This study disaggregates posttest, pretest, and value-added or difference scores in economics into four types of economic learning: positive, retained, negative, and zero. The types are derived from patterns of student responses to individual items on a multiple-choice test. The micro and macro data from the "Test of Understanding in College…

Gender effects in large-scale assessments have become an increasingly important research area within and across countries. Yet few studies have linked differences in assessment results of male and female students in higher education to construct-relevant features of the target construct. This paper examines gender effects on students' economic…

The assessment of university students' economic knowledge has become an increasingly important research area within and across countries. Particularly, the different influences of prior education, native language, and gender as some of the main prerequisites on students' economic knowledge have been highlighted since long. However, the findings…

High school transcript data were used in this study to estimate the percentage of high school graduates who complete an economics course, and to examine course-taking trends in economics from 1982 to 2009. In 2009, 58 percent of high school graduates took an economics course, up from about 45 percent from 1990 to 2005. The increases in economics…

Survey data from PhD-granting economics departments are used to assess the teaching preparation of graduate students in economics. The results show that relatively few departments require graduate student instructors to take a credit course in teaching before teaching their own course or leading a recitation section. Although more graduate student…

This study presents an analysis of economics instruction for high school students in various nations in the world and a rationale for economics instruction in Russia to develop a market-oriented economy. The development of the present economic curriculum in the United States is traced and the "Framework for Teaching Economics" (1977),…

Presents the results of a study suggesting that economic knowledge, whether measured by a general score or knowledge of a particular issue, is the most consistent and influential factor affecting public opinion. Surveyed a broad range of participants concerning five complex issues of economic policy. Includes questions, tables, and statistics.…

This research study was based upon a national survey in March 1992, conducted to assess the economic literacy of the U.S. public. The survey data were used to measure the economic knowledge of the public, to identify factors that affect economic knowledge, and to evaluate the influence of economic knowledge on public opinion about current economic…

Reports a study designed to measure the effectiveness of teaching and learning major economic concepts and concept clusters in high school. Includes findings on student attitudes toward the subject of economics and toward economic issues. (BSR)

Argues there is limited research data about student knowledge of economic concepts at the secondary school education level. Describes the development, validation, and national norming of the revised Test of Economic Literacy (TEL) and presents findings from the 1986 pretest analysis of the revised TEL. (BSR)

Evaluates the effectiveness of the Developmental Economic Education Project (DEEP) of the Joint Council of Economic Education and the awards program of the International Paper Company Foundation (IPCF). DEEP schools had a positive effect on students. The results of the IPCF program are less encouraging. (RM)

Results from the testing of a representative sample of U.S. high school students (N=8,205) reveals a significant lack of economic literacy, with the students correctly answering only 40 percent of the items on the Test of Economic Literacy. This is especially disturbing since the questions were drawn from economic concepts and related issues as…

Critiques Thurow's paper on the evaluation of economic performance (see SO516719). Concludes that the Joint Council's "Framework" offers a solid foundation for teaching about economic performance if the Joint Council can persuade high school economics teachers to use it. (JDH)

A study of over 3,000 U.S. high school students who took the Test of Economic Literacy (TEL) in 1986 reveals a lack of basic understanding in the four basic TEL concept clusters of fundamental economics, microeconomics, macroeconomics, and international economics. The TEL was administered pre- and posttest where students were enrolled in one of…

The instrument,"Survey on Economic Attitudes", developed to assess attitudes toward economics as a subject and attitudes toward economic issues, should find many uses in research or evaluation studies. Data on reliability, validity, and norms obtained from a national sample of high school students and college professors are discussed.…