Human Development Index: Quantifying Quality of Life - Development
Economics Series | Academy 4 Social Change
Human Development Index: Lesson Plan
Topic
The Human Development Index (HDI) is a measurement used by the United
Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to determine the average wellbeing of
a country’s population. Wellbeing is defined by three dimensions: a long and
healthy life, knowledge, and a decent standard of living. The dimensions are
translated into numbers by using life expectancy, expected years of schooling
and mean years of schooling, and Gross National Income per capita. A composite
of those statistical averages reveals the final HDI score, and a country is assigned
a ranking.
Possible subjects/classes Time needed
Social Studies, History, Politics/Political
Science, International Relations, 45-60 minutes
Economics, Geography
Video link:
[Link]
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Objectives
Students will be able to...
● Define the Human Development Index.
● Describe the key dimensions, indicators, and dimension indices of human
wellbeing and their relation to one another.
● Explain the importance of human development/social progress compared
to economic growth.
Key Concepts & Vocabulary
Mortality rate, purchasing power, Gross Domestic Product
Materials needed
Worksheet, Student Internet Access (for Activity Ideas).
Before you watch
Human Development Index: Quantifying Quality of Life - Development
Economics Series | Academy 4 Social Change
Poll the class: Ask the students to rate their experience of school, work (or
clubs/teams/extracurriculars, if more appropriate), and health on a scale of 1-10
by a show of hands. For each part of life, discuss why they chose that number.
Record the answers of the board. Have students individually find their total
average rating by combining their scores for each part. Then, as a class, find the
average rating for each individual section (school, work, and health) and the
average total rating (all parts combined).
While you watch
Students complete the Worksheet.
After you watch/Discussion Questions
1. Why were these three specific dimensions selected to be indicators of
human development? If you were in Haq’s position, what dimensions
would have you selected, and why?
2. What other potential conclusions can you draw from analyzing any given
country’s HDI compared to its GDP?
3. Why do you think the international community historically has valued the
GDP over HDI? In what ways is the HDI more important than the GDP, and
vice versa?
Activity Ideas
● Case Study: Students choose a country to do a case study on, either
individually or as a group project. Use the UNDP website
([Link] for the list of countries and their HDI
scores along with supplemental data. Students research the country,
analyze the data, and explain the factors in the country that make the
score the value that it is, whether that be high or low. Students present
their findings to the class, in a medium of the teacher’s choice.
● Dive Deeper: Students dive deeper into their learning by combining what
they have learned about the HDI and compare it to GDP. In small groups,
students will select a country, analyze its HDI/subscores using the UNDP
website ([Link] and then compare it to the
country’s GDP ([Link]
Students will research the country to draw conclusions on its difference
between the HDI and GDP. Further, if there is a large difference, then
students will determine possible actions to improve the gap; if it is small,
what is needed in order to maintain it? Students will discuss these
questions within their group to help develop their own thesis and write a
report individually.
Human Development Index: Quantifying Quality of Life - Development
Economics Series | Academy 4 Social Change
Sources/Places to learn more
1. Roser, Max. “Human Development Index (HDI)” Our World in Data, 25 July
2014, [Link]
2. United Nations Development Programme. “Technical Notes: Human
Development Indices and Indicators: 2018 Statistical Update”, Human
Development Reports, 2018,
[Link]/sites/default/files/hdr2018_technical_notes.pdf.
3. United Nations Development Programme. “Global Human Development
Indicators”, Human Development Reports, 2019,
[Link]
Human Development Index: Quantifying Quality of Life - Development
Economics Series | Academy 4 Social Change
Human Development Index: Worksheet
1. Complete the flow chart with the correct terms in each category.
2. Match the term to its definition. All questions only have one answer unless specified
otherwise.
1. Per person.
___________________________________________________________________________________________
2. The economic theory of equalizing and adjusting different price levels.
____________________________________________________________________________________________
Human Development Index: Quantifying Quality of Life - Development
Economics Series | Academy 4 Social Change
3. A country with a HDI of 0.550-0.699.
___________________________________________________________________________________________
4. A country with a HDI of 0.800-1.000.
___________________________________________________________________________________________
5. The price levels of different countries’ currencies.
____________________________________________________________________________________________
6. The average age of death in a specific group.
___________________________________________________________________________________________
7. The indicators for the “Knowledge” dimension (2 answers).
____________________________________________________________________________________________
8. Gross National Income is the sum of… (3 answers).
___________________________________________________________________________________________
9. The organization responsible for calculating and reporting HDI.
____________________________________________________________________________________________
10. A country with a HDI of 0.549-0.000.
___________________________________________________________________________________________
11. The economic development index.
____________________________________________________________________________________________
12. The HDI dimensions (3 answers).
___________________________________________________________________________________________
13. The expected number of years in a person’s life at their birth.
____________________________________________________________________________________________
14. The HDI dimensions’ indices (3 answers).
___________________________________________________________________________________________
15. A country with a HDI of 0.700-0.799.
____________________________________________________________________________________________
16. The international common rate of currency.
___________________________________________________________________________________________
17. The indicator for the “A decent standard of living” dimension.
____________________________________________________________________________________________