Economics Learning Management Integrating Social Justice Issues as a Basis to Enhance Creative Decision-Making Skills of Upper Secondary Students at Sarasas Witaed Chiang Mai School

Abstract

This study aimed (1) to design economics lesson plans that integrate social justice as a learning foundation to enhance upper secondary students’ creative decision-making skills, (2) to examine the effects of the implemented learning management, and (3) to promote students’ creative decision-making skills through the developed approach. The research employed classroom action research with a purposive sample of 20 Grade 11 students at Sarasas Witaed Chiang Mai School in the second semester of the 2024 academic year. Five lesson plans (totaling 5 hours) were developed covering economic units, economic systems, price determination in economic systems, wage determination, and designing an economic system. Learning activities emphasized case-based learning, structured discussion, and simulation tasks to guide students through five decision-making steps: identifying the problem and the need for a decision, generating alternatives, evaluating alternatives, selecting the most appropriate option, and assessing decision outcomes with attention to impacts on different social groups. Research instruments included (1) a 15-item creative decision-making skills rating scale (5-point Likert), (2) a 12-item classroom behavior observation checklist with performance levels, and (3) student reflection forms and field notes. Quantitative data were analyzed using mean and standard deviation, while qualitative data were analyzed through content analysis. The results indicated that the five lesson plans were rated at a good to excellent level by three experts (overall mean = 4.92/5.00). Students’ creative decision-making skills were also at a good level across all components (overall mean = 4.91/5.00). Qualitative evidence showed improved reasoning and deeper learning: students raised questions about social justice, compared policy options and constraints, considered differential impacts on low-income groups, and revised their proposals after hearing peers’ perspectives. Overall, integrating social justice into economics learning made the subject more meaningful and supported higher-quality, real-world decision-making.