This teacher's guide is part of a 2-volume set presenting economic reasoning as it might be taught and practiced in upper-elementary and middle school classrooms. The book explains and illustrates a particular approach to reasoning and shows students how to use this approach to think about problems and to imagine solutions for them. Seventeen…

This teacher's guide is part of a 2-volume set presenting economic reasoning as it might be taught and practiced in secondary school classrooms. The book explains and illustrates a particular approach to reasoning and shows students how to use this approach to think about problems and to imagine solutions. Thirty-five mysteries (problems) are…

Stuart Chase, through his writings, contributed greatly to acquainting the American public with many concepts generally accepted today: social planning to eliminate economic waste, greater government regulation of business, confrontation of technological unemployment, a national approach to social and economic questions at right angles to laissez…

This article summarizes a 60-page report, same title, that examines whether current texts have improved in the decade following an evaluation by the American Economic Association's Committee on Economic Education. Remarkable Upgrading" is noted, but a new problem has resulted: the imbalance between good texts and inadequately prepared teachers.…

Discusses a study which examined the effect of an introductory course in microeconomics on the college level on student attitudes toward liberalism and conservatism. The sample consisted of students enrolled in courses in microeconomics, psychology, and sociology at North Texas State University in 1978. Findings indicated that students who have…

Describes the development and implementation of a Buchanan-type microeconomics course for first-year students in a Master of Business Administration program. The course is based on the recommendation of economist James Buchanan that economics should once again place its teaching emphasis on the various institutional arrangements that arise as a…

Presents a simple diagrammatic exposition of a pollution-permit market in which firms that generate pollution and consumers who are harmed by pollution are allowed to purchase permits at a single market price. Illustrates that the market equilibrium is efficient only if the endowment of permits is equal to the efficient level of pollution. (JEH)

Illustrates how principles and intermediate microeconomic students can gain an understanding for strategic price setting by playing a relatively large oligopoly game. Explains that the game extends to a continuous price space and outlines appropriate applications. Offers the Mathematica code to instructors so that the assumptions of the game can…

Identifies universities employing the top economists, ranks the top 50 economists from 1971-85, and points out the top 50 young economists. Uses the total number of citations, the rank by mean number of citations, and the mean number of citations to identifying these scholars. Includes ranked lists with the number of citations. (GG)

This chapter from the book "A New View: Economics and the Zoo" makes use of a zoo setting to teach basic concepts of economics. The chapter presents zoo-related learning activities on the concepts of revenue, community support, and philanthropy. (DB)

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)

Outlines the key elements of Arrow's Impossibility Theorem. Presents another graphical proof of the theorem designed to be more accessible to students and teachers. States the strength of this approach is that the patterns of agreements and conflicts over all possible combinations are transparent and key to intuitively understanding Arrow's…

Illustrates how fair price policies can be explained to undergraduate students by applying simple graphical methods normally used in general equilibrium trade theory. Indicates that fair price strategies can be looked upon as a suboptimal device for redistributing the gains from trade as compared with a transfer of funds. (JEH)

Reviews how economists use passages, plots, characters, themes, and ideas from literature and drama in their professional writings. Explains that literary passages describe human behavior and motivations; serve as evidence of the characteristics of a particular time and place; validate economists predictions and understanding of rational behavior;…

Describes an interdisciplinary approach to teaching economics using motion pictures to establish the context for elementary economics concepts. Uses the plots and subplots to illustrate problems and issues amenable to economic analysis. Suggests how the films can be sequenced to create a general studies course for non majors. (JEH)