REPORT #5
INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON ECONOMIC EDUCATION
Date: February 16 (Sat), 2008
Place: International Conference Room, Waseda University
The International Conference on Economic Education, organized by the
Research Group of Economic Education, WIAPS (Waseda Institute for
Asia-Pacific Studies, was held at the International Conference Room at
Waseda University on February 16 (Sat), 10am - 5pm.
After Waseda Univ. Professor Michio Yamaoka gave a brief opening
address, Josai Int'l Univ. Lecturer Shintaro Abe moderated the main
session by first having Ms. Gail Tamaribuchi (Chair, Secondary Program,
Institute for Teacher Education, University of Hawaii at Manoa) make
her presentation on "Free Choice & Curriculum Decisions in U.S.
Schools." She emphasized that, while economic understanding among high
school studens as well as adults seems to be progressing, there is
still much room for improvement, especially in some states and
localities, and more efforts are needed to make economic reasonsing the
4th R in the U.S. school curriculum.
Second, Mr. Richard Rankin (Advanced Placement Economics Teacher,
Iolani School, Honolulu) shared with the seminar participants some of
the teaching strategies that he often use to help students remember key
economic concepts such as marginal cost, opportunity cost, the role of
profits, etc. He used such simple things as a red handkerchief, a
lemon, a sheet of paper, a pair of scissors, etc. to make students feel
and experience economic activities associated with key concepts.
Third, Ms. Kristine Castagnaro (Executive Director, HCEE) explained the
"Economics Cadre" program, which was launched in September 2007 to
create and support those economics teachers who might be called
"economics champions" within Hawaii's public high school system. She
concluded that the Economics Cadre is a realistic program under the
current circumstances to encourage teachers, especially, economics
champions, to advocate for inclusion of economics in the high school
curriculum (see the reference below).
After lunch, the three speakers in turn took up various problems in
economic education. In particular, Ms. Tamaribuchi focused on some
negative impact of the "No Child Left Behind Act of 2001" on economic
education, whereas Mr. Rankin talked about U.S. students' weakness as
indicated by last year's national AP Economics exams and how the
College Board is attempting to address those weaknesses. Finally, Ms.
Castagnaro pointed out difficulties in linking native culture to
economic education by sharing her experience in developing a financial
literacy curriculum in relation to the native Hawaiian culture.
Free discussions and interactions between the speakers and the
participants took place after the presentations as well as at the
networking party. Clearly, it was a very stimulating and informative
seminar for all the participants.
References:
HCEE Website: http://econed-hawaii.org/
Economics Cadre: http://econed-hawaii.org/cadre.aspx/