Enhancing K-12 Economic
Education with Contemporary
Information Resources
FRED M. CARR
An enlightened society's decision-making process depends
on an ever-increasing understanding of economic
influences. Since the oil embargo of 1973, the effort to
understand these economic influences on society has grown,
leading to the publication of many economically oriented
magazine and newspaper articles. These articles can be used
by teachers across grade levels and instructional disciplines
to enrich their students' education.
Historical Analysis
If one accepts the premise that students trained in
economic decision making eventually will have a beneficial
effect on society, then effective instruction becomes
increasingly important. The unfortunate lack of economic
literacy among secondary students, however, has been well
documented (Walstad and Soper 1987; Walstad 1988). One
of the best ways to address the economic illiteracy problem
is to instruct teachers K-12 in economic concepts so that
they can then instruct their own students in these concepts.
The most effective way for these teachers to learn about
economics, however, is not known because the perfect
empirical measurement instrument of effective instruction
has yet to be created (Becker, Greene, and Rosen 1990). It is
known that the students of teachers who discuss economics
in the classroom do benefit when the teacher enrolls in
academic instruction in economic methodologies. A 1984
study found that "teacher participation in an economics inservice workshop has a... positive impact on economics
achievement of students in subsequent economics classes
that they teach" (Schober 1984, 292). It may be
Fred M. Cart is the director of the Center for Economic
Education, The University of Akron, Akron, Ohio.
logical to conclude that teachers will also increase their
knowledge of social issues by regularly reading newspaper
and magazine articles about economics.
In addition to exposure to economics, teachers also need
materials about economics that they can use with students.
Twenty years ago, effective classroom resources were called
for, and in recent years this call to university educators
involved with economic education was reiterated
(McKenzie 1971, 30; Buckles 1991, 312). The need for
relevant instructional resources complements the findings in
two other studies. The first study states that "teachers can
learn some economics by being exposed to economic
curricular materials which they can use in their own
classrooms" (Thornton and Vredeveld 1977); the second
finds that teachers have a high interest in current events
(Yankelovich, Skelly and White, Inc. 1981). This
combination of teacher interest in current events, the
potential contribution of newspaper and magazine articles to
the curriculum, and the constant need for relevant classroom
resources develops a justification for teachers to use current
articles as instructional resources.
Using Articles in the Classroom
The teacher can use newspaper and magazine articles in a
number of ways:
• Articles provide easy access to economic topics and
issues. The teacher can bring in relevant newspapers and
magazines from home or have students check them out of
the library.
• Articles can be used to clarify complicated issues and
help the teacher who has been receiving conflicting or
incomplete information. Use of multiple resources promotes
the analysis of differing opinions on a particular issue.
• Articles can be a source of graph or table data that is
historically comprehensive and readily understand348
350
The Clearing House
July/August 1994
Staley, S. 1992. The war on drugs escalates urban violence.
Wall Street Journal (August 13): A13.
The young and the violent. 1992. Wall Street Journal (September
23): A16.
Education
Back to school. 1992. Forbes (September 14): 3 10.
Bennett, W. J. 1993. Quantifying America's decline. Wall Street
Journal (March 15): AlO.
Blinder, A. S. 1992. Adam Smith meets Albert Shanker.
Business Week (December 14): 20.
Brimelow, P., and L. Spencer. 1993. When quotas replace
merit, everybody suffers. Forbes (February 4): 80-102.
Brownstein, V. 1992. Economic intelligence: The wages of
education. Fortune (November 30):23.
Database. 1991. U.S. News World Report (November 11): 14.
Database. 1992. U.S. News & World Report (September 28): 15.
Database. 1992. U. S. News & World Report (September 14): 16.
The economic crisis of urban America. 1992. Business Week
(May 18): 38-43.
Henkoff, R. 1992. Where will the jobs come from. Fortune
(October 19): 58-64.
Hood, J. 1993. What's wrong with head start. Wall Street
Journal (February 19): A12.
Kramer, F. 1992. CEO briefing on management and leadership.
Investor's Business Daily (October 26): 4.
Nazario, S. L. 1992. Move grows to promote failing pupils.
Wall Street Journal (June 16): B!, B8.
Reynolds, A. 1992. Who gained in the 1980s? Everybody. Wall
Street Journal (May 7): A l4.
Saniuelson, R. i. 1993. Rhetoric over reality. Newsweek
(March I): 30-31.
Sheler, J. 1. 1992. The gospel on sex. U.S. News & World
Report (June lO): 58-64.
Stewart, T. A. 1992. U.S. productivity: First but fading.
Fortune (October 19): 54-57.
Stout, H. 1992. SAT scores rise but remain near lows. Wall
Street Journal (August 27): B I, B8.
Trying harder. 1992. Survey. The Economist (November 21):
3-18.
Vonada, D. 1993. Matters of fact. Ohio Magazine (January): 7.
Waldman, S., and K. Springen. 1992. Too old, too fast?
Newsweek (November 16): 80-88.
Environment
Beguile, S. 1992. Seeing red over little green lies. Newsweek
(October 12): 90.
Environmentalism runs riot. 1992. The Economist (August
8): 11-12.
Feshbach, M. 1992. Russia's farms, too poisoned for the plow.
Wall Street Journal (May 14): A 14.
Fumento, M. 1991. Is recycling really worth it? Investor's
Business Daily (November 27): 1-2.
Hong, P., and D. Jones. 1992. Tree-huggers vs. jobs. Business Week (October 19): 108-109.
Kiplinger Washington Editors. 1992. The Kipllnger Washington Letter (November 20): 2.
Landfills and forests. 1992. Forbes (September 14): 316.
Littman, D. 1992. The cost of regulation, counted in jobs. Wall
Street Journal (April 21): A 16.
Family Economics
Blinder, A. S. 1993. Why the cost of services is soaring.
Business Week (November 16): 22.
Blonston, 0. 1992. Are U.S. citizens better off? Akron
Beacon Journal (August 30): A6..
Cunniff, J. 1991. Americans loaded with "stuff," debt. Akron
Beacon Journal (December 19): B8.
Database. 199!. U. S. News & World Report (October 21): 18.
Database. 1991. U.S. News & World Report (September 20): 14.
Duignan-Cabrera, A., J. Seligmann, and 1. Barrett. 1993. The
art of flying solo. Newsweek (March I): 70-73.
Glionna, J. M. 1992. America's second currency. Akron
Beacon Journal (December 27): A2.
Hawkins, D. 1992. A depressing time at home. U.S. News &
World Report (October 19): 60.
Kiplinger Washington Editors. 1992. The Kiplinger Washington Letter (November 20): 2.
Madigan, K. 1992. You want "family values"? They'll cost
billions. Business Week (September 28): 88.
McCormally, K. 1992. Why yields aren't always what they
seem. Kiplinger's Personal Finance Magazine (November):
89-93.
Reynolds, A. 1992. Who gained in the 1980s? Everybody. Wall
Street Journal (May 7): A14.
1992. The worst lying about the economy. Wall
Street Journal (October 21): A 16.
Richman, L. S. 1993. How to protect your financial future.
Fortune (January 25): 58-60.
Seligmann, J. 1992. What traditional family? Newsweek
(December 7): 67.
Usdansky, M. L. 1992. 1990s' wedding bell blues. USA Today
(December 9): 12A.
Waldman, S., and K. Springen. 1992. Too old, too fast?
Newsweek (November 16): 80-88.
Will, Ci. F. 1992. Purring along the Potomac. Newsweek
(November 30): 96.
Wiseman, P. 1992. Debit cards finally get a little credit. USA
Today (November 9): l B.
Foreign Trade
Corrigan, R. 1992. Will the trade pact cost jobs? Investor's
Business Daily (October 26): 1-2.
Database. 1991. U.S. News & World Report (October 21): 18.
Database. 1992. U.S. News & World Report (September 7): 16.
Dornbush, R. 1993. 1-year free ride: It's time to end Asia's
30-year free ride. Business Week (March 1): 18.
The final frontier. 1993. The Economist (February 20): 63.
Freadhoff, C. 1991. Do taxes hold U.S. firms back? Investor's
Business Daily (November 8): 1.
1992. Europeans squabble over unity. Investor's
Business Daily (September 9): 1.
1993. The America in decline myth. Investor's
Business Daily (January 29): 1-2.
Stewart, T. A. 1992. U.S. productivity: First but fading.
Fortune (October 19): 54-57.
Stovall, R. H. 1992. Cashing in on the dollar's slide. Financial
World (September 29): 78.
A survey of China: When China wakes. 1992. The Economist
(November 28): 1-18.
The trade deal's key provisions. 1992. Business Week (August 24):
30.
Health Care
Accident price tag: $137 billion in 1990. 1992. Akron Beacon
Journal (October 10): B8.
Adams, David. 1992. Jobs at top of everyone's list. Akron
Beacon Journal (November 13): Al, A21.
Database. 1991. U.S. News & World Report (October 21): 18.
Database. 1993. U.S. News & World Report (February 22): 8.
Database. 1993. U.S. News & World Report (Noiber 1: 22.
Doctors' pay hikes beat inflation. 1993. U.S. News & World Report
(March 8): 19.
352
The Clearing House
July/August 1994
Regulation
America's parasite economy. 1992. The Economist (October lO):
21-24.
Ansberry, G. 1993. Hired out. Wall Street Journal (March II):
Al-A4.
Armey, D. 1992. Small business and the recession. Wall Street
Journal (November 6): Al-A2.
Cohen, Warren. 1993. Sticking it to business. U.S. News &
World Report (March 8): 59-61.
Database. 1992. U.S. News & World Report (September 21): 14.
Davis, B. 1992. Cost of regulation isn't easy to figure but
estimates exist. Wall Street Journal (Sept. 23): AlO.
Discrimination and the market. 1993. The Economist (February
27): 19-20.
Henkoff, R. 1992. Where will the jobs come from. Fortune
(October 19): 58-64.
Hong, P., and D. Jones. 1992. Tree huggers vs. jobs. Business
Week (October 19): 108-109.
Ignon, L. 1992. The tragedy of worker's compensation. Investor's Business Daily (October 16): 1-2.
Littman, 0. 1992. The cost of regulation, counted in jobs. Wall
Street Journal (April 21): A16.
Merline, J. 1992. Why price controls don't work. Investor's
Business Daily (November 13): I.
Novack, 3. 1993. How about a little restructuring? Forbes
(March IS): 91-96.
The origins of the workers' compensation crisis. 1993. U.S.
News & World Report (March 8): 61.
Outlook. 1993. U.S. News & World Report (February 1): 9.
Paved with muzzy intentions. 1992. The Economist (October lO):
25.
Richman, L. S. 1992. Bringing reason to regulation. Fortune
(October 19): 94-96.
Reuters. 1993. Are soaring benefit costs stifling economic
growth? Investor's Business Daily (February 18): 4.
Spencer, L., and P. Brimelow. 1993. When quotas replace merit,
everybody suffers. Forbes (February 15): 80-102.
Sperry, P. 1992. Can Uncle Sam run a business? Investor's
Business Daily (December 14): 1-2.
1993. Where are the full-time jobs? Investor's
Business Daily (March 10): 1-2.
Two cheers for American productivity. 1992. U.S. News &
World Report (October 26): 24.
Will, G. F. 1992. Purring along the Potomac. Newsweek
(November 30): 96.
Religion
Charitable giving amid the recession. 1992. U.S. News &
World Report (July 6): 20.
Database. 1991. U.S. News & World Report (December 9): 16.
Khalaf, R. 1992. The accounting games charities play. Forbes
(October 26): 252-56.
Steinfels, P. 1991. Pope, in a letter on capitalism, urges work to
repair injustices. New York Times (May 3): Al, A7.
Tooley, 3. 1990. Keeping the faith. U.S. News& World Report
(November 19): 16.
Small Business
Armey, D. 1992. Small business and the recession. Wall Street
Journal (November 6): A12.
Saddler, J. 1992. Small businesses complain that jungle of
regulations threatens their future. Wall Street Journal (June II):
BI.
Socl Security
Anderson, 3. 1993. Why should I pay for people who don't
need it. Parade Magazine (February 24): 4-7.
Brimelow, P. 1993. Why the deficit is the wrong number. Forbes
(March ¡5): 79-82.
Merline, J. 1993. Putting social security in play. Investor's
Business Daily (February 11): 1, 2.
Taxation
Barlett, B. 1993. Raising corporate taxes won't raise revenues.
Will Street Journal (February 18): A18.
Benham, B. 1993. Next step: A consumption tax? Investor's
Business Daily (March 9): 1-2.
Burns, S. 1993. Yes, it's time for flat tax and yes, it's doable.
Akron Beacon Journal (December 28): D5.
Database. 1993. U.S. News & World Report (February 8): ¡3.
How tax assessments are figured. 1992. Consumer Reports
(November): 723.
Merski, P. 0. 1992. Soaking the rich just won't work. Wall
Street Journal (August 5): A 18.
Novak, M. 1993. A new party line? Forbes (January 18): 70.
Reynolds, A. 1993. Taxes, taxes, taxes. Wall Street Journal
(February 18): A18.
Roberts, C. 1992. Mr. Clinton, the people said: "Think small."
Business Week (November 30): 26.
Samuelson, R. 3. 1993. What Clinton isn't saying. Newsweek
(March 15): 38.
Sperry, P. 1992. What is Reagan's real legacy? Investor's
Business Daily (November 24): ¡-2.
Stein, H. 1993. Reflections in the top I '1g. Wall Street Journal
(May 26): A14.
Tax deform. 1993. Wall Street Journal (February 3): A20.
Underground Economy
Brimelow, P. 1993. Why the deficit is the wrong number. Forbes
(March 15): 79-82.
A lot going on under the table. 1993. U.S. News & World
Report (February 22): 13.
Pennar, K., and C. Farrell. 1993. Notes from the underground
economy. Business Week (Feb. 15): 98-101.
Unemployment
Ansberry, C. 1993. Hired out. Wall Street Journal (March II):
Al, A4.
A big ho ho ho for America's retailers? 1992. U.S. News &
World Report (December 7): 16.
Blonston, 0. 1992. Are U.S. citizens better off? Akron
Beacon Journal (August 30): A6.
Database. 1992. U.S. News & World Report (October 19): 10.
Eye on the issues. 1992. U.S. News & World Report (October 26):
18.
Henkoff, R. 1992. Where will the jobs come from. Fortune
(October 19): 58-64.
Ignon, 1. 1992. The tragedy of workers' comp. Investor's
Business Daily (October 16): ¡-2.
Koretz, G. 1992. The white-collar jobless could really rock the
vote. Business Week (September 28): 16.
Littman, D. 1992. The cost of regulation, counted in jobs. Wall
Street Journal (April 21): A16.
McCracken, P. W. 1992. The myth of "chronic" unemployment.
Wall Street Journal (September 16): Al4.
Novak, 3. 1993. How about a little restructuring? Forbes
(March 15): 91-96.
Novak, M. 1993. A new party line? Forbes (January 18): 70.
Reuters. 1993. Are soaring benefit costs stifling economic
growth? Investor's Business Daily (February 18): 4.
Sperry, P. 1993. Where are the full-time jobs? Investor's
Business Daily (March 10): 1-2.
The thirst for jobs. 1992. Forbes (September 14): 274.
Vol. 67, No. 6
Economic Education
353
Where the jobs are: Government. 1992. U.S. News & World
Report (August 17): 13.
Zachary, P., and B. Ortega. 1993. Age of angst. Wall Street
Journal (March lO): Al, A8.
Wealth
Blonston, G. 1992. Are U.S. citizens better off'? Akron
Beacon Journal (August 30): A6.
Donlan, T. 0. 1992. Rich and poor: Does America suffer from an
income gap? Barron 's (October 5): 10.
Gordon, J. S. 1992. Numbers game. Forbes (October 19): 48-56.
Lindsey, L. B. 1992. The richest people in America. Forbes
(October 19): 89.
1992. Why the 1980s were not the 1920s. Forbes (October 19): 78-80.
Measuring the comforts of life. 1992. Forbes (September 14): 288.
Michaels, J. W. 1992. Oh, our aching angst. Forbes
(September 14); 47-54.
Munk, N. 1992. A convenience-of-living index? Forbes
(September 14): 218-230.
Reynolds, A. 1992. The worst lying about the economy. Wall
Street Journal (October 21): A16.
1992. Who gained in the 1980s? Everybody. Wall Street Journal
(May 7): A14.
Rudnitsky, H., and M. Schifrin. 1992. The inheritors. Forbes
(October 26): 150-152.
Stein, H. 1993. Reflections in the top IWo. Wall Street Journal
(May 26): A l4.
Zaldivar, R. A. 1992. Taxing the rich: Where to start? Akron
Beacon Journal (March 8): A8.
Reprinted from The Clearing House
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Washington, DC 20036-1802.
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Vol. 67, No. 6
Economic Education
351
Eye on the issues. 1992. U.S. News & World Report (October 26):
19.
Farrell, C. 1993. Health-care costs. Business Week (March 15):
80.
Feshbach, M. 1992. Russia's farms, too poisoned for the plow.
Wall Street Journal (May 14): A14.
Hale, D. 1992. For new jobs, help small business. Wall
Street Journal (August 10): AlO.
O'Reilly, B. 1992. How to take care of aging parents. Fortune
(May 18): 108-12.
Outlook. 1992. U.S. News & World Report (August 10): 8.
Samuelson, P. 3. 1993. What Clinton isn't saying. Newsweek
(March 15): 38.
1993. Health care: How we got into this mess. Newsweek (October 4): 31-49.
This short-term tonic has lethal long-term side effects. 1992.
Business Week (December 14): 24.
Smith, L. 1992. The right cure for health care. Fortune
(October 19): 88-89.
The vaccine scapegoat. 1993. Wall Street Journal (February 23):
A16.
Wessel, D. 1992. The outlook. Wall Street Journal (May 1): Al.
Young are most lacking in health insurance. 1992. Wall Street
Journal (August 12): BI.
Inflation
Blinder, A. S. 1993. Why the cost of services is soaring. Business Week (November 16): 22.
Zero inflation: How low is low enough? 1992. The Economist
(November 7): 23-26.
Invention
Buderi, R., and 3. Carey. 1993. American inventors are reinventing themselves. Business Week (January 18): 78-82.
Rising debt is campaign's dark secret. 1992. U.S. News &
World Report (October 5): 28.
Roberts, C. 1992. Mr. Clinton, the people said: "Think small."
Business Week (November 30): 26.
Roberts, P. C. 1993. The only way out of the budget trap.
Business Week (March 15): 16.
Samuelson, R. J. 1992. The truth about deficits. Newsweek
(September 28): 31.
1993. Rhetoric over reality. Newsweek (March 1): 30-31.
Smith, L. 1992. The tyranny of America's old. Fortune
(January 13): 68-72.
Sperry, P. 1992. Is U.S. debt really a monster? Investor's
Business Daily (November 25): 1-2.
Weinberger, C. W. 1992. The federal deficit-Is it all that bad?
Forbes (July 20): 33.
Will, G. F. 1992. Purring along the Potomac. Newsweek
(November 30): %.
Poverty
Blonston, G. 1992. Are U.S. citizens better off`? Akron
Beacon Journal (August 30): A6.
Discrimination and the market. 1993. The Economist
(February 27): 19-20.
The economic crisis of urban America. 1992. Business Week
(May 18): 38-43.
Jenkins, Jr., H. 1992. The "poverty" lobby's inflated numbers.
Wall Street Journal (December 14): A-i.
Paulett, 1. 1993. Poverty spread in 1992 to total of 36.9
million. Wall Street Journal (October 5): A2.
Rector, R. America's poverty myth. 1992. Wall Street Journal
(September 3): AlO.
Usdansky, M. L. 1992. Reports say housing costs outpace
poor's ability to pay. USA Today (November 25): 3A.
National Debt
Adams, D. 1992. Jobs at top of everyone's list. Akron Beacon
Journal (November 13): Al, A2 1.
Brimelow, P. 1993. Why the deficit is the wrong number.
Forbes (March 15): 79-82.
Cunniff, J. 1991. Americans loaded with "stuff," debt. Akron
Beacon Journal (December 19): 88.
Dalio, R. 1992. Depression, not recession. Barron '5 (October
12): 17-27.
Database. 1991. U.S. News & World Report (October 21): 18.
Database. 1992. U.S. New s& World Report (October 19): 10.
Eye on the issues. 1992. U.S. News & World Report (October 26):
18.
Hawkins, D. 1992. A depressing time at home. U.S. News &
World Report (October 19): 60.
Littrnann, D. L. 1992. 2001: A farm odyssey. Wall Street
Journal (September 14): AlO.
McKenzie, R. B. 1992. The credit binge that wasn't. Wall
Street Journal (October 22): Al6.
McKinnon, R. 1. 1992. A fiscal stimulus won't work. Wall
Street Journal (December 24): 6.
Meltzer, A. H. 1993. The worst kind of short-term thinking.
Wail Street Journal (February 22): AlO.
Merltne, 3. 1992. Do U.S. deficits really matter? Investor's
Business Daily (April 9): 1-2.
1993. Can Congress give up its pork? Investor's
Business Daily (January 27): 1-2.
Mitchell, D. 3. 1992. The revolutionary ten-percent option. Wail
Street Journal (August 24): A8.
Parshall, 0. 1992. The great panic of '93. U.S. News &
World Report (November 2): 70-72.
Productivity
Farrell, C. 1993. Health-care costs: Don't be too quick with the
scalpel. Business Week (March 15): 80.
The final frontier. 1993. The Economist (February 20): 63.
Freadhoff, C. 1993. The 'America in decline' myth. Investor's
Business Daily (January 29): Al-A2.
Reynolds, A. 1992. The worst lying about the economy. Wall
Street Journal (October 21): A16.
Stewart, 1. A. 1992. U.S. productivity: First but fading. Fortune (October 19): 54-57.
Two cheers for American productivity. 1992. U.S. News &
World Report (October 26): 24.
Wealth in services. 1993. The Economist (February 20): 15-16.
Race/Gender
Database. 1992. U.S. News & World Report (November
30): 12.
Hale, D. 1992. For new jobs, help small business. Wall Street
Journal (August
10): A 10.
Koretz, G. 1993. In 1993, fewer businesses may go belly-up.
Business Week (January 26): 20.
Meeks, F., and 1. Sullivan. 1992. If at first you don't succeed.
Forbes (November 9): 172-180.
Reynolds, A. 1992. Who gained in the 1980s? Everybody. Wall
Street Journal (May 7): A l4.
SeIz, M. 1993. For many firms, upturn comes too late. Wall
Street Journal (January 15): BI-2.
Women, minorities own more small businesses. 1992. Wall
Street Journal (August 12): BI.
Working on it. 1993. The Economist (January 9): 26.
Vol. 67, No. 6
Education
Economic
349
able by the instructor and students. Students can be taught critical
analytical skills by having to interpret the tables.
• The data and analyses in current articles generally are based on
up-to-date information and often come from authorities or parties
closest to the issues. Students react positively to such relevant
material.
It is important to note that exploration of social issues through
current articles need not replace the regular curriculum; it can be a
beneficial supplement. Teachers, regardless of grade level, who
teach social studies, science, mathematics, history, language arts,
music, or physical education-as well as economics or consumer
economics-can use the list of articles, "Resources on Current
Economic Topics," to develop an economic component for their
courses.
have a working knowledge of the basic economic concepts and
principles involved in the topic being discussed, which can be
obtained through a college-level economics course. Second, the
educator should be aware that popular articles often contain
condensed versions of current thought related to varius topics
and may not include all relevant variables. The teacher should
try to review all pertinent articles as an economic issue
develops and the articles on it are published. Third, the
educator should be cognizant that liberal or conservative ideas
may influence certain data in the articles. Authors of popular
economic articles may focus on one or two studies that may
have been financed or sponsored by politically or topically
biased organizations, and so the teacher should try to ascertain
the primary origin of all table and graph data. Of course,
articles with biased views still can provide relevancy and
insight that can heighten class interest. When this is the case,
the instructor should note the bias of the data and present
opposing viewpoints to the class.
Background on the List of Resources
I would like to explain how the list of resources came into being.
From 1992 to 1994, 1 filed articles from a variety of popular
magazines and news sources that would be readily available to
educators throughout the United States. I chose my topics based on
subjects that were of great interest to teachers at various inservice workshops and courses I
have led. The selected
articles explain the topic in understandable layman language and
REFERENCES
refer to economic concepts and charts that can be presented in the
Becker, W.. W. Green, and S. Rosen. 1990. Research on high school
classroom.
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I have included local newspapers in the list on the assumption
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that educators could substitute similar news sources from their Buckles. S. 1991. Visions for the future. In Effective economic education, edited by W. B. Waistad and J. C. Soper. Washington, D.C.: Joint Council on
particular areas. There is no intention on my part to promote or
Economic Education and National Education Association.
McKenzie.
R. B. 1971. An exploratory study of the economic underendorse any particular publication. Neither is the list meant to be
standing of elementary school teachers. Journal of Economic
comprehensive, as many media print sources contain articles on
Education 3(Fall):26-31.
economics. An article may be listed under more than one topic if it National Center for Research in Economic Education. 1992. A national survey of American
economic literacy. New York: National
contains information on the different topics. Where databases on
Center for Research in Economic Education.
Schober,
H. M. 1984. The effects of inservice training on participatparticular topics are cited, they are found in the appropriate
ing teachers and students in their economic classes. Journal of
category as database, instead of by a title.
Economic Education lS(Fall):282-95.
A Cautionary Note
Educators who use contemporary articles on economics to
supplement their classrom instruction should be aware of several
concerns. First, teachers should
Thornton, D. L., and C. M. Vredeveld. 1977. In-service education
and its effect on secondary students: A new approach. Journal of
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Yankelovich, Skelly and While. Inc. 1981. National Survey of
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Resources on Current
Economic Topics
Drugs/Crime
Accident price tag: $137 billion in 1990. 1992. Akron Beacon Journal (October 10): 118.
The crime scene. 1992. Forbes (September 14): 306.
Database. 1993. U.S. News & World Report (March I): 8.
The economic crisis of urban America. 1992. Business Week
Dilulio, 3. 3., Jr. 1992. The value of prison. Wall Street Journal
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