Opposition to excessive use of mathematical techniques in economics is growing. Math dominance reduces the diversity of traditions in economics. When used appropriately, it is a useful, efficient research tool, but it should be balanced with other methodologies. (SK)

Reviews the historical development of home economics in Canada and suggests that issues addressed by home economists are as important and relevant as they were at the turn of the century. (Author)

Lists a variety of sources of economics education materials for elementary and secondary education. (JOW)

Explores why economics has been engaged in a bitter turf war with its disciplinary rivals in marketing and management, and its "war cry" concerning its command of science and theory. Asserts that the exodus of students to the more pragmatic rival disciplines is because economic theory is "moribund" and in comparison the "real world" disciplines…

The author has chosen three major topics in development economics for a discussion on how to teach the subject: the concepts and measurement of development, models of growth and development, and the international aspects of economic development. For the concepts of development, it is important to emphasize the coherence of the topics to be…

Fifty years ago what was taught in the principles of economics course reflected reasonably well what economists did in their research. That, however, is no longer the case; today what economists teach has a more nuanced relation to what they do. The reason is that the economics profession and the textbooks have evolved differently. The author…

The author describes a classroom game demonstrating the process of adjustment to long-run equilibrium in a market consisting of price-taking firms. This game unites and extends key insights from several simpler games in a framework more consistent with the standard textbook model of a competitive industry. Because firms have increasing marginal…

Many introductory microeconomics textbook authors derive the law of demand from the assumption of diminishing marginal utility. Authors of intermediate and graduate textbooks derive demand from diminishing marginal rate of substitution and ordinal preferences. These approaches are not interchangeable; diminishing marginal utility for all goods is…

While economic factors play a crucial role in determining election outcomes, the place of economic understanding in educating citizens is neither widely recognized nor substantially articulated in the literature. Although economic educators have frequently asserted that economic understanding is important to citizens' education, they have not set…

This article offers a brief review of the intellectual and ideological history of economics. Devotes particular attention to the issue of how economists draw the line between science and ideological indoctrination. (JDH)

Provides a report of committee activities and meeting minutes. Included is information on the development of the Advanced Placement Program in Economics, the use of foreign students as teaching assistants, the assessment of student learning, and the status of the "Journal of Economic Education." (JDH)

Discusses problems in finding appropriate projects for an economics fair. Offers guidelines for planning such projects, focusing particularly on the selection of topics. Concludes by stressing the importance of establishing a good start for continued motivation and high quality projects. (BR)

Notes that economics courses use a model of perfect competition as a starting point for the analysis of competitive structures. Further notes this model does not work for an investigation of oligopolies. Presents a contestable markets model which can improve students' understanding of the imperfect competitive environment. (RKM)

Examining economics textbooks, Bell states that today's texts descend from Samuelson's "Economics" published in 1948. States that the closed economy model used to present aggregate analysis has become irrelevant. Argues that introductory textbooks should develop a student understanding of the interdependent world economy as well as…

Comments on Bell's article "The Principles of Economics from Now until Then," responding to the author's two general premises as well as citing specific arguments. Concludes that Bell's premises are based on a small and unrepresentative number of textbooks. Many textbooks that present material according to the recommendations were…