Economics at Community Colleges
NSF-sponsored initiative to enhance economic education at community colleges
This project runs workshops and webinars to help two-year college faculty connect with each other and stay current on important topics in economics and teaching. There is also a significant investment in learning from how education in other disciplines is conducted in two-year colleges.
The project is co-led by Mark Maier, Glendale Community College (CA) and Cathryn Manduca, Science Education Resource Center, Carleton College (MN).
Why study economics: a web page for students
Add the Why study economics page to your department website. It includes short videos of five recent graduates describing how they use economics in their new careers. It also contains information on job opportunities and earnings with an economics degree.
Cutting Edge Webinars
Webinar with Frank Ackerman - Teaching about climate change in the introductory economics course
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View September 2012 newsletter
Past Workshops
Past Meetings and Projects
Meeting for economic educators interested in community college instruction prior to ASSA/American Economic Association meetings in San Diego, January 3, 2013, 4 PM. Manchester Grand Hyatt, Room Molly A&B. Meeting summary (Microsoft Word 33kB Jan19 13) Advice for first time attendees (Microsoft Word 2007 (.docx) 147kB Sep11 12)
Workshop at Riverside Community College, January 18, 2013. Workshop webpage.
In June 2011 a workshop that brought together 20 economic educators to plan regionally-based outreach programs for community college instructors. The economic educators were joined by 8 experts from other disciplines that have already developed national outreach projects targeting community college instructors. To learn more about the workshop, check out the Workshop Agenda and Participants pages.
DC/Maryland/Virginia Economics instructors met January 2012 and March 2013 for a conference on "Teaching Economic Principles." Alice Rivlin (former Vice Chairman of the Federal Reserve, Director of OMB and first director of the CBO) spoke to the group over lunch. Attendees are forming an ongoing regional group to plan future events. For more information contact Bruce Madariaga or John Min
Midwest regional Economic instructors met November 2011 and 2012 at the St. Louis Federal Reserve's annual Professor's Conference. Participants had the opportunity to attend sessions demonstrating the use of innovative pedagogical practices from Starting Point:Teaching Economics. See 2012 agenda For more information on this conference and future plans contact Gail Hafer
Community college instructors met at the Chicago Federal Reserve in March 2013 to create new money and monetary policy teaching activities.
As a baseline for future work, four regional surveys were conducted to ascertain the current state of community college economics instruction. Results from these surveys are presented.
Online instruction:
Do you teach online? Join a newly-started study group on teaching economics online. For more information contact Eric Sturgess Sturgess@ltcc.edu
Regional study groups:
- Seattle area: Contact James Peyton,Highline Community College
- Michigan: Contact Lisa Gloege, Grand Rapids Community College;
- Upstate New York: Rochelle Ruffer, Nazareth College
Outreach Across Disciplines
Disciplines outside of Economics have also been working on the challenges and issues facing education at the two-year/community college level. Pages highlighting work done in other disciplines have been compiled with the help of the disciplinary experts who will be attending the workshop.
Links to resources on undergraduate teaching and learning economics
American Economic Association advice for undergraduate students
Resources for Economists Teaching Resources
Starting Point: Teaching and Learning Economics portal for 16 teaching pedagogies
Diversifying Economic Quality Div.E.Q. is an online resource that aims to advance diversity in the economics profession by improving the way faculty and departments present economics to undergraduates. Sponsored by the American Economic Association's Committee on the Status of Minority Groups in the Economics Profession, Div.E.Q. helps economists recalibrate both their teaching and their research with new insights on race, class, gender, culture, discrimination, and inequality.
For more information, contact project co-principal investigator, Mark Maier
Disclaimer: Any opinions, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this website are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.