Using a standard economics course as a control group, tests the relative effectiveness of "Economics U$A," a telecourse on student achievement and attitudes in both on-campus and off-campus settings. Concludes that the telecourse can be used successfully in nontraditional courses, and that delivery format may have an impact on student…

Reports on a study of student academic performance among 1,314 first-year business students at a technical university in Singapore. Concludes that older students, students with prior economic course experience, male students, and ethnic Chinese students performed better than their counterparts. (CFR)

Presents results of a study examining gender differences in measures of academic aptitude and achievement that predict persistence in introductory economics courses. Concludes that females need more validation than male students to persist in the study of economics. Suggests that the need for female students to overcome classroom climate may…

Reports on a study of the differences in economics education between private and public schools. Finds that public school students are less likely to be exposed to economic concepts prior to high school economics courses than private school students. (CFR)

Discusses research into high school economics teachers' attitudes about U.S.-Japan trade policy and teaching about Japan. Compares teachers' and general public's responses to Harris poll on U.S.-Japan trade relations. Reports that, although 91 percent of teachers believe they should teach about Japan, only 53 percent spend 2-5 class periods on…

Recommends that future research on economics education be directed toward the measurement of multiple outputs, the economics major, and replication. Suggests reexamination of how high school economics instruction affects later interest. Explores effects of class size, optimum order for taking classes, student and instructor differences, nonnative…

Asserts that economics education is a desirable goal for the elementary curriculum because elementary students can learn and understand economic concepts. Reviews four "Teaching-Learning Principles" based on empirical research about learning effectiveness. Applies these principles to economic concepts such as scarcity, cost-benefit analysis, and…

Compares and contrasts Joseph Schumpeter's 1942 classic of economic thought, "Capitalism, Socialism, and Democracy," with Edward Bellamy's 1888 utopian novel, "Looking Backward." Both works criticize capitalism and arrive at socialist solutions. Bellamy's entertaining novel provides a useful benchmark for students analyzing…

The lack of a German language testing instrument for economic literacy has led to problems for researchers in German-speaking countries to establish the level of economic literacy in those countries. The translation of the 23rd edition (1987) of the Test of Economic Literacy (TEL) into a German version, known as the Wirtschalfliche Bildung Test…

Analyzes data collected from 132 liberal arts colleges to determine the motivating factors for the presence of gender-oriented courses. Results suggest that highly ranked, nonreligiously affiliated schools are most likely to support these courses. Many also are found in larger economics departments with a high percentage of women students. (MJP)

Briefly reviews and criticizes recent research into declining undergraduate economics enrollment. Argues that this research fails to consider an integral variable, the student's perspective. Recommends a 1981 student survey profile as a model to follow for future research. (MJP)

Maintains that high enrollment figures for undergraduate economics majors in the 1980s reflected social and economic trends more than any substantive interest in the subject. Argues that the discipline is better off without a preponderance of students whose only interest is business applications. (MJP)

Develops a simple theoretical model to evaluate interdisciplinary differences in research productivity between economics departments and related subjects. Compares the research publishing statistics of economics, finance, psychology, geology, physics, oceanography, chemistry, and geophysics. Considers a number of factors including journal…

Shows how the Cournot-Nash and Stackelberg equilibria can be represented in the familiar supply-demand graphical framework, allowing a direct comparison with the monopoly, competitive, and industrial organization models. This graphical analysis is represented throughout the article. (MJP)

Explores the relationship between publishing and a nonmonetary measure of academic employment success: job rank. Defines job rank as the relative position of an economist's department on the hierarchy of employers. Includes several tables and graphs showing statistical data. (MJP)