshapes job markets, and propose practical solutions for worker protection. They should also demonstrate empathy for workers in precarious gig roles and confidence in adapting to future skill demands.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During the Collaborative Investigation: Jobs of 2040, students may assume unemployment is always voluntary.

  During the Collaborative Investigation, provide students with unemployment scenario cards (e.g., 'A factory closes due to AI, leaving 200 workers with outdated skills'). Ask groups to categorize each scenario as cyclical, structural, or frictional, then explain their reasoning to the class.

• During the Role Play: The Gig Economy Interview, students may believe automation will eliminate all gig jobs.

  During the Role Play, provide data on emerging gig roles (e.g., AI trainers, drone operators) and ask students to incorporate this into their interview responses. After the activity, highlight how gig work evolves rather than disappears.

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Methods used in this brief

• Inquiry Circle
• Role Play
• Think-Pair-Share