PIEDMONT COLLEGE

SCHOOL OF EDUCATION

Mastering the art of teaching: Preparing proactive educators to improve the lives of all children.

 

 

COURSE SYLLABUS B

EDUC/ SOSC 306 - Economics for Teachers: Concepts & Applications

 

INSTRUCTOR INFORMATION:

Name: William (Bill) P. Frech

Office: Location: Stewart Hall 211

Phone: 706-778-8500 x 1308(w)

Email:  wfrech@piedmont.edu

Fax Number: 706-776-2811

Office Hours: Monday – Thursday, 9:00 am to noon and 1:30 to 4:00 pm except Wed. Committee meetings. Hours subject to Intern observations! Make appointment by email.                   

Campus Security: 706-778-1105       

 

TIME AND PLACE

CAMPUS: TBA                   SEMESTER: TBA                               YEAR: TBA 

Dates:    

Time:        

Place:     

 

COURSE INFORMATION:                              

Credit: 3 hrs                                                                          

Period: TBA                                         

 

I.           TEXT AND SUPPLEMENTARY READINGS (In addition to information provided on 

              School of   Education Syllabus A-I).

Required: 1. A Framework for Teaching Basic Economic Concepts, K-12*

      2. Voluntary National Content Standards in Economics*

Supplemental readings will be required as needed throughout the course.  These readings will include research, professional documents (i.e., Georgia Performance Standards) and personal reading.  Also, copying some materials to share with the class may be required.

* Texts are produced by the National Council on Economic Education and will be provided at no c   harge by the Georgia Council on Economic Education.  

Supplemental readings will be required as needed throughout the course.  These readings will include research, professional documents, and personal reading.  Also, copying some materials to share with the class may be required.

 

II.            PIEDMONT COLLEGE MISSION; SCHOOL OF EDUCATION MISSION; &

                GRADUATE MAT AND MA PROGRAM GOALS (See School of Education Syllabus A – II)

 

III.        COURSE DESCRIPTION AND PURPOSE:

A survey of selected economic concepts applied at the macro and micro levels. Students will master 40-80 of the central concepts of economics as outlined in the Georgia Council on Economic Education’s Scope and Sequence documents. In addition, students will practice using the rational problem-solving tools of an economist. Each student will develop a repertoire of instructional techniques and activities – including the use of technology, lesson planning, and formal/informal assessment tools - which address each of the five areas of economics required in the Georgia Performance Standards (GPS): fundamental concepts, producers & consumers, microeconomic concepts, macroeconomic concepts and international concepts. Current middle school and high school economics textbooks and other curriculum materials will be examined for readability, appropriateness and inclusion of the GPS Standards. All students will observe a high school economics classroom or a middle grades economics lesson(s). Upon completion of the course, each student will possess the knowledge of economics and the pedagogical skills to effectively teach the state mandated (Georgia Performance Standards) economics curriculum. 

                               

IV.           SCHOOL OF EDUCATION OUTCOMES (See School of Education Syllabus A – IV)

                (Core Candidate Learning Outcomes by Program and Dispositions for All Candidates)

 

V.            COURSE OUTCOMES :

Upon successful completion of this course, the candidate will be able to:

1.        define the major concepts of economics and construct an orderly, ‘scope and sequence’ for those concepts.

2.        use the problem-solving tools of economic reasoning in various individual scenarios and group simulations.

3.        illustrate a ‘decision-making grid’ to resolve a current social, environmental, or political issue while also identifying personal bias and the trade-offs involved.

4.        develop a repertoire of economics instructional techniques and activities – including the use of technology, lesson planning and formal/informal assessment tools.

5.        produce grade appropriate lessons, which address three of the five areas of economics, required by the Georgia Performance Standards (GPS): fundamental concepts, producers & consumers, microeconomic concepts, macroeconomic concepts and international concepts.

6.        utilize some form of technology in the delivery of an economics lesson.

7.        explain the roles of the Georgia (GCEE) & National Council on Economic Education (NCEE) and know how to access their services.

8.        show how to access sample lesson plans from the internet.

9.        incorporate the Voluntary National Content Standards in Economics, the National Council for the Social Studies’ (NCSS) Curriculum Standards for Social Studies, and the five economic themes of the Georgia Performance Standards into the curriculum.

10.     critique economic lessons and textbooks in 6-12 classrooms using knowledge of economic concepts and their developmental appropriateness (sequencing).

refine the tools and habits of mind to be thoroughly professional; to be reflective scholarly practitioners; to be conscious models for the improvement of the teaching profession.

 

VI.           COURSE POLICIES & PROCEDURES:  (In addition to information provided on School of Education Syllabus A – VI).

1.  Class Attendance & Participation

Attendance, timeliness, and participation are required and part of your grade.  The School of Education policy states that more than the allotted number of excused absences for any reason will result in failure of the course.  The allotted number of excused absences for this course is one.  Only those absences due to emergencies, illness, or extenuating circumstances will be excused. Additionally, tardiness or leaving class early will be considered a partial absence reflected in your grade.  Work missed due to an excused absence may be made up.  It is your responsibility to inform me in writing how you make up the work.  Your writing should include a statement about why you were absent and a detailed quality description of the process you undertook to make up the work as well as a comprehensive summary of the content that was covered in class.  Be sure to include a cover page.  If work is not made up, the highest grade a candidate can receive for the course is a B.  Any candidate who misses more than one class will be asked to drop the course or will receive an F at the end of the semester.  However, if makeup work is approved by the professor and satisfactorily completed, a passing grade is still possible.  Also understand that reading a classmate’s notes cannot easily duplicate many of the experiences of the course.

.

 

2.  Written Work: See School of Education Syllabus A - VI

Use APA style (5th ed.).  All papers for the course are to be typed using size 12 print and one of the following fonts: Bookman, Times New Roman, Arial or similar font.  Papers should be double-spaced, error-free and grammatically correct (including punctuation, spelling, capitalization, etc.).  Make good use of writing references such as dictionaries, writing handbooks and computer spelling and grammar checks. Quality is important! Your writings and reflections will be assessed according to the depth, breadth, clarity, and accuracy they convey.

Be sure to keep a duplicate copy of all submitted work for your own records. It is also wise to periodically save your work on the hard drive as well as a disk.

3.       Academic Integrity                     (See School of Education Syllabus A – VI)

4.       Special Considerations              (See School of Education Syllabus A – VI)

5.       Cell Phone Usage                        (See School of Education Syllabus A – VI)

 

VII.       INSTRUCTIONAL METHODS, DESCRIPTION OF ASSIGNMENTS, AND FIELD EXPERIENCES:

                1.   Instructional Methods: See School of Education Syllabus A – VII.

This class will operate as a democratic classroom. Candidates will engage in shared decision-making and in taking responsibility for making the classroom the best it can be. Interactive discussions and problem solving, where all ideas and contributions are explored and respected, will be emphasized. Various approaches will be utilized by the candidates and professor including: lecture, demonstrations, observations, class discussions, small group discussions, cooperative group work, field observations, use of educational technology, student presentations, readings, writings, listening, questioning, and formative and summative evaluations.      

2.   Description of Assignments:

(a)     Five exams.

(b)     Two (2) lesson plans for one of the five GPS areas.

(c)     Weekly economics articles with reflections.

(d)     Read all text materials.

Engage in all classroom activities

 

VIII.        RESOURCES:

                1.    Bibliography: 

Materials available in the LEC collection, Piedmont College Library, and area high school libraries.

2.     Relevant Web Sites: See School of Education Syllabus A – VIII

       Georgia Council on Economic Education: http://www.gcee.org

       Georgia Performance Standards: http://www.georgiastandards.org   

       Federal Reserve System: http://www.FederalReserveEducation.org

       National Council on Economic Education: http:www.ncee.org

                3.   Other Relevant Web Sites: 

                Georgia Professional Standards Commission: www.gapsc.com

                YourMoneyCounts: www.yourmoneycounts.com

                US Department of Education: http://www.ed.gov/

                Education World: http://www.education-world.com/

                Internet Public Library: http://www.ipl.org/

                Education Website Clearinghouse:

                http://library.ucf.edu/internet/Education/webed.htm

Educational Software Institute: http://www.edsoft.com/

Center for Research on Education, Diversity and Excellence (CREDE): http://www.crede.ucsc.edu

Better Teaching: Tips and Techniques to Improve Student Learning: http://www.teacher-institute.com (Add any additional relevant websites specific to this course)

3.     GACE Information:                                      (See School of Education Syllabus A – VIII)

4.     Admission to Teacher Education              (See School of Education Syllabus A – VIII)

5.    Application for Certification                     (See School of Education Syllabus A – VIII)

                                                               

IX.           COURSE ASSESSMENT AND EVALUATION:

1.        A multiple choice, essay or short-answer exam at the conclusion of each of the five GPS sections listed below. (50% of grade)

2.    Two lesson plans, for one of the above sections, that include the purpose of the lesson, content

                      to be learned, technology to be used and an appropriate assessment. (25% of grade)

                3.    Weekly Journal of economics topics “discovered” with reflections. (15% of grade)

                4.    Classroom activities participation. (10% of grade)

 

X.            TENTATIVE COURSE SCHEDULE

The list of topics addressed in this course includes, but is not limited to, the following five economics areas addressed in the Georgia Performance Standards (GPS):

      FUNDAMENTAL CONCEPTS

Scarcity, Choice, Opportunity costs, Decision-making, Economic systems, Factors of production, Circular flow.

        PRODUCERS AND CONSUMERS

Specialization, Productivity, Capital goods, Saving & investing, Workforce, Human capital, Financial institutions, Interest rates, Credit.

MICROECONOMIC CONCEPTS

Supply & demand, Prices, Determinants of demand/supply, Price ceilings/floors, Shortages, Surpluses, Price elasticity, Business organizations, Market structures, Organized labor, Government regulation. 

MACROECONOMIC CONCEPTS

Inflation, Deflation, Unemployment rates/types, Fiscal policy, Monetary policy, Federal Reserve System, Economic indicators – GDP/CPI, Aggregate demand/supply.

INTERNATIONAL CONCEPTS   Economic systems, Absolute/comparative advantage,   Trade, Interdependence, Imports/exports, Balance of trade, Exchange rates – appreciation/depreciation of the dollar, International trade, Barriers to trade, Trade agreements, Protectionism.