Economics · Year 13

Active learning ideas

Globalization and its Impact

Active learning works because globalization’s complexity demands students confront real data and conflicting perspectives rather than passively absorb abstract concepts. By debating, analyzing, and role-playing, students move from memorizing terms to recognizing how economic forces shape lives across borders.

• National Curriculum Attainment Targets
• A-Level: Economics - The Global Economy
• A-Level: Economics - Globalization

• 35–50 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 4 activities

Activity 01

• World Café
• 40 min · Pairs

Debate Pairs: Globalization Winners and Losers

Pair students to prepare one pro-globalization argument (e.g., consumer benefits) and one con (e.g., wage inequality). Switch roles after 10 minutes, then debate with the class. End with written evaluations of strongest points.

Explain the key factors that have driven the process of globalization.

Facilitation Tip

During Debate Pairs, assign roles explicitly and provide a structured outline so students focus on evidence rather than rhetorical flourishes.

What to look for

Pose the question: 'To what extent has globalization benefited the average UK worker over the past 20 years?' Students should use specific examples of trade, labor market changes, and income distribution to support their arguments, referencing at least one key term.

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Social Awareness
• Relationship Skills

Activity 02

• World Café
• 35 min · Small Groups

Data Analysis Small Groups: UK Trade Impacts

Provide groups with ONS data on UK imports, exports, and wage trends post-2000. Students create graphs showing correlations, discuss causation versus correlation, and link to labor market theory.

Analyze the impact of globalization on domestic labor markets and wages.

Facilitation Tip

In Data Analysis Small Groups, circulate with guiding questions to push students beyond surface-level observations to interpret trends like regional job losses.

What to look for

Present students with three short scenarios describing economic changes in different countries. Ask them to identify which scenario best illustrates the impact of comparative advantage, which shows the effects of offshoring, and which demonstrates increased income inequality due to globalization. They should briefly justify each choice.

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Social Awareness
• Relationship Skills

Activity 03

• World Café
• 50 min · Small Groups

Role-Play Simulation: Offshoring Negotiation

Assign roles (firm CEO, UK workers, government official) to small groups facing an offshoring decision. Groups negotiate terms over 20 minutes, then present outcomes and economic rationale to the class.

Evaluate the arguments for and against globalization in terms of economic welfare.

Facilitation Tip

For the Role-Play Simulation, set clear time limits for negotiations and debrief thoroughly afterward to connect their simulated choices to real-world policy outcomes.

What to look for

Students write a short paragraph evaluating one argument for or against globalization. They then exchange paragraphs with a partner. The partner acts as a reviewer, checking if the argument is clearly stated, supported by economic reasoning, and if a relevant key term is used correctly. Reviewers provide one specific suggestion for improvement.

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Social Awareness
• Relationship Skills

Activity 04

• Jigsaw
• 45 min · Individual

Jigsaw: Global Supply Chains

Individuals read unique cases (e.g., Nike in Asia, UK car industry). Regroup to share insights on trade impacts, then report class-wide on common patterns and policy responses.

Explain the key factors that have driven the process of globalization.

Facilitation Tip

In Jigsaw Case Studies, assign small groups distinct roles (e.g., factory worker, MNC executive) to ensure active participation and diverse perspectives in the final discussion.

What to look for

Pose the question: 'To what extent has globalization benefited the average UK worker over the past 20 years?' Students should use specific examples of trade, labor market changes, and income distribution to support their arguments, referencing at least one key term.

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

A few notes on teaching this unit

Teach this topic by anchoring discussions in tangible data and lived experiences rather than theory alone. Research shows students grasp comparative advantage better when they see it play out in simulations or real trade flows. Avoid presenting globalization as a binary issue; instead, frame it as a set of interconnected trade-offs where outcomes depend on policy, geography, and timing.

Students will articulate specific drivers and outcomes of globalization, including trade volume shifts, wage disparities, and policy levers, using concrete examples. They will also weigh trade-offs between efficiency and equity in their discussions and written work.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• Globalization raises wages for all workers equally.

  During Data Analysis Small Groups, ask students to graph UK wage growth by sector alongside trade volume data. Point out sectors with stagnant wages despite increased trade, prompting them to revise their initial assumption with evidence from the graphs.

• Globalization removes all national control over economies.

  During the Role-Play Simulation, highlight the use of policy tools like tariffs or subsidies in the negotiation. After the activity, debrief by asking groups to reflect on how their simulated country’s policy choices shaped outcomes.

• Impacts of globalization are only positive for economic growth.

  During Debate Pairs, provide evidence of job losses or regional decline alongside GDP growth figures. Require each pair to include at least one counterexample in their debate to challenge oversimplified views.

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Methods used in this brief

• World Café
• Jigsaw