E course tracon benn 2002 benn-2004
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This paper examines children and young people's experiences with consumption. It conducted a study with 64 participants aged 12-19 who created mind maps about consumption today and in the future. The preliminary results found that being a consumer today involves both positive and difficult aspects, such as pleasure but also pressure and environmental consciousness. When considering the future, participants recognized technology will impact consumption and identified both positive aspects like easier consumption through technology, as well as difficulties like intensified marketing and needing large earnings to meet consumption demands. The paper encourages using simple mind mapping activities to understand students' perspectives on consumption.
![ “Consumer education is concerned with the skills, attitudes,
knowledge and understanding necessary to become an effective
consumer. It is recognized that this form of education needs to
be provided at all life stages to empower young through to
older consumers to enable them to lead confident, healthy,
independent lives.” (Brennan & Ritters, 2004, p. 98).
Consumer education “sets out to change behavior, strengthen
responsibility, motivate to participate and to empower the
consumer” (Brennan & Ritters, 2004, p. 104).
“The aim of formal consumer education may be described as
educating for critical consumer awareness and action
competence” (Benn, 2004, p. 108).
[Department of Trade and Industry (2003). Consumer and Competition Policy Directorate
Website. http://www.dti.gov.uk/ccp/topics1/advice.htm as cited by Brennan & Ritters, 2004, p. 98]](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/e-course-20tracon-20benn-2002-20benn-2004-130612150803-phpapp01/85/E-course-tracon-benn-2002-benn-2004-2-320.jpg)
E course tracon benn 2002 benn-2004
- 1. Consumer Education: Content, principles and perspectives HAROKOPIO UNIVERSITY GREECE “Training teachers in developing consumer awareness among children” Project 517562-LLP-1-2011-1-GR-COMENIUS-CMP www.tracon-project.eu
- 2. “Consumer education is concerned with the skills, attitudes, knowledge and understanding necessary to become an effective consumer. It is recognized that this form of education needs to be provided at all life stages to empower young through to older consumers to enable them to lead confident, healthy, independent lives.” (Brennan & Ritters, 2004, p. 98). Consumer education “sets out to change behavior, strengthen responsibility, motivate to participate and to empower the consumer” (Brennan & Ritters, 2004, p. 104). “The aim of formal consumer education may be described as educating for critical consumer awareness and action competence” (Benn, 2004, p. 108). [Department of Trade and Industry (2003). Consumer and Competition Policy Directorate Website. http://www.dti.gov.uk/ccp/topics1/advice.htm as cited by Brennan & Ritters, 2004, p. 98]
- 3. To be a consumer deals among others with… The role of Media in consumption behaviour Safety Marketing & money management Consumer rights Services and Telecommunication Sustainable consumption Food labeling Family Food & health
- 4. This paper discusses the role of school in the planning of and developing consumer education. The main points raised are as follows: “Until now most research has been aimed primarily at gaining an understanding of how consumers act and react for the benefit of producers or society. Recently children and young people have been put on the research agenda … in their roles as consumers” (p. 169). “Despite the emphasis nowadays being on the consumer and his/her consumption behaviour, it can be postulated that we are also, to a certain degree, producers. We are not just passive consumers but, as we consume we act, react and interact. How, why and when we carry out these actions depends on who we are, our needs and attitudes towards consumption and action and our skills or abilities to „produce‟ “(p. 170).
- 5. According to Benn (2002) modern societies are characterized by three key paradigms in relation to consumer behaviour: 1. The consumer-regulated society paradigm in which the central figure is the consumer “who chooses and thereby determines the market.” (pp. 170-171). 2. The power in the hands-of-producers paradigm in which the producers are “superior and decide what we can buy and how to consume.” (p. 171). 3. “The third paradigm says that neither of the two parties may put themselves forward as superior and prudent.” (p. 171). … the individual “acts as consumer outside the home in society, at the market, and acts as producer and/or consumer within the home. This double perspective is also essential for consumer education.” (p. 171).
- 6. “Consumer education may … be introduced as a cross- curricular theme between subjects, or as a subject area within project work.” (p. 172). “The overall aim (of consumer education) is that pupils and students obtain active competencies in a number of fields or become empowered to act as citizens in a democratic society.” (p. 172). Consumer education “encompasses a socialization process with an emancipatory and critical angle and is not just a behaviorist way of thinking.” (p. 172). “… the aim of consumer education must be to produce an „eco-centred‟ or eco-caring teacher and pupil or human being.” (p. 172).
- 7. It means that “it is necessary in consumer education to work with both the consumer and producer roles, to learn and gain experience in the field.” (p. 173). Human beings must be seen “as both consumers and producers within the home or household.” (p.173). The school needs to function as a laboratory in which everyone learns how to cope with the challenges of life and how to make home and society a “harmoniously caring place to live in.” (p. 175). “In conclusion, … the … quotation „Housekeeping means: to use what you have in order to get what you want‟ … ought to be changed to „Housekeeping means: to question what you need and to ecologize in order to get what you and others might want.‟” (p.175).
- 8. After you have read the paper by Benn (2002) and you have gone through its key points as presented within this power point, try to answer the following questions to make sure that you understood well its content: What are the three paradigms which characterize consumerism in modern societies? Which of the three paradigms is more powerful in developing consumer education? Can consumer education be taught as part of other school subjects across the curriculum and is this a desirable and effective approach? What does “eco-centred” or “eco-caring” teacher and pupil mean in terms of educational decisions and school practice? In simple terms, what is the main purpose of consumer education according to the authors‟ suggestions? Based on the information provided by the present paper, design an “eco- caring” cross-thematic lesson plan on „food and health‟. Get ideas from the two examples of school activities described in the paper (pp. 173-174).
- 9. This paper examines children‟s and young people‟s experiences and views on consumption. The key points of the paper are as follows: “… consumerism has become a global, universal and unifying movement … that has a great significance for and impact on the lives of children and young people all over the world.” (p. 108). A change between old times and modern times “is the power and potential children and young people have in relation to consumption, both directly as consumers themselves and indirectly by influencing parents‟ choices and consumption.” (p. 108).
- 10. The study: Participants: 64 children and young people aged between 12 and 19 years old. Procedure: 1. contact with schools and teachers 2. classroom settings including scenarios, presentation of mind maps of consumption today and in the future and small-scale questionnaires concerning the pupil 3. interviews of selected individuals 4. analysis of methods and data Example of mind map (page 110 of the paper). Consumption today
- 11. The preliminary results of the study: To be a consumer today involves Positive aspects Difficult aspects •Being „a happy consumer‟ •Power and consciousness •Pleasure •Pressure towards political consumption •„Buying when bored‟ •Criticism about purchasing •Consumption larger than needs •Environmental consciousness •„Ruled by majority‟ •Quality is important •„No end of choices‟ •„We are spoilt‟ •Identity created by society Table 2 „To be a consumer today‟ from the mind maps of the upper secondary school (n=20) (p. 110)
- 12. To be a consumer in future deals with Positive aspects Difficult aspects •Some ideas about being •Increasing number of political consumers •Technology will have a great impact •Consideration, consciousness and power •Intensification of marketing •Independent choice (have own households and families in the future) •Easier consumption made possible by technology •Conscious of consumption (because of own children) •Consumption demands a large labor effort and big earnings •Recycling •Ecology
- 13. Use simple mind map layouts and ask your pupils to fill them in with their ideas about what to be a consumer today and in the future means to them. Collect your pupils responses, group their answers into categories and present them using tables.