This teaching module explains how the U.S. banking system uses excess reserves to create money in the form of new deposits for borrowers. The module is part of a computer-animated series of four-to-five-minute modules illustrating standard concepts in high school economics. Although the module is designed to accompany the video program, it may be…

Reviews how economics came to be a required course in Georgia high schools. Explains that the change was made at a time when businesspeople predominated in the state legislature. Indicates that the business community was divided over the issue, whereas most teachers resisted. Concludes that business interest pressures led to the requirement's…

Presents a diagrammatic proof for classroom use to demonstrate the quasi-convexity of the indirect utility function. Includes a variation of the price indifference curve. Suggests an exercise in which the student is asked to show that the tangency condition is a restatement of Roy's identity. (DK)

Presents rankings of U.S., university, economics departments. Explains the rankings are based upon representation of the departments on the editorial boards of leading economics journals. Reports that results are similar to rankings based upon other criteria. (DK)

Describes the aim of the American Economic Association (AEA) to educate the public about economic questions and economic literature. Discusses conferences, publications, and the work of the AEA in developing economics, statistics, and reasoning as important parts of a general curriculum. Includes information on teacher training programs, advanced…

Discusses teaching about the financial market as it relates to family finances, savings, and business. Explains ways of making these relationships clear to students through diagrams, activities, games, and role playing. Suggests questions to focus on that highlight the relationship between the rate of return and the risks involved. (DK)

Critiques Michael Staten and John Umbeck's article ("Journal of Economic Education," Winter 1989) on the concept of inefficiency in applied economic analysis. Suggests the Staten-Umbeck article is useful in forcing a precise analysis of the exercise of welfare economics. Concludes that the term efficient is semantic and provides an…

States that many economics textbooks define economic rent in 1 of the 2 ways discussed 30 years ago by E. J. Mishan. Contends that the 2 definitions are not substantially different, rendering the dichotomy invalid. Examines 15 microeconomics textbooks to determine whether they validate Mishan's categories of rent definitions. (DB)

Argues that the aggregate good is a powerful pedagogical device in economics. Uses a simple graphical analysis that demonstrates to the student the concept of an aggregate good, that preferences can indeed be collapsed from many goods to two. (DB)

A multidisciplinary educational unit featuring product safety decisions made by businesses and consumers is presented. teach critical thinking and decision making while supplementing the science, home economics, social studies, and economics curricula. The activities rely extensively, though not exclusively, on Procter & Gamble's experiences…

This teacher's guide on consumer literacy for grades 9-12 is designed for use in the following subject areas: business education, consumer law, economics, home economics, and social studies. Four units are included: (1) consumer decision making--consumer law and protection; (2) major shopping areas--transportation dilemma; (3) housing; and (4)…

Attempting to scrutinize the rational for economics education, this book is a collection of papers by economics educators who seek to envision what economics skills and knowledge will be needed in the future and whether these justify teaching economics at the pre-college level. Twelve economics educators contributed articles: (1) "The Case…

A voluntary extracurricular research seminar on free enterprise for grades 7-9 is described. To acquaint students with the free enterprise system and its relation to society, lectures and discussions examine components of an equation. The components are: man's material welfare = natural resources + human effort x tools of production (MMW = NR + HE…

Intended for use with college students in introductory macroeconomics or American economic history courses, these two computer simulations of two basic macroeconomic models--a simple Keynesian-type model and a quantity-theory-of-money model--present largely incompatible explanations of the Great Depression. Written in Basic, the simulations are…

This series of 20 self-contained lessons in the study of economics, features activities that can be used with any high school economics instruction. The lessons included are: (1) Opportunity Costs; (2) Factors of Production; (3) Economic Systems; (4) Self Interest; (5) Class Struggle; (6) Economic Institutions; (7) Supply and Demand; (8) Markets…