The level of national economic literacy is an important question facing basic business educators. This article discusses the responsibility of business educators, important research in basic business, teacher influence, and implications to basic business teachers. (HD)

Reiterating that students have become a potent market force, explains how teachers can introduce the concept of consumer law. Gives three examples of hypothetical situations in which contracts, warranties, and ethics are discussed. (GG)

The United States faces an economic-influenced educational crisis. According to the U.S. Department of Commence, Census Bureau data (2002) the difference in household earnings between the upper and lower quintiles has worsened over the last forty years. Future generations possess suspect knowledge to properly manage this income, as youth possess…

Information about the effect of changes in interest rates and the length of repayment on mortgages is available through the use of this loan and mortgage spreadsheet program designed for use on Apple computers. It is especially designed to help people evaluate the relative advantages of a variable rate mortgage with a low initial rate of interest…

Intended for teachers of secondary school students, five lessons on consumer credit are presented. In the first lesson students identify and evaluate sources of credit, compare some of the costs and benefits of credit, and learn to apply criteria used in evaluating applications for credit. In the second lesson, students learn about two basic types…

Recommendations are made so that teachers can have a sound background in economics. Teachers should be able to understand and to teach the skills and concepts used in the free enterprise system. This report is designed to help preservice and inservice teachers improve their knowledge of economics and the free enterprise system. The first chapter…

The Newburyport Project for Consumer Education, a pilot project conducted under the auspices of the Newburyport School Committee and the Massachusetts Department of Education, is described in this brochure in terms of the project's rationale, history, and implementation. The three-year project, now in its second year, is based on two principles:…

This study was undertaken in 1974 to determine the extent of economic education in the secondary schools of California and the formal economics training of the teachers. Questionnaires were mailed to the principals of all the junior and senior high schools in California. Approximately 1300 questionnaires were mailed and 480 returned. Since a…

Maintains that clarifying and evaluating risks is an essential element of education in economic decision making. Shows how common business management concepts of risk and opportunity can be applied to personal economic decision making. Provides a scheme for estimating the risk involved in undertaking new opportunities. (JDH)

Financial education is essential, yet on average, adults scored 57 percent on basic economic knowledge, according to the "Standards in Economics Survey" conducted in 1999 for the National Council on Economic Education. The Community Affairs Department at the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland surveyed financial institutions and community…

This book opens with an exploration of the fundamental trilogy of economics - scarcity, choice, and cost. Students then examine the broad social goals of an economy in preparation for lessons treating many topics new to the precollege level such as the stock market, public choice, and aggregate supply and demand. The set of 20 lessons include: (1)…

Interest rates can significantly influence people's behavior. When rates decline, homeowners rush to buy new homes and refinance old mortgages; automobile buyers scramble to buy new cars; the stock market soars, and people tend to feel more optimistic about the future. But even though individuals respond to changes in rates, they may not fully…

Many generalizations sound simple enough--for example, "strong is good, weak is bad"--but they can be confusing when talking about money. This booklet explores how the U.S. dollar and foreign currencies affect each other and how their interaction affects the individual and the economy. The booklet contains the following sections:…

Middle school students enjoy personal finance because it involves making decisions about their lives, both in the present and in the future. This teacher's guide and student workouts package consists of 17 economics lessons for students at grades 6-8 that are divided into 5 theme areas: the economic way of thinking; earning an income; saving;…

This Fall 2001-Spring 2002 newsletter provides resources and information to educators, particularly economics, history, social studies, and business educators, throughout the western district of the Federal Reserve System. The goal of the newsletter is to highlight new Federal Reserve teaching materials and resources, including Web sites,…