Integration of Contemporary Issues to Address the Low Level of Comprehension towards Economics amongGrade 9 Students of Bayorbor National High School: A Basis for a Proposed Action Plan

Abstract

INTRODUCTION

Economics as a social science offers analytical tools, context, and content which enable young students to make a valuable decision. However, some students have a difficult time understanding economic concepts, thus having a low level of comprehension. Because of this, teachers should devise a new technique to make Economics be easily understood by students. One of the effective techniques utilized in teaching Economics is the integration of contemporary issues to increase the level of comprehension among students.

METHODS

Experimental and Quantitative methods were used in the conduct of the study. The respondents of the study were two heterogeneous sections of Grade 9 students from Bayorbor National High School. A pre-test and a post-test were administered to these two sections. One section became the control group while the other became the experimental one. The experimental group was taught with the integration of contemporary issues while the other one was taught using mere economic concepts only. The statistical tools that were used in the study include mean, percentage, and t-test.

RESULTS

The results of the pre-test showed that the comprehension level towards Economics of the control group and the experimental group both fall into the below average category with 42.78% and 43.52% comprehension level respectively. After the integration of contemporary issues, the result differs; the control group still falls in the below average category with 47.67% comprehension level while the experimental group falls into the average category with comprehension level of 57.04%. Furthermore, the result of the t-test implies that there is a significant difference that took place between the group where contemporary issues were integrated and to the group where the teacher merely used economic concepts.

DISCUSSIONS

Students who were taught with mere economic concepts from the textbook seem to have a low level of comprehension towards Economics compared to those who were taught with the integration of contemporary issues. They were having difficulty in dealing with economic concepts because their previous social studies happened to tackle the history of Asia and of the world; thus, most of the economic concepts appeared new to them. But, with contemporary issues, students were able to relate the economic concepts to their daily lives. Thus, integrating contemporary issues in teaching economics seemed to be an effective way for students to better understand economic concepts.