Activity 1.2: measures to compare wellbeing between nations

Introduction

Students conduct their own research to identify those measures commonly used to compare levels of human wellbeing.

Resources

• Resources identified by students after class discussion. These could include:
  • online information
  • printed publications
  • annual reports
  • government and non-government studies and reports
  • data sets
  • census results
• Students' annotated map from Activity 1.1 identifying spatial distribution of wellbeing

• Activity stepsShow details
  1. Begin with a whole-class discussion. Refer to the students' annotated map from Activity 1.1 identifying spatial distribution of wellbeing. Ask students what measures have been used to measure wellbeing. Make a list for student reference.
  2. Ask students to select four or five measures that they think would be most appropriate for comparing wellbeing between countries (eg per capita GDP). Discuss how they might gather further information about these measures and list possible sources.
  3. Students research commonly used measures of wellbeing. They present their findings as a table. They explain:
     • what each measure specifically describes
     • why this is a frequently used wellbeing measurement
     • what, if anything, are the limitations of this measure.