"The Cognitive Challenges of Effective Teaching," by Chew and Cerbin (2021) outlines a framework of nine cognitive challenges to student learning. The framework can help economic educators better design and describe new ideas for teaching in economics. In this article, the author highlights and expands upon ideas that are particularly…

The Baccalaureate and Beyond study from the National Center for Education Statistics at the U.S. Department of Education contains a nationally representative set of transcript data from colleges and university graduates in the 2007-2008 academic year, the latest year for which such data are available. The authors use the transcript data to analyze…

The authors investigate the relationship between undergraduate economics coursework or majoring in economics and the debt behavior of the college graduates. The data come from the Baccalaureate and Beyond (B&B) longitudinal survey of the National Center for Education Statistics. College graduates who took courses in undergraduate economics or…

The "National Standards for Financial Literacy" describe the knowledge, understanding, and skills that are important for students to learn about personal finance. They are designed to guide teachers, school administrators, and other educators in developing curriculum and educational materials for teaching financial literacy. In this…

Guilds are defined as associations of craftsmen and merchants formed to promote the economic interests of their members as well as to provide protection and mutual aid. As both business and social organizations, guilds were prolific throughout Europe between the eleventh and sixteenth centuries. Guilds were organized so that workers would learn…

Using data collected from graduates who attended four large public universities in 1976, 1986, or 1996, the authors investigate the relationship between studying economics and civic behaviors. They compare students who majored in economics, business, or other majors, and by the number of undergraduate economics courses completed. Coursework is…

Based on results from a 1999 national survey, William Becker and Michael Watts found that student evaluations of teaching were by far the most widely used, and often the only method used by economics departments, to evaluate teaching in undergraduate economics courses. To investigate whether departments of economics have moved beyond the use of…

Studies regularly link levels of educational attainment to civic behavior and attitudes, but only a few investigate the role played by specific coursework. Using data collected from students who attended one of four public universities in our study, we investigate the relationship between economics coursework and civic behavior after graduation.…

The National Center for Educational Statistics' Baccalaureate and Beyond study, which had data from its second follow-up released in 1999, drew a nationally representative sample of approximately 11,000 graduates in the 1992-93 academic year. Using transcript data from the study, the authors report what economics courses students in different…

The National Center for Educational Statistics' Baccalaureate and Beyond (B and B) Longitudinal Study followed a nationally representative sample of approximately 11,000 students after their graduation in the 1992-93 academic year, with interviews conducted in 1994 and 1997. Approximately 1,700 graduates reported working as teachers at some time…

Expounds on the relationship between instructor assessments of their teaching and their student assessments. Finds that instructors who speak English as their native language favorably rate their own speaking ability and enthusiasm, while students care more about instructor preparation for class and grading rigor. (RLH)

Contends that the biggest gains in student understanding of economic principles are made in formal economics courses. Reports on an analysis of data from three national tests of economic knowledge. Finds that a formal course or an extensive economics unit leads to larger gains in student achievement. (CFR)

Many studies have identified factors that contribute to success in economics principles courses, but few have examined the causes and effects of student drops and failure. The author follows 239 students through their economic principles course and tracks the students in the year after the course. The author constructs a model predicting student…

Employs panel-data techniques, using data from the national norming of the Test of Economic Literacy, to measure instructor characteristics in effective teaching of high school economics. Measures the effect of prior training on economics instruction and school district characteristics. Suggests teachers as a key link in the educational process…

Examines important trade issues and explains why the debate on trade policy will continue as a major political topic. Discusses the efficacy of recent trade agreements and the use of trade sanctions to encourage political change in other countries. Reviews several models of trade theory. (MJP)