The Observatory of economic complexity is an incredible learning tool that creates an interactive visual representation of the how different countries economies operate. The link connects to the 'Australia exports for 2017', representing the complexity of trade in an format that is accessible for upper middle school and senior students. This resource can be used to compare and contrast economies and examine a country's imports and exports.
Structure and features
Structure and features
The 'Observatory of economic complexity' website provides:
- a rich collection of data that allows students to examine the world’s economies
- searchable data and multiple entry points for exploration
- instructional videos to guide users.
For teachers
Teachers and students can adjust variables like country, imports, exports, date and level of detail within this tool. The website provides a visual representation of complex economic data in a visually interesting and understandable format which can be examined and discussed. This is a powerful tool that allows teachers and students to see how different country’s economies are linked and structured. The link provided shows Australia’s exports for 2017, however many other countries economies can be examined and compared. Students can modify the variables within this tool to evaluate economic data, prompting discussions about the diversity (or lack of diversity) in the goods and items traded between nations. Students can use this tool to defend or challenge current practice. They can identify economic risks and build economic resilience. Students can make inferences about what influences a country's exports and imports based on other contextual research including:
- geography
- history
- political circumstances.
This tool allows teachers and students to unpack quantitative data in a visual way that is often a concept difficult to unpack.
