Consumer education
The Catalonia School of Consumer Affairs is a free public service created by the Catalan Consumer Agency of the Government of Catalonia. Its aim is to promote the presence of consumer affairs in education within the Catalan educational sphere, making a variety of activities available to the public and offering them advice concerning consumer education.
Why consumer education?
The Catalan Consumer College opts for consumer education as a tool for helping citizens to construct their own ways of doing things, feeling and thinking.
We understand that consumer education must promote learning that is:
- responsible, to raise awareness of the consequences of actions by consumers.
- critical, to act from a position of analysis and reflection.
- active, to guide decision-making and action.
What we do
At the Catalan Consumer College we simultaneously carry out teaching, innovation and research, establishing the Consumer Education Studies Centre, where research enriches everyday educational actions and promotes constant innovation.
Teaching
This is carried out every day throughout Catalonia using workshops (see the booklet).
The workshops are aimed at primary school, compulsory secondary school, baccalaureate, vocational education and secondary education students.
Educational talks are also given about consumer education with parents' associations (AMPA) and activities are held in informal educational contexts and during initial teacher training in universities.Innovation
This focuses on the constant search for new ways to introduce consumer education into the school curriculum.
Theoretical references include the complexity paradigm, socio-constructivist models for explaining teaching-learning processes and target-setting in terms of competences. As for methodology, intensive work is being done on the role of questions in driving learning, the incorporation of art into the activities, the emotions and the use of diverse languages and the significance and functionality of workshops in pupils' everyday lives.
In-depth work is also done on aspects of team management and the creation of new educational scenarios.Research
This is the route into understanding the changing world and to attempt to provide theoretical baggage on which to base other areas.
Lines of research are currently going into depth on the theoretical and conceptual framework of the complexity paradigm. Disciplinary dialogue is specified in it as the way of approaching phenomena from different disciplines and in the consumer educational models for secondary school teachers in Catalonia.
Alongside this, another line of research is to investigate knowledge of young people's consumption habits in Catalonia. Many studies have been carried out on advertising, criteria for buying clothes and handling budgets.Studies
Young people and the consumption of clothing and accessories- Studies on the consumption habits of young people in Catalonia.
The Catalonia School of Consumer Affairs. The Catalan Consumer Agency, 2013. (pages 133-180)Young people, new information and communication technologies and internet access - Studies on consumer habits of young people in Catalonia.
The Catalonia School of Consumer Affairs. The Catalan Consumer Agency, 2011. (pages 91-126)Young people and their knowledge of rights and responsibilities of consumers - Studies on consumer habits of young people in Catalonia.
The Catalonia School of Consumer Affairs. The Catalan Consumer Agency, 2011. (pages 199-246)Young people and money - Studies on consumer habits of young people in Catalonia.
The Catalonia School of Consumer Affairs. The Catalan Consumer Agency, 2011. (pages 166-198)Young people and consumption of services in free time - Studies on consumer habits of young people in Catalonia.
The Catalonia School of Consumer Affairs. The Catalan Consumer Agency, 2011. (pages 90-126)Brands and young people - Studies on the consumption habits of young people in Catalonia.
The Catalonia School of Consumer Affairs. The Catalan Consumer Agency, 2007. (pages 96-112)Young people’ criteria with respect to purchasing clothes - Studies on the consumption habits of young people in Catalonia.
The Catalonia School of Consumer Affairs. The Catalan Consumer Agency, 2007. (pages 102-120)
