Education debate often appears polarised between those who advocate a specific curriculum that should be "delivered" by teachers and those that advocate student-centred approaches that develop skills and understanding. This paper goes to the heart of the tension via an exploration of the "curriculum question." The purpose of…

This guide for program planners and curriculum developers identifies and describes the basic concepts in consumer education. Consumer education is defined as the process of gaining the knowledge and skills needed in managing consumer resources and taking actions to influence the factors which affect consumer decisions. The primary focus of…

The nature and meaning of "problem" as it is used in the social sciences is examined. The effect of various definitions of the term on curriculum development and content is discussed. (MJB)

Although Illinois has mandated the teaching of economic literacy, the author finds that little agreement exists on whether this means consumer education, teaching about the free enterprise system, or career education. He seeks to define economic education and considers problems in its implementation. (SJL)

Economic literacy and economic efficacy are addressed by examining basic goals and assumptions of economic education and by suggesting areas that need systematic attention and investigation. To clarify goals, an operational definition of economic literacy must be developed and used in a criterion-referenced testing instrument. A definition of…