Economic Education: Links to the Social Studies.

Overview & Synopsis

The articles in this bulletin contain background readings and suggestions to help K-12 teachers teach economics in their social studies classes. The bulletin is comprised of an introduction and eight chapters. The introduction "A Framework for Cooperative Action" contains rationales for both social studies education and econonmics education. Chapter one examines various definitions of the term economic literacy. Chapter two contains elementary and secondary lessons which involve students in decision-making activities through the context of economic issues. In chapter three, the authors describe total and incremental approaches to improve economic education and suggest strategies to readers who are contemplating curriculum changes. Using the community as a learning resource in economic education is the topic of chapter four. Chapter five develops rationales for evaluating student learning in economics. Teacher education in economic education is the topic of chapter six. Chapter seven deals with ideology and economic education. Perspectives for dealing with persistent economic education problems are discussed in chapter eight. The bulletin concludes with an appendix containing a "Must Reading in Economic Education for Social Studies Teachers." (Author/RM)