Contextualisation

The world of work has undergone many changes over time and is continuing to transform at an ever increasing rate in the face of new technologies, globalisation and demographic growth. With this, the organisation of work has also undergone significant changes, which has generated debates and reflections in the sociology of work. It is in this context that it becomes necessary to understand the process of change, the implications of these transformations and how they have affected the lives of workers. These transformations are important because they change the way people interact, work and live their lives.

Many changes have occurred in the world of work, from nomadic and sedentary populations, through dichotomous oppositions such as city/countryside, culture/nature, among others, until reaching the era of virtual work. These changes require workers to acquire new skills and competences, as well as altering employment relationships, the division of labour and the way work is organised.

In our project, we will explore the various facets of this complex phenomenon, from its historical evolution to current trends for change in the world of work. We will also analyse the socio-environmental impacts that result from these practices, discussing the origins and selecting, incorporating and promoting those that favour socio-environmental awareness and ethics and responsible consumption.

To understand more about this theme, we suggest the following materials:

• The book "The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism", by Max Weber
• The book "Capital in the Twenty-First Century", by Thomas Piketty
• The documentary "The True Cost", available on Netflix
• The video "The Future of Work and the challenges for education in the 21st Century", available on YouTube
• The article "The impacts of technology on the labour market", available on the website of Veja magazine

These materials will help with understanding the historical and current context of work, its transformations and consequences in society.

Practical Activity

Activity title:

Changes and Organisation of the World of Work: A Historical and Futurist Vision

Project objective:

To investigate the historical and future evolution of the organisation of work, analyse its socio-environmental impacts and reflect on what these changes represent for society.

Detailed description of the project:

In this project, students will be divided into groups of 3 to 5 people. Each group will be responsible for creating a multimedia presentation that shows the phases of the evolution of work, from nomadic societies to predictions for the near future. They will also need to include a segment on the socio-environmental implications of these changes. The group should use different research sources to develop the work, such as: Internet, books, documentaries, videos, interviews with professionals from different sectors, among others.

Materials required:

Computer, access to the Internet, video or slide editing software (PowerPoint, Google Slides, etc.), camera (in case they opt to make videos).

Detailed step-by-step to carry out the activity:

1. Dividing the groups: Students need to organise themselves into groups of 3 to 5 members.

2. Research: Each group should carry out comprehensive research on the historical evolution of work, starting from nomadic societies and going all the way to predictions for the future of work. This research should include analyses on the socio-environmental impacts of these changes.

3. Preparing the presentation: After the research, the group should start to prepare its multimedia presentation. This document should be divided into sections covering the different historical periods and future trends for the organisation of work.

4. Reviewing and improving: Once the presentation has been initially prepared, the students should review it, improving the content and enhancing the visual design.

5. Practice and presentation: After the review, the groups should rehearse the presentation to prepare for the exhibition.

6. Final presentation: The groups will present their projects to the class and teacher.

At the end of the practical part of the project, each group should elaborate a report in accordance with the following topics:

• Introduction: The group should contextualise the theme, its relevance and real-world application, as well as the objective of this project.
• Development: The group should detail the theory behind the central theme of the project, explain the activity in detail, indicate the methodology used and, finally, present and discuss the results obtained.
• Conclusion: The group should conclude the work by returning to its main points, making explicit the lessons learned and the conclusions drawn about the project.
• Bibliography: The group should indicate the sources on which they based their work for the project such as books, web pages, videos, etc.

The project deliverables are summarised in the multimedia presentation and the final report. Both should be submitted to the teacher at the end of the week.