Describes a two-stage experiment where students play the role of farmers who must select one of four markets (corn, wheat, rice, or soybeans). Demonstrates the process leading to equilibrium in a multimarket setting. Includes an appendix with the farmer profit chart and homework exercises. (CMK)

Reviews the literature on groupware (a type of software that supports people working together by facilitating group processes) illustrating the strengths of the software for group learning. Describes a case study where groupware was used in a macroeconomics course during an economic impact project. (CMK)

Describes using song lyrics in undergraduate principles of economics courses to help the students learn economics. Discusses two music essay projects and includes examples of student responses. Addresses the benefits/costs and suggested refinements of the project. Includes references. (CMK)

Focuses on the effect of interest rates on the increased use of credit cards, a popular method of financing households. Uses three models to demonstrate that interest rates must rise, resulting in increased consumption expenditures. (CMK)

States that co-operative (co-op) economics organizations are ignored in economic introductory textbooks in North America and provides evidence for this assertion. Addresses how to deal with this form of economic organization. Argues that asking who makes the decisions in firms and why, using co-ops as an example, raises important questions. (CMK)

Examines trends in undergraduate economics degrees awarded in U.S. colleges and universities in 1998-99. Reports there seems to be a recovery in the number of economic degrees awarded, stating that the recovery started in 1996-97 and has since persisted. (CMK)

Describes the Economagic Web site, a comprehensive site of free economic time-series data that can be used for research and instruction. Explains that it contains 100,000+ economic data series from sources such as the Federal Reserve Banking System, the Census Bureau, and the Department of Commerce. (CMK)

Describes the Web site, EcEdWeb, that provides support for economics education and includes four sections: (1) data and info (annotated links to economics data); (2) K-12 teaching (online material for teaching economics); (3) college teaching; and (4) web teaching (ideas for using the World Wide Web to teach economics). (CMK)

Explores the relationship between student personality types and measures of student performance in principles of microeconomics using the Keirsey Sorter, a 70-question Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI); results from the Test of Understanding of College Economics (TUCE); and course grades. Suggests that personality types do affect student…

Investigates the effects of student characteristics, class structure, and instructor characteristics on additional economics course selections made by students taking economics principles classes over a three year span at Florida State University (Tallahassee). Concludes that students' characteristics and preferences help to determine their choice…

Discusses a strategy for teaching students about how the Social Security Trust Fund works. Explains that a flow chart is presented to the students; four terms are defined (deficit, surplus, debt, and reserve); and a new graph is prepared to show the paths of these four variables. (CMK)

Discusses four reasons why economic forecasting courses are important: (1) forecasting skills are in demand by businesses; (2) forecasters are in demand; (3) forecasting courses have positive externalities; (4) and forecasting provides a real-world context. Describes what should be taught in an economic forecasting course. (CMK)

Describes a classroom game that demonstrates to students that equilibria can occur naturally in order to encourage students to take unreasonable equilibria more seriously. Discusses the game, how to organize it in the classroom for a game theory course, and the results. (CMK)

Reviews aspects of the Bureau of Economic Analysis's 10th comprehensive revision reported in issues of the "Survey of Current Business." Focuses on the new method identified in the revision that provides an accurate characterization of changes in economic activity not affected by different relative prices in a new base year. (CMK)

Focuses on the IS-LM model providing a graphical analysis designed to clarify the confusion induced by misleading statements in several major macroeconomics textbooks concerning the connection between policy effectiveness and the slopes of the IS and LM curves. Includes references. (CMK)