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Does your campus' enrollment success depend on traditional-age students? Do you draw from one of the 39 states plus District of Columbia that will soon see significant changes in the numbers and make-up of direct-from-high-school students? Is your campus ready for these changes? Campus administrators are regularly reminded to keep an eye on long-range demographic projections when planning for the future; that's only prudent when making decisions about policies and facilities that may be developed over a period of several years, most would agree. Currently, institutions of higher education--most notably the large group of four-year private and public colleges and universities that rely on traditional-age students--are well-advised to drop the binoculars and take a close look at the next five-to-ten-year span. What lies directly ahead is a demographic trough more pronounced than any experienced in recent decades--and one that urges strategic enrollment planning to position institutions for stability and success. This paper looks at those trends and outlines strategies for coping with these challenges. (Contains 5 tables.)

Migration patterns to and from Australia are becoming complex with migration programmes increasingly targeted towards meeting the needs of the labour market and regional development. This paper provides an analysis of the permanent and temporary movements of people to and from Australia in the last three years and their impact on the skilled labour supply in Australia. The paper also provides an analysis of occupational mobility of permanent immigrants. The results are consistent with previously published results of initial downward occupational mobility among immigrants. The consequence of this is wastage of skills which the country can least afford in times of reported skills shortages. Skills wastage can be minimised by making available to newly arrived immigrants appropriate programmes for recognising previously acquired qualifications and occupational licenses; updating occupation-specific skills; and providing up-to-date information on the labour market and its operation. In this respect, the TAFE (Technical and Further Education) system in Australia is uniquely placed to play a key role. (Contains 7 footnotes, 1 figure, and 21 tables.)

Class-size reduction (CSR) mandates presuppose that resources provided to reduce class size will have a larger impact on student outcomes than resources that districts can spend as they see fit. I estimate the impact of Florida's statewide CSR policy by comparing the deviations from prior achievement trends in districts that were required to reduce class size to deviations from prior trends in districts that received equivalent resources but were not required to reduce class size. I use the same comparative interrupted time series design to compare schools that were differentially affected by the policy (in terms of whether they had to reduce class size) but that did not receive equal additional resources. The results from both the district- and school-level analyses indicate that mandated CSR in Florida had little, if any, effect on cognitive and non-cognitive outcomes. Thirteen tables are appended: (1) Effect of Required CSR at District Level on District Characteristics; (2) Effect of Required CSR at School Level on School Characteristics; (3) District-Level Models with Additional Years of Pre-Treatment Data (Effects in Student-Level Standard Deviations); (4) District-Level Estimates that Condition on Prior-Year Controls (Effects in Student-Level Standard Deviations); (5) District-Level Analysis Robustness Checks (Effects in Student-Level Standard Deviations); (6) Effects of District-Level CSR on FCAT Scores (Student-Level Standard Deviations), Standard Difference-in-Differences Specification; (7) Effects of District-Level CSR on Stanford Achievement Test (SAT) Scores (Student-Level Standard Deviations); (8) Achievement Effects of District-level CSR by Subgroup (Student-Level Standard Deviations); (9) Effects of District-Level CSR on Non-Cognitive Outcomes; (10) School-Level Estimates that Condition on Prior-Year Controls (Effects in Student-Level Standard Deviations); (11) Effects of School-Level CSR on FCAT Scores (Student-Level Standard Deviations), Standard Difference-in-Differences Specification; (12) Achievement Effects of School-Level CSR by Subgroup (Student-Level Standard Deviations); and (13) Effects of School-Level CSR on Non-Cognitive Outcomes. (Contains 3 figures, 21 tables and 32 footnotes.)

There have been concerns that employment-enhancing reforms along the lines of the 1994 OECD Jobs Strategy could inadvertently lead to increased income inequality and poverty. This paper focuses on the impact of institutions and redistributive policies on inequality and poverty with the view of assessing whether a trade-off between better labour market performance and equity has taken place in OECD countries, notably in the 1990s. During this period, reductions of unemployment have been associated with rising wage dispersion for workers in most OECD countries. Nevertheless, no clear general trend appears for total disposable income inequality and relative poverty among the total population. These developments suggest that gains from higher employment have in general offset the impact of rising wage dispersion. A preliminary econometric analysis for the period 1978-2000 fails to detect any robust relationship between labour market institutions/policies and inequality as measured by the Gini coefficient. (A bibliography is included. Contains 39 footnotes, 5 figures, 1 box and 20 tables.)

The California Postsecondary Education Commission is currently producing a series of policy briefs examining the nexus between workforce development and postsecondary education. The research question "How does California's postsecondary education system contribute to the needs of the state's economy and its future?" will serve as the foundation for each of the briefs in the series. This first brief gives a historical context and summary of workforce development and education in California. It looks at California's education and workforce development systems from a historic and contemporary viewpoint and will focus on the role education has played in workforce development. Section one outlines the current workforce development system in California, including its components and a definition of key terms. Section two describes the changing role of K-12 education as California shifted from an agrarian economy to an industrial economy, then to one dominated by information and service industries. The last section highlights postsecondary education's role in workforce development with a brief summary of the 1960 Master Plan. Appended are: (1) Outline of Briefs in the Series; and (2) The Nexus between Postsecondary Education and the Workforce--Major Actions. (Contains 4 displays.)

This project, conducted by the Centre for the Economics of Education and Training (CEET) during 2003, set out to investigate the relationship between innovation and the provision of appropriate education and training in regional Australia. The project was designed as a pilot study with two main purposes: (1) To test whether and how the issues could be investigated, with the aim of using the findings as a basis for larger and more comprehensive studies in the future; and (2) To collect and analyse information about innovation and the provision of relevant education and training in some specific regions that would advance understanding of the major concerns and issues, both within the particular area and more generally in regional Australia. The Gannawarra Shire of northern Victoria was chosen for this pilot study because contacts made in the Shire indicated considerable support for investigating the issues and offered opportunities for access to local government, enterprises and training providers. Preliminary discussions and examination of published material also indicated substantial innovation in the region. The project comprised a search for sources of information about the Gannawarra region including geography, population, industries and employment; analysis of this material to gain an understanding of the major characteristics of the region; consultations with relevant people and organisations within and outside the region; and a survey of individuals and enterprises on the Gannawarra Business Register. Opportunities for presenting the preliminary and final survey results within the Shire to local enterprises and training providers enabled the findings to be discussed and contributed to ongoing refinement of the conclusions. Key findings include: (1) Considerable innovation is occurring in the industries and enterprises of Gannawarra, contributing to changes in the types of training being sought; (2) A balance of formal and informal provision of education and training in Gannawarra, although further investigation is recommended to determine that the balance is optimal to needs; and (3) Establishment of Local Learning and Employment Networks (LLENs) by the Victorian Government has been successful in strengthening relationships between educational providers, communities and industry in Gannawarra. Two attachments are included: (1) Regional Development, Skill Needs and Training Questionnaire; and (2) Initiatives of the LLENs in Gannawarra Shire. (Contains 10 figures and 40 tables.)

This lesson plan features a classroom simulation that helps students understand the characteristics of a market economic system. The lesson plan states a purpose; cites student objectives; suggests a time duration; lists materials needed; and details a step-by-step teaching procedure. The "Paper Airplane Challenge" handout is attached. (BT)

Accountability, autonomy, and choice play a leading role in recent school reforms in many countries. This report provides new evidence on whether students perform better in school systems that have such institutional measures in place. We implement an internationally comparative approach within a rigorous micro-econometric framework that accounts for the influences of a large set of student, family, school, and country characteristics. The student-level data used in the analysis comes from the PISA 2003 international student achievement test that encompasses up to 265,000 students from 37 countries. Our results reveal that different facets of accountability, autonomy, and choice are strongly associated with the level of student achievement across countries. With respect to accountability, students perform better where policies are in place that aim at students (external exit exams), teachers (monitoring of lessons), and schools (assessment-based comparisons). The combined achievement differences amount to more than one and a half PISA grade-level equivalents. Students in schools with hiring autonomy perform better on average, while they perform worse in schools with autonomy in formulating their budget. School autonomy over the budget, salaries, and course contents appears to be more beneficial when external exit exams hold schools accountable for their decisions. Students perform better in countries with more choice and competition as measured by the share of privately managed schools, the share of total school funding from government sources, and the equality of government funding between public and private schools. Cross-country differences in private school operation account for up to two PISA grade-level equivalents. The performance advantage of privately operated schools within countries is stronger where schools face external accountability measures and are autonomous. In urban areas, indicators of choice among public schools are also associated with superior outcomes. Several aspects of accountability, autonomy, and choice are also associated with superior noncognitive outcomes such as student morale and commitment, non-disruptive behaviour, disciplinary climate, and tardiness. We find no evidence that these policies have led schools to focus on raising student achievement at the expense of non-cognitive skills. (Three appendices include: (1) Database and Descriptive Statistics; (2) Econometric Modeling; and (3) Additional Tables. Contains 32 footnotes, 11 figures and 16 tables.)

Describes a modified version of the Paper River exercise that appeared in the spring 1999 journal issue. Illustrates the application of the Coase theorem for solving an externality problem. Indicates students share a single productive resource and work in groups rather than pairs as they did in the earlier version. (JEH)

Four lessons for secondary school geography instruction focus on creative thinking through generating alternatives, imagining consequences, generating analogies, and creating products. In lesson 1 students lay out alternatives to solving a problem and decide the best course of action. Suggested activities include consideration of alternatives in providing free public schooling to aliens in Texas, insulating a solar water heater, and providing mass transit in an urban area. Suggestions for brainstorming techniques in ecology, geography, energy, and economic/geography units are also provided. Lesson 2 focuses on imagining consequences of personal and societal actions. Students generate consequences to such issues as raising the highway speed limit, giving Puerto Rico independence, and abolishing restrictions to immigration. Group activities involve scenarios requiring allocation of limited resources. In lesson 3, students create analogies to aid in unlocking long-term memory and projecting implications of various courses of action. Several worksheets involve students in creating simple and complex analogies. Lesson 4 focuses on producing creative products, using the criteria of the student's practical knowledge, originality, competence, moral or aesthetic sensitivity, and excellence. (KC)

This book contains a reference guide for the use of HOMES, a demographic model and computer program developed to project the number and demographic characteristics of households. Through application of this computer program to standard population projectors, users can retrieve data on: (1) number of households; (2) age and sex of household heads; (3) households with single heads; (4) one-person households; (5) average household size; (6) number of children and grandchildren; and (7) number of parents. To familiarize the user with the range of information available from HOMES, a summary of its application to the Republic of Korea is provided. A technical description of the principles that underlie the model is reported and illustrated using census and survey data from Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines, Taiwan, Malaysia, and Korea. Computer specifications for HOMES, sample output, and procedures for running this program on a mainframe computer are provided. Appendices contain household head rates by household type and age of household head for these Asian countries from 1970-80 and summaries of HOMES programs. Tables, graphs, exhibits, and a 16 item bibliography are included. (Author/JHP)

Policy-makers in almost all countries agree on one thing: namely on the importance of education and skills to ensuring future economic prosperity. A fruitful line of research has focused on determining the impact that acquiring education or training has on an individual's labour market productivity and earning prospects: this is known as rate of return analysis. The Centre for the Economics of Education (CEE) has undertaken extensive research in this area and provided evidence on the returns to a variety of qualifications in the UK (CEE Discussion Papers 4, 6, 35 and 47). The CEE has also investigated specific issues such as the return to basic skills (CEE DP 3), returns to the marginal learner (CEE DP 45), returns to NVQ2 (CEE DP 46), the returns to qualifications acquired in adulthood (CEE DPs 19 and 39) and the returns to training (CEE DP 36). In addition the CEE has researched the range of methodological issues pertaining to rate of return analysis (see CEE DP 5 and 16). In this paper the authors summarise current understanding on the returns to qualifications, focusing specifically on differences in the economic values of qualifications by sector. First they explain what they mean by rate of return analysis in section 2. In section 3 they then discuss how rates of return estimates might be useful for policy-makers, and in particular how those who are trying to understand and meet the skill needs of different sectors of the economy might use such information. In section 4 they describe how rates of return are actually calculated in practice, before going on to summarise the evidence base. They start with a discussion of aggregate supply and demand in section 5, before focusing on the rate of return to specific qualifications and types of education in section 6. They conclude with an analysis of what the empirical evidence implies for policy-makers working on sector skills issues (section 7). A complex picture emerges from the evidence base: (1) In the UK there has been a massive expansion in the supply of qualified labour; (2) Qualifications that are supposedly tailored to employers' skill needs, such as NVQs, are actually valued less highly in the labour market; (3) Newer vocational qualifications (particularly NVQ2) yield a zero or minimal return in the labour market, although they do increase an individual's likelihood of being in employment; (4) The return to lower level vocational qualifications varies substantially across sectors; (5) NVQ qualifications yield a respectably high return if they are acquired through a modern apprenticeship; (6) Rapid expansion of the supply of graduates has resulted in much more variation in graduate outcomes; (7) Much of the apparent fall in the return to a degree for very new graduates is concentrated specifically on graduates who fail to get graduate level jobs; (8) There is substantial variation in returns across different degree subjects, and by implication across different sectors of the economy; and (9) In particular, the return to arts and humanities degrees for very recent graduates appears to have fallen to zero. Additional tables are appended. (Contains 7 figures, 10 tables and 14 footnotes.) [Additional funding was provided by the Sector Skills Development Agency.]

Designed as a resource for teachers to help high school students understand the new Germany, six background papers and nine lessons provide information on the difficult transition from the Third Reich to defeat and military occupation, on the establishment of two successor states, and on revolution and reunification. The six background papers cover aspects of the history, government, economy, and society of Germany since World War II: (1) "From Third Reich to No Reich: Germany after 1945" (James F. Harris); (2) "The Re-Birth of Democracy in Germany" (Rebecca Boehling); (3) "Germany's Role in the European and World Economies" (Robert Mark); (4) "German Culture in a Modern World" (Peter Jelavich); (5) "From Revolution to Unification: Creating a New Germany" (Konrad H. Jarausch); and (6) "Europe in U.S. Social Studies Textbooks: A Case Study on Germany in the Textbooks" (Dagmar Kraemer; Manfred Stassen). The nine lessons for use with secondary students of social studies draw from the contents of the background papers, and each lesson includes a plan for teachers and materials to be copied and distributed to students. Following the lessons, a timeline offers an annotated chronology of events in postwar Germany and the European Community. The next sections list 47 annotations of papers found in the ERIC database on Germany and Europe since World War II and 80 annotations from journals in the ERIC database on the topic. A selected bibliography of 44 books that pertain to the history of Europe and Germany during the 20th century precede 35 curriculum materials on Germany and Europe since World War II. An extensive directory of resources and useful addresses concludes the reference guide. (CK)

A decade ago, before the tech boom collapsed and the digital economy bubble burst, it seemed to some that issues surrounding information technology (IT) might be central to the politics of the early 21st century. But after September 11, 2001, with so much else on everyone's minds, "digital politics" seemed a boring sideshow. Technocrats, techno-wonks, and computer engineers argued over such issues as the finer points of open source versus proprietary software, while the rest used the Internet in peace. Recently, however, digital politics have made a comeback, with associated issues in the media constantly and before Congress seemingly every week. The debate over IT policy issues does not take place in a vacuum or only in the corridors of Congress. From think tanks to trade associations to single-issue advocacy groups, a proliferation of organizations fights to shape digital policy debates. The paper presents a field guide to help the reader understand the politics of IT. It describes the major groups of players in the IT policy debate and discusses how they differ along two key dimensions shaping policy: individual empowerment vs. societal benefit; and laissez-faire vs. government regulation. It then uses four timely and important policy cases (privacy, taxation, copyright protection, and net neutrality) to illuminate how these politics play out today in the United States. While primarily focused on American digital politics, this framework is not entirely unique to the United States. (Contains 9 endnotes.)

Congress and the Bush administration tried to reform immigration policy in 2006 and failed. A year later they tried again, with no more success. The truth is that if this nation is going to overhaul immigration policy, it only makes sense to listen to the people who will be most affected by it: immigrants. To craft a just and practical policy, this nation needs to see America through the immigrant's eyes. That's what the authors hope to accomplish with this report, the follow-up to their pioneering 2002 survey of immigrants, "Now That I'm Here". In this report, they have extended their sampling to gain a more detailed view of Hispanics and Muslims. Findings of their survey reveal: (1) Overall, immigrants say they're quite satisfied with life in the United States, for themselves and their children. Discrimination against immigrants doesn't seem to be part of their daily lives, because while majorities say it exists, majorities also say they haven't experienced much discrimination personally. Right now, the biggest concern for immigrants is much the same as for native-born Americans: the economy and their own financial well-being; (2) Most immigrants say that they have become comfortable in the United States quickly, yet ties to their birth countries have become stronger since 2002, particularly among recent immigrants. Most of the immigrants the authors surveyed either were citizens already or were in the process of being naturalized. For most of them, citizenship was a practical step. So is learning to speak English, with most immigrants reporting that it is difficult to get ahead or keep a job without language skills; and (3) Although there are common themes among immigrants, certain groups do have unique perspectives. Mexican immigrants are more likely to say they're happy in the United States, but also significantly more likely to perceive discrimination against immigrants. They're also more likely to be lower-income and perhaps face more language barriers. Muslims, by contrast, are less likely to report discrimination and overwhelmingly more likely to say the United States will be their permanent home. (Contains 13 footnotes.) [This paper was written with Amber Ott and Paul Gasbarra. For the related report, "Now that I'm Here: What America's Immigrants Have To Say about Life in the U.S. Today", see ED473894.]

In 2007, Human Resources and Social Development Canada commissioned Environics Research Group Limited to conduct a public opinion survey on labour market issues among 3,000 adult Canadians. The objective of the public opinion survey was to better understand the perceptions of Canadians regarding labour market challenges and opportunities in order to deal with concerns and build stakeholder support. The topics examined in this survey include: (1) Attitudes toward the economy and the labour market, including issues and priorities; (2) Roles and responsibilities in addressing labour market issues, including federal, provincial, employers and individuals; (3) Labour market strategy, knowledge, use and attitudes, including attitudes toward increasing the quality of the workforce, increasing the number of people participating in the workforce and increasing the ability of the labour market to adjust--all goals of Advantage Canada; and (4) Looking forward, including challenges and needs. This report presents the main findings from the survey. Appendices include: (1) Methodology; and (2) Questionnaires. (Contains 1 footnote.) [This paper was prepared by the Environics Research Group.]

This document is intended to promote understanding of democracy in Scotland as a social and cultural process that is sustained through learning as well as through political institutions and procedures. It consists of 47 short, easy-to-read papers that can be used in existing programs (for example, modern studies and social studies) or as supplementary materials. The papers are as follows: "National Identity" (David McCrone); "The Historical Struggle for Democracy in Scotland" (Graeme Morton); "The Legacy of the Scottish Enlightenment" (Jonathan Hearn); "Democratic Intellectualism" (Robert Anderson); "Civil Society and the State" (Lindsay Paterson); "Freedom, Justice, and Equality" (Ruth Jonathan); "Democracy and Citizenship" (David Carr); "The Scottish Parliament" (Alice Brown);"The Scottish Executive" (Richard Parry); "The Scottish Economy" (Brian G. M. Main); "The Scottish Education System" (Gordon Kirk); "The Scottish Legal System" (Hector MacQueen); "The Church" (Duncan B. Forrester); "The Welfare State" (Michael Adler); "Local Government in Scotland" (Richard Kerley); "The Voluntary Sector" (Chris Clark, Viviene E. Cree); "The Civic Forum" (Vernon Galloway); "Scotland, the Union and the Media" (John MacInnes); "Language, Culture and Identity" (Harry D. Watson); "Social Class" (Michael Rosie); "Gender and the Division of Labor" (Fiona Mackay); "The Asian Experience in Scotland" (Satnam Virdee); "The Trade Union Movement" (Patricia Findlay); "Disability" (Nick Watson); "Sexual Orientation" (Jamie Rennie); "Faith Communities" (Andrew Morton); "Young Scots" (Ian Fyfe); "Welfare Policy and Democratic Change" (Stephen Maxwell); "Poverty and Inequality" (Sally Witcher); "Gender and Identity" (Esther Breitenbach); "Race Relations in Scotland" (Rowena Arshad); "Work, Employment, and Unemployment" (Adrian Sinfield); "Land Ownership and Land Reform" (Andy Wightman); "Demographic Change" (Liz Bondi, Michael Gallagher); "Homelessness in Scotland" (Liz Nicholson); "Health" (Sarah Cunningham-Burley); "Medicine and Democracy" (Kenneth Boyd); "The Politics of the Environment" (Eurig Scandrett); "The Changing Family" (Lynn Jamieson); "Scottish Family Policy and Law" (Ian Dey, Fran Wasoff); "Children's Rights" (Kay Tisdall); "Scottish Arts and Common Culture" (Cairns Craig); "Sport and Leisure" (John Horne); "The Politics of Technological Change" (Tom Conlon); "Learning, Information Technology and Democracy" (Keith Stenning); "Democracy and Globalisation" (Jan Penrose); "Scotland in Europe" (Andrew Scott); and "The New Scotland: (William Storrar). All papers are accompanied by discussion questions. (MN)

This paper reports the trends in Tennessee higher education. Information on the following items are presented: (1) Educational Attainment and Economic Comparisons; (2) Student Preparation; (3) Student Participation; (4) Affordability; (5) Completion; and (6) Finance. [For "Tennessee Higher Education Commission Profiles and Trends, 2006", see ED512303.]

There is an extensive theoretical literature that postulates a trade off between child quantity and quality within a family. However, there is little causal evidence that speaks to this theory. Using a rich dataset on the entire population of Norway over an extended period of time, we examine the effects of family size and birth order on the educational attainment of children. While we find a negative correlation between family size and children's education, when we include indicators for birth order and/or use twin births as an instrument, family size effects become negligible. In addition, birth order has a significant and large negative effect on children's education. We also study adult earnings, employment, and teenage childbearing, and find strong evidence for birth order effects with these outcomes, particularly among women. These findings suggest the need to revisit economic models of fertility and child "production", focusing not only on differences across families but differences within families as well. (Contains 9 tables, 1 figure and 36 footnotes.) [This paper was presented as part of the Centre for the Economics of Education seminar series on 25th February 2005.]

There are numerous ways in which parents can assist students in social studies. Parents can read aloud library books that deal with social studies; older peers can also read aloud, providing practice to the older student as well. Parents can relate current events to a nearby globe, locating places mentioned in newscasts. In addition, parents and students can visit historical places of interest in the community. Parents can also show students the importance of economics in daily life, the environment, and community activities, such as the election process. Students can take part in hands-on activities as well, creating models of businesses on city blocks, volcanoes, furniture from a specific time period, or maps. Social studies work at home can inspire students' interest and work in school. (PM)

This paper examines the ways in which the State of Iowa and the local economy benefit from the presence of the Hawkeye Community College (HCC) District. Volume 1 is the Main Report, and Volume 2 includes detailed results by entry level of education, gender and ethnicity. The Hawkeye Community College District paid $17.4 million in direct faculty and staff wages and salaries in fiscal year 2001, and accounts for an additional $112 million in wages and salaries off campus. The colleges serve an unduplicated headcount of 26,074 credit and non-credit students. Approximately 85% of students remain in the local community and thereby generate local community benefits. The existence of HCC in Iowa explains $129.3 million of all annual earnings in the HCC District economy, equal to that of 4,602 jobs. The HCC districts pay wages and salaries, which generate additional incomes as they are spent. Likewise, the aggregate college operating and capital expenditures generate still further earnings. The document argues that every dollar of state or local tax money invested in HCC today will see a return of $11 over the next 30 years. Students benefit from an annual return of 24% on their investment of time and money. The study also quantifies the effects of HCC on reduction of crime, welfare, and unemployment. Appended are: Explaining the Results--A Primer; Methodology for Creating Income Gains by Levels of Education; and Adjusting for the Benefits Available Absent State and Local Government Support. (Contains numerous tables and figures and 41 references.) (NB)

This paper examines the ways in which the State of Texas economy benefits from the presence of Austin Community College (ACC). ACC pays $70.9 million in direct faculty and staff wages and salaries. The college pays wages and salaries, which generate additional incomes as they are spent, and their operating and capital expenditures generate still further earnings. Altogether, these earnings account for $99.6 million annually in the ACC District economy--equal to that of 2,517 jobs. State and local government spent $54,525,472 in support of Austin Community College during the analysis year of 2001. This dollar amount is weighed against associated educational benefits in the future. This study argues that every dollar of local or state money spent on ACC returns a cumulative $4.59 over the next 5.5 years. Students benefit from an annual return of 26% on their investment of time and money. In addition, for every one dollar the student spends on their education, they will receive a cumulative $9.04 in higher future earnings over the next 30 years. The study concludes that ACC enriches the lives of students while reducing demand for tax-payer supported social services. The study quantifies the effects of ACC on reduction of crime, welfare, and unemployment. (Contains 20 tables and 37 references.) (NB)

This paper examines the ways in which the State of Arizona and the local economy benefit from the presence of the Pima Community College (PCC) District. After the Executive Summary, Volume 1, the Main Report, discusses findings from the study. The Pima Community College District paid $68.2 million in direct faculty and staff wages and salaries in fiscal year 2001, and accounts for an additional $404 million in wages and salaries off campus. The colleges serve an unduplicated headcount of 94,334 credit and non-credit students. The existence of PCC in Arizona explains $472.6 million of all annual earnings in the PCC District economy, equal to that of 15,387 jobs. The PCC districts pay wages and salaries, which generate additional incomes as they are spent. Likewise, the aggregate college operating and capital expenditures generate still further earnings. The document argues that every dollar of state or local tax money invested in PCC today will see a return of $24 over the next 30 years. Students benefit from an annual return of 26%; for every dollar they invest in PCC education, they will receive an additional $4.59 in higher earnings over the next 30 years. The study also quantifies the effects of PCC on reduction of crime, welfare, and unemployment. Appended are: (1) Explaining the Results--A Primer: The Net Present Value; The Internal Rate of Return; The Benefit/Cost Ratio; and The Payback Period; and (2) Methodology for Creating Income Gains by Levels of Education. (Contains 14 figures, 25 tables, 23 notes, and 34 references.) (NB)

The major portion of this publication contains a bibliography of resources which college students can utilize in an independent study of the economic problems of aging. The first two pages of the publication suggest student projects. For example, it is suggested that students might make a thorough study of retirement planning, do research on the housing situation of the elderly, or examine the programs of their state and local governments pertaining to the aged. The bibliography that follows cites books, journals, newsletters, monographs, special reports, directories, and a few select journal articles. Also included is a list of both public and private agencies and organizations with various kinds of programs for the elderly. The appendix contains a paper entitled "The Problems of the Older Worker: Factors That Affect Employment Status." (Author/ RM)

The key purpose of this paper is to provide economics and business professors, particularly those teaching principles courses, with concrete examples of economic theory applied to the music industry. A second objective is to further the interest in economic theory among business majors and expose non-majors to economic principles via real world applications pertaining to music. The music business is an appropriate vehicle for assisting in the instruction of students, especially at the principles level, because it is significant in terms of both economics and popular culture; economic theory with no real world application is of little value and interest to students. Cites 27 sources. (BB)

Current trends in engineering education must accommodate the fast development of the global industrial marketplace. The well-known inertia against change in institutions of higher education will not fit for the foreseeable future. The career paths of our engineering graduates have changed and will change further, when industry moves to global playing, communications and information technology push the economy and the change from a manufacturing based economy to a more service-oriented economy is developing. The development of better international interfaces among the evermore distinct national education systems is of an increasing importance for a modern society. In Germany a number of technical universities financially supported by the German Academic Exchange Service (Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst - DAAD) have started new programs to attract more foreign students and graduates especially in technical fields. This paper gives a survey of the current situation from the perspective of the German Assembly of Electrical Engineering Departments (Deutscher Fakultatentag fur Elektrotechnik - DFTE) and describes the actions taken by one member, the Dresden University of Technology. (Author)

This study reports on faculty response to the Journal STORage project (JSTOR), an online system for accessing digital back archives of core journals in history and economics. Data were collected about general journal use, Internet use, and JSTOR use via a survey administered to 160 historians and economists at the University of Michigan and at five liberal arts colleges: Bryn Mawr College, Denison University, Haverford College, Swarthmore College, and Williams College. Results show that most faculty do not yet use JSTOR. When JSTOR use occurs, frequency of use is positively related to being male, having a preference for photocopying journal articles, relying on article abstracts when reading journals, and the frequency of searching online card catalogs. Increased numbers of journal subscriptions and affiliation with an economics department are negatively related to the frequency of JSTOR use. The findings suggest that faculty may be willing to substitute access to digital journal back archives for access to bound journals, but this willingness may vary by discipline. Ten tables present statistics. Contains 16 references. (Author)

This collection consists of 41 collaborative lesson plans developed by 99 Virginia teachers at 18 primarily High Schools that Work (HSTW) and tech prep sites. It is divided into three sections: career connection, community connection, and consumer connection. Two types of lesson descriptions which support HSTW key practices, and Virginia's Tech Prep goals appear in each section. "Features" detail the real-world connection, materials needed, activities, and evaluation method. "Ideas" present a brief description of the activity. Career Connection lessons are as follows: An Account to Remember; Getting Down to Business; Safety First; Sound Check; The American Dream; Blood Typing; Flower Show; Growing, Growing, Grown; Here's Looking at You; Inch by Inch; Newsplash; Paper Planes; Raising the Roof; Shampoo Analysis; Tell Me a Story; and Wild News. Community Connection contains the following lessons: Exploring Culture through Weddings; How an Epidemic Spreads; La Fete de Mardi Gras; Mining and the Environment; America the Beautiful; Art and Religion in India; Un Buen Negocio; Genetics; Human Population Growth Rates; Is There Life Out There?; A New Industry; and Picture This. Consumer Connection consists of these lessons: Building a Foundation; Emergency! Chemical Spill; If I Had Terminal Cancer; Is Your Soap a Good Antiseptic?; Avoiding the Charge; Carbon Dioxide Production and Metabolism; Healthy Choices; House Beautiful; Learning from the Ancient Past; Making the Right Decision; Metric Conversions to Spanish; What Is a Serving?; and You and Your Blood Pressure. An index lists lesson plans by content subject area. (YLB)

This document contains statistical data related to education. The booklet begins with an executive summary in English, Japanese, French, and Russian. The data is divided into nine general sections. The first section is population and contains: (1) world and regional perspectives; (2) sub-regional trends; (3) population perspectives by country; (4) young age and school age population; and (5) demographic dynamics and implications. The second section is literacy and contains: (1) regional literacy trends; (2) situation by subsection; and (3) prospects at country level. The third section is overall participation in education and contains: (1) progress in overall enrollment; (2) changes in weight by level; and (3) participation of girls. The fourth section is pre-primary education and contains: (1) growth trends; (2) enrollment ratios; and (3) girls in pre-primary education. The fifth section is primary education and contains: (1) changes in enrollment trends; (2) participation and prospects; (3) implications for Universal Primary Education; (4) access to grade 1; (5) retention; and (6) coefficient of efficiency. The sixth section is secondary education and contains: (1) regional and subregional trends; (2) level of participation; (3) transition from 1st to 2nd level education; and (4) technical/vocational secondary education. The seventh section is higher education and contains: (1) expansion in enrollment; (2) students enrolled per 100,000 inhabitants; (3) female students; (4) enrollment by field of study; and (5) students abroad. The eighth section is teachers and contains: (1) overall trends; (2) subregional trends; and (3) pupil-teacher ratio. The ninth section covers finance: (1) changes in constant prices; (2) public expenditure on education as percentage of Gross National Product; (3) public spending on education as percentage of government expenditure; (4) distribution by level of education; (5) expenditure per pupil/student; and (6) expenditure by purpose. Four statistical tables conclude the document. (DK)

This unit was designed by a certified Media and Social Studies teacher to help middle school students in Prince George's County, Maryland, plan a trip to East Africa and specifically to Kenya and Tanzania. Each school has a 90 percent African American student population in grades seven and eight, and both are magnet schools. The teacher has had a longstanding interest in bringing Africa into the social studies curriculum. By using geography, economics, and language skills, students educate themselves and experience social studies in a fresh manner. The paper provides guidelines for middle school teachers in methods of social studies application and gives specific information on planning and implementing the African trip. Specific information concerns activities, goals and objectives, a general overview, procedures, support resources, a model for student activity, Swahili vocabulary terms, and a list of African wildlife. (DB)

High school students determine and meet the economic needs of imaginary island countries in this student-teacher created simulation game. The class is divided into six countries which determine their own economic system. Each group is provided with a summary of the current world economic situation and a confidential description of their own country's economic position in six commodities. In six rounds of play, the groups trade commodities while dealing with unforeseen political and environmental "events cards" which affect their economic situation. Upon completion of the game, the winning country is determined as the one that has most satisfied its economic needs and/or accumulated surpluses. All materials necessary for play are provided, including teacher background sheet, student direction sheet, map, world situation sheet, confidential sheet for each country, events cards, glossary, and follow-up discussion questions. (LP)

One of the most important, yet difficult concepts to teach in an undergraduate course in intermediate microeconomics is the all-embracing concept of elasticity of demand. This paper details a four part teaching approach developed to make this most important aspect of microeconomic theory more understandable. Part 1 develops the approach for teaching price elasticity of demand, including a schema to be displayed in class, and graphs and essential characteristics for the following cases: relatively elastic demand curve, relatively inelastic demand curve, unitary elastic demand, perfectly elastic demand curve, and perfectly inelastic demand curve. Part 2 develops the approach for teaching income elasticity of demand. Part 3 develops the approach taken to teach cross elasticity of demand. Part 4 reviews the formulas and their relationships and presents the conclusions of the paper. Because the merit of microeconomics is resurfacing as an approach to the solution of macroeconomic problems, these elasticity of demand concepts assume even greater importance for teaching elasticity in an intermediate microeconomics course. With the approach outlined in this paper, students will be well-equipped to use these analytical tools. (GEA)

This report is intended to inform the European Commission's DG Information Society and Media in developing its policies for the period 2010-2020. It is targeted to policymakers with expert knowledge of the field. The report summarises the work conducted in the study: "Policy Options for the Ubiquitous Internet Society". It builds on three prior documents: (1) a briefing paper on Connectivity Challenges; (2) The Interim report containing trend analysis, scenario development, modelling of socio-economic impacts and a review of changing business models; and (3) a Workshop Report. In addition, an analysis was made of policies in the US, Japan and South Korea to provide a reference for the EU's own policy in the field of ICTs (information and communication technologies) and especially the future of the Internet (its architecture and socio-economic fall out). This report contains a review of technology trends underlying the future Internet Society. It assesses the possible future socio-economic impacts; as well as the changing business models that are likely to emerge in the next 5 to 10 years. The ultimate objective of the study is to make future policy recommendations for the successor programme to the current EU's ICT strategy: the i2010 programme. The project involved trend analysis, econometric modelling, desk research, interviews, a survey, scenario development and gaming. Five appendices are included: (1) Tech Trend Summary Tables; (2) Identifying and Mapping the Scenario Dimensions; (3) Framework for Analysis of Economic Impacts; (4) Cases Studies of Policy Frameworks in Japan, US, South Korea and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD); and (5) Cross Cutting Relevance of Connectivity Challenges. (Contains 28 figures, 29 tables, and 199 footnotes.) [This report was prepared for the DG Information Society and Media.]

With this guide, the author aims to induce more economists to talk to people in the media as a means of expanding educational outreach. The guide provides discussions of "do's" and "don'ts" and offers advice on which kinds of research are likely to interest reporters. The author suggests specific approaches to dealing with reporters in different types of media, including print, radio, and television.

This booklet is a compilation of articles on money market instruments which were published in the "Monthly Review" of the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond from 1964-1967. They have been revised to include recent changes in the various markets, as well as to reflect currently applicable laws and regulations. The articles are titled: The Money Market, Treasury Bills, Tax Anticipation Bills, The Discount Window, Federal Funds, Dealer Loan and Repurchase Agreements, Negotiable Certificates of Deposit, Commercial Paper, Bankers' Acceptances, Federal Agency Securities, and the Euro-Dollar Market. The first article defines the term money market, describes the participants, the interrelation and size of the various market sectors, the market's significance economically, and its relationship with Federal Reserve. The remaining articles treat each of the sections of the market, defining each term, summarizing its history, explaining investment characteristics, administration and mechanics, its advantages, and use. (Author/CK)

This curriculum guide provides curriculum coordinators with a basis for planning a comprehensive program in the career field of marketing agricultural services and allows marketing and distributive education teachers maximum flexibility. Introductory materials include information on use of the guide, information on careers in agricultural services, and a bibliography with complete data for the references listed under each competency. A chart classifies instructional competencies into the 11 areas into which the guide has been divided, with a section devoted to each instructional area. Within each area, competencies are organized into instructional clusters with a cluster objective. A chart identifies competencies organized under that cluster objective, a number of suggested learning activities, and references/instructional materials. Several references are provided for each competency to ensure local availability of at least one reference and to provide flexibility in individualizing instruction. These 11 instructional areas are included: advertising, communications, display, human relations, management, marketing/economics, mathematics, merchandising, operations, product/service technology, and selling. Blank sample competency worksheets are appended. (YLB)

The booklet lists and dispels 14 economic myths through a discussion of money, economic concepts, and the Federal Reserve System. The objective is to help secondary students or adults understand the economic system as related to money and banking. Topics focus on money, banking, gold and silver, credit, government role, financial concepts, and interest. For these topics historical background information is provided, terms and concepts are defined, relationships between government and the banks are pointed out, Federal Reserve functions and operations are outlined, and various types of banks are compared. Sample myths include "Money is simply coin and paper currency,""Gold and silver are the only perfect monies,""The Government reduces money's value by printing too much currency,""Checks are money,""Banks are part of the Government,""All banks are the same,""Wall Street banking interests established the Federal Reserve and control monetary policy,""The Federal Reserve controls the amount of currency in circulation," and "Banks borrow money from the Federal Reserve at the discount rate and lend the funds at a higher rate to make profit." Cartoon drawings illustrate the concepts discussed. (CK)

This second in a series of task analysis inventories contains checklists of work performed in twenty-two occupations. Each inventory is a comprehensive list of work activities, responsibilities, educational courses, machines, tools, equipment, and work aids used and the products produced or services rendered in a designated occupational area. The inventories can be used to set up work programs, write job descriptions, or be given to workers to check appropriate items in a self-inventory of their work. The information collected by use of the inventories may be helpful to job developers, counselors, and training and placement personnel. It also may be used in the development of curriculums for vocational or apprenticeship training. Occupations covered in this inventory series include aircraft and aerospace manufacturing; building and construction trades; chemical processing; economics and political science work; electrical equipment, apparatus, and devices manufacturing; electronic components, equipment, and apparatus manufacturing; plastics manufacturing; food processing; history, sociology, and anthropology work; instruments and apparatus manufacturing; knitting mill work; library work; logging; paper and paperboard converting; petroleum refining; sawmill and planning mill work; ship and boat building and repairing; textile mill work; veneer and plywood mill work; woodworking. (KC)

Part of a series which offers educational resources and teaching techniques related to major social issues to high school social studies classroom teachers, the guide focuses on government regulation. The document is presented in four major chapters. Chapter I explores how economic and political science frameworks can be used to analyze policy issues. Chapter II presents an overview of the relationship between the economy and government regulation. Topics discussed include the economic rationale for regulation, control of natural monopolies, prevention of destructive competition, protection of sellers and consumers, regulatory processes, and evaluation of regulatory policy. Chapter IV presents instructional activities which involve students in identifying and describing problems involving governmental regulatory action, class discussion, participating in small group tasks, compiling master lists of alternative costs and benefits of various regulatory actions, preparing position papers, and analyzing films. For each activity, information is presented on grade level, sequence within the unit, time and material required, rationale, concepts, instructional objectives, teaching strategies, and pupil activities. Student readings, bibliographic suggestions, and illustrative material such as advertisements are included in the unit. (DB)

Economics and energy are topics of interest to students and teachers alike. They both affect our daily lives, influence how we live and have significant impacts on how our children will live. Since economic education was mandated by the Florida legislature, many attempts have been made to integrate the free enterprise and consumer education objectives with the traditional content of the social studies curriculum. "Solar Economics: A Teacher's Guide" is a collection of instructional units (lessons) built around the state objectives using solar energy as a unifying theme. Objectives, materials needed, list of student activities and student handouts, worksheets, and/or readings are provided for each lesson. A list of free enterprise and consumer education objectives and a paper on solar energy in Florida are provided in appendices. Lesson topics include: competition; solar workers; labor force; consumer goods; energy scarcity/choice; energy resources; substitution; alternatives/substitutions in production; production factors; economics of small wind machines; technological progress; solar demand; supply/demand; consumer math; price/cost; comparison shopping; using Energy Guide labels for comparison shopping; shade trees as investments; solar investments; solar insurance; examining warranties; tax credits; government regulation; rational consumer behavior; comparing solar collectors; and how laws can affect a decision to make investment. (Author/JN)

This chartbook, developed for participants in the 1981 White House Conference on Aging, depicts past, present, and projected developments in demographics, economics, and other areas to explain the size and makeup of the older population and its economic and social roles in society. Each of the 70 charts, classified under seven headings, includes a discussion of the topic. The Overview section provides statistics on such topics as the numerical growth of the older population and racial and ethnic makeup; the employment charts illustrate the composition of the labor force and retirement trends. The third section, Income, provides charts of income trends, poverty rates, and social security. The section on Health gives charts for mortality trends, mental health, and health care costs. Charts in the Family section focus on such topics as the changing family structure, living arrangements, and nursing home residents. The Physical Environment section contains charts for housing, transportation, and crime victimization. The final section, "Continued Social and Economic Involvement in the Community," looks at voting patterns, educational attainment, volunteers, and leisure activities. A supplement to this chartbook is included that contains updates and corrections. (NRB)

Intended to provide insight into the dynamics of demand analysis, this paper presents an eight-step method for forecasting sales. Focusing on sales levels that must be achieved to enjoy targeted profits in favor of the usual approach of emphasizing how much will be sold within a given period, a sample situation is provided to illustrate this approach. In this situation, the eight-step method helps a married individual with a working spouse, dependent children, and a $25,000 per year job determine how many sales dollars a new retail operation must provide during its first year to make quitting his/her present job a reasonable risk. A format for computing a projected statement of net income (or loss) is provided to help determine survival sales levels the first year. Next, the eight-step solution to survival sales suggests that forecasters (1) survey the competition, (2) research potential suppliers, (3) compute the gross profit, (4) estimate the firm's annual operating (or ongoing) expenses, (5) compute the estimated gross profit, (6) forecast the survival sales level, (7) derive the cost of goods sold, and (8) complete a formula (provided) in which operating expenses and net income (expressed in percentage of sales) are figured by dividing operating expenses (in dollars) by sales dollars and then subtracting that percentage figure from gross profit percentage. Three tables are provided for computation. (LH)

This instructional unit is intended to inform students about the coins and paper money used by U.S. citizens to conduct daily financial transactions. The unit is designed to supplement the teacher's regularly assigned materials in economics. The booklet provides a brief study of currency in the United States. It is intended to serve as the basic reading for students and includes review questions and answers. The teacher's guide provides information on the overall unit with guidelines for incorporating the information in the basic booklet into a teaching unit on economics or the specific topic of money. It includes a set of discussion questions and the clues and key to a crossword puzzle transparency. The student activities booklet includes a word search puzzle, a crossword puzzle, and an exercise on making change. A 20-question multiple choice test with key is included for use in evaluating the students' understanding of the information presented. (JB)

Describes an educational game designed to help students (fourth grade through adult) understand how financial markets work within the free enterprise system and how the basic economic principles impact the stock market. Discusses the paper and Internet versions of the game and provides some teaching guidelines. (MJP)

This curriculum guide is an attempt to tackle difficult environmental issues through familiar and realistic outdoor teaching formulas. It presents activities that combine experience-based techniques with complex global issues and involves a step-by-step process that an instructor may walk through in order to find the location in their curriculum into which they may incorporate these unique teachable moments. Section One, Cultural Awareness, contains a variety of activities that encourage students to explore some of the customs, histories, economies, governments, literature, and games of people around the world. Section Two, Development Education, includes a variety of activities that encourage students to explore some of the topics and issues involved in the development of countries and the environmental, human, economic, and technological dimensions of growing societies around the world. Contains a list of resources. (JRH)