During the early part of the academic year, four King’s Economics students - Matthew Chen (Year 13, Averill), Brian Feng (Year 13, Greenbank), Jim Whineray-Kelly (Year 13, Selwyn), Wells Yuan (Year 13, Selwyn) took part in a collaborative learning project with Millfield School in the UK.
Millfield School is one of the UK’s leading independent schools, for children aged from 2–18 years, it has 1,200 students - over 900 of them are full boarders made up of over 70 nationalities. The purpose of the project was for students to share perspectives on issues to do with the global economy and deliver presentations on the impact of climate change and the importance of the free market in developing economies. All students are currently studying the same Economics course (Cambridge A Level). The discussion took part over various evenings/mornings with students in groups of four - two from each school - and Mr Mark Johnston (HOD Economics King’s College) and Mr Tony Shaw (HOD Economics Millfield School) facilitating the discussion.
The topics discussed were:
- What challenges and opportunities do developing economies face today?
- ‘Developing countries cannot live on aid forever’ – how far do you agree with this statement?
- Are current developing countries going to be the driving force of the global economy?
Although discussion did not stick rigidly to these questions there was debate around global politics and its impact on the developing world as well as inequality and third world debt.
For the final session each of the two groups were given an exam style question on development economics in which they had to deliver a presentation with all students contributing. This task involved students deciding on the allocation of time to different aspects of the task, timelines, critical thinking and communication skills. Additionally, the students were exposed to other’s perceptions and views on significant issues in the global economy. Many thanks to Mr Tony Shaw and the Millfield students for their participation in the first collaborative learning project in economics – we hope to continue and potentially expand on this collaboration in the future due to this one being such a success.
“The Millfield project was a great experience. It provided us students with a unique collaborative learning experience and opportunity to make great new friendships with people on the other side of the world.” – Jim Whineray-Kelly (Year 13, Selwyn)
“King’s College’s economics collaboration with Millfield College offered a transformative experience, fostering global insights and vibrant discussions on developing economies, environmental preservation, and international growth. Engaging with students from different corners of the world broadened our horizons, enhancing our analytical skills and collaborative abilities. This project ignited our passion for economics, leaving a lasting impact on our intellectual journey.” – Wells Yuan (Year 13, Selwyn)
