Open Access Journal of Economic Research
ISSN: 3065-9035 | DOI: 10.64030/3065-9035
Emelita C. Baylon
This study investigates how integrating citizenship education into economics instruction shapes students’ civic consciousness, moral reasoning, and higher-order thinking skills. Using a transcendental phenomenological design, the research explores the lived experiences of 29 Grade 9 Social Studies students exposed to citizenship-integrated lessons. Phenomenology was employed to capture how learners interpret and assign meaning to their roles as civic and economic actors within authentic classroom contexts. Data were collected through open-ended survey responses and semi-structured interviews and analyzed using Moustakas’ phenomenological framework, including horizontalization, thematic clustering, and essence synthesis. Findings reveal that citizenship-integrated instruction fosters (1) heightened civic awareness, (2) ethical reasoning grounded in socio-economic realities, and (3) the development of interrelated analytical, creative, and critical thinking skills. Students demonstrated the ability to connect economic concepts with social responsibility, particularly in contexts of global peace, equity, and participatory citizenship. The study contributes to the growing body of literature supporting the integration of civic and economic education and highlights its potential to promote transformative learning. Implications are discussed for curriculum design, teacher training, and the advancement of socially responsive education in the Philippine context.