Effective school-choice plans depend on the quality of information available to families. Examining the promotional materials provided by different schools in a highly competitive and diverse urban area tells us not only about the quality of that information but also how schools respond to competitive incentives. This analysis outlines an economic…

With public pensions under pressure and private pensions exposed to risk, individuals face an increasing variety of financial risks, particularly those linked to their retirement. This book analyzes the level of risk awareness of consumers and highlights good practices governments might initiate to enhance consumers' awareness and education on…

The purpose of this study was to examine perceptions of attributes of clothing retailers' Internet websites in relation to previous and intended future purchase from the websites. Survey data from 414 U.S. college students, non-married and aged 18-22 with online clothing shopping experience and favorite clothing websites were used. Five clothing…

There has been much discussion in recent years concerning student consumerism and its potentially negative impact on higher education. Much of the literature has been anecdotal (Bellah 1999; Delucchi and Smith 1997; Edmundson 1997; Smith 2000), while some studies have been more empirical in nature (Levine and Cureton 1998; Delucchi and Korgen…

Previous studies have shown that those with severe food allergies have significant gaps in knowledge about their disease and how to prevent recurrences. The purpose of this study was to address these deficiencies by creating and testing an educational packet, "Coping with Food Allergies." Participants included 46 of 58 adults with documented…

One of the core competencies in the IFT education standards for students is to achieve competency in communications skills (that is, oral and written communication, listening, interviewing, and so on). According to the IFT guidelines, by the time students graduate, they should not only be able to search for and condense information but also be…

So-called "radical" and "critical"pedagogy seems to be everywhere these days on the landscapes of geographical teaching praxis and theory. Part of the remit of radical/critical pedagogy involves a de-centring of the traditional "banking" method of pedagogical praxis. Yet, how do we challenge this "banking" model of knowledge transmission in both a…

The lack of industry wide data on homeownership education and counseling (HEC) programs has severely limited evaluation. In particular, very little evidence exists on the relationship between HEC completion and loan prepayment, an outcome of interest to both mortgage lenders and consumer advocates. Where mortgage prepayment directly influences the…

Using data collected from a pre-training survey, post-training survey, and telephone follow-up survey, this study analyzes the impact of the Money Smart financial education curriculum upon the financial opinions and behaviors of course participants during the survey period. The data indicate that Money Smart financial education training positively…

Marketing and advertising support the U.S. economy by promoting the sale of goods and services to consumers, both adults and children. Sandra Calvert addresses product marketing to children and shows that although marketers have targeted children for decades, two recent trends have increased their interest in child consumers. First, both the…

Since its debut in 1983, the "U.S. News & World Report College Guide" has become the premier "consumer report" of higher education. We find that peer assessment, which is the largest component of the "U.S. News & World Report" ranking function, contains a penalty for religiously affiliated schools that is independent of the other "U.S. News &…

This commentary recommends that financial counseling and planning research, education, and practice be framed as an interdisciplinary profession called personal finance. Authors summarize the history of the profession and key theories providing the conceptual foundation. In order for the emerging profession of personal finance to achieve…

Darren Crovitz explains that the explosive growth of Web-based content and communication in recent years compels us to teach students how to examine the "rhetorical nature and ethical dimensions of the online world." He demonstrates successful approaches to accomplish this goal through his analysis of the selling techniques of two Web sites…

The bibliography was prepared for a clinic held during the seventh annual meeting of the Education Commission of the States. Materials related to consumer education are listed alphabetically by title. (SA)

The near-collapse of the American financial system has led to a search for its causes and ways to prevent it from happening again. Many political leaders blame at least some of the sub-prime mortgage crisis on mistakes caused by financially "illiterate" consumers and propose to solve that problem with mandatory classes in personal finance.…