Economic and Industrial Understanding in Primary Education: Problems and Possibilities

Education for Economic and Industrial Understanding (EIU) now forms part of the school curriculum across the 5‐16 age range as one of several cross‐curricular themes. Considers how initiatives in schools‐industry links have developed during the last 15 years and raises several important issues. Argues that EIU can broaden children′s learning experiences but at the same time must be incorporated in ways which are relevant and appropriate to this age group and which reflect different forms of economic activity. Case studies provide evidence of the possibilities for curriculum development avoiding some of the problems which have been encountered in EIU.