The Socioeconomic Curriculum – A Contribution to Transforming Economics High School Education

This article outlines the principal characteristics of the Socioeconomic Curriculum (Das Sozioökonomische Curriculum), which was developed by Reinhold Hedtke (2018) and forms part of the transformative movement of socio-economic education in the field of economic education. The concept offers a concrete illustration of how economic education can be innovatively rethought and practically implemented in schools. Because the SEC designs economic education in a problem-oriented and integrative way, and because it conceptually links society, economy and politics, the SEC is well suited for approaches to education in a transformative context. This is also supported by its transformative notion of education. The curriculum is presented in three sections. Firstly, the core principles of the SEC are elucidated, with particular emphasis on its conceptual framework and the multifaceted dimensions of the subject area ‘economy’ (2). Subsequently, select key elements are presented as illustrative examples, including its curricular core elements, content areas, and competences (3). Finally, the text utilises problem-oriented lesson planning and a planning grid to demonstrate the practical application of the SEC. This is followed by some concluding considerations (5).