Center for Economic Education

Why Economics?

Today's economic world is a complex and rapidly changing one. The growth of the American economy and the impovement of our standard of living depend on our ability to produce and compete in the global society. More than ever before, knowledge of basic economics is a prerequisite for a productive and healthy economy. It is also important for understanding major issues that confront this nation.

Economic education helps people understand issues and improves economic decisions. These decisions are made over a lifetime by people in their roles as citizens, consumers, workers, or producers. Unfortunately, only a fraction of the American population obtains a solid education in economics at the pre-college or college levels. More economics education is needed in this nation.

What We Offer

Teacher Education

The Center conducts credit courses and non-credit workshops to increase the economic understanding of teachers and to improve their skills in teaching and integrating economics into their present curriculum. Graduate courses are offered for certified school teachers and administrators. Undergraduate credit courses are offered for education majors at UNL.

Instructional Services

Instructional assistance is provided by the Center to local school districts, education agencies, college faculty and community groups on such topics as curriculum development, course content, resource materials and strategies for teaching economics. The Center maintains an extensive resource library containing books, instructional units, videotapes, curriculum guides and other resources. Library materials are available on a loan basis to teachers and administrators.

Materials Development

The Center develops and distributes educational materials in economics for use by teachers in Nebraska and nationwide. Most of these materials are curriculum units or lessons for students on current economic topics. The Center also prepares other institutional materials such as nationally normed and standardized tests in economics.

Faculty Education

The Center makes presentations and participates in programs to help college faculty and graduate students become better economics instructors. The Center contributes to publications on the teaching and learning of economics. This work is done in cooperation with the National Center for Research in Economic Education.

Research

The Center was designated by the National Council on Economic Education to serve as the specialized National Center for Research in Economic Education for its national network of 275 college and u niversity centers for economic education and 50 state councils on economic education. This National Center prepares datasets and conducts studies on the effective teaching and learning of economics.

William Walstad is the director of the National Center for Research in Economic Education and a distinguished professor of economics at UNL. He conducts research activities and faculty development in economic education. He served as director of the UNL Center for Economic Education from 1982-1996.

History & Affiliations

The Center was established in 1963 at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. It serves as a teaching, research and service unit of the Department of Economics and the College of Business Administration. The Center is affiliated with the Nebraska Council on Economic Education. The Nebraska Council supports the work of the centers for economic education at Lincoln, Omaha, Kearney, Wayne, and Chadron. The Center is affiliated with the National Council on Economic Education and is part of the EconomicsAmerica network.

Staff

Service Area

The Center serves schools in Lincoln and in the following counties:

The Center also works closely with the southern portion of Hall county and Educational Service Units No. 2, 5, 6, 7, 9, and 18. The Resource Library serves the entire state.