Friday, March 9
8:30 AM-12:00 PM
CST

W9: Understanding the Economy through EconEdLive!

Workshop ID: 36349
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    Barbara Flowers
    Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

Abstract: A 2011 Award of Excellence winner from Tech & Learning Magazine, EconEdLive! presents students with new ways of learning difficult economic concepts, such as the time value of money and comparative advantage, as well as vital personal finance lessons, such as the effects of inflation and the importance of saving. These interactive learning tools feature readings, stories, and Q&A (including pre/post tests and checks for understanding). Many lessons have complementary print lessons, offering a “mix and match” approach to serve a variety of teaching and learning styles. EconEdLive also includes economics and personal finance podcasts in audio or video formats, personal finance chat simulations for students, and quarterly professional development webcasts.

Objectives

Attendees will learn how to access all programs through the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis website. All programs are free of charge and available for download. Attendees will view the Instructor Management Panel and learn how to register and manage a classroom. Attendees will sample a variety of programs for content and interactivity to determine where programs, podcasts, and/or chats will fit in their curriculum.

Topical Outline

I. Overview of online courses A. It’s Your Paycheck! B. Cards, Cars, and Currency C. Time Value of Money D. The Story of Unemployment E. Back to the Great Inflation F. Comparative Advantage of Justice G. Currency Crusaders Each overview will provide instruction on the methods used to enhance student learning as well as an examination of the content for connection to the high school curriculum. II. Instructor Management Panel A. Class registration B. Class management This section will provide instruction on how teachers can register entire classes (free of charge). It will also guide teachers through the mechanisms to add and delete students, keep track of student progress and performance, and push discussion board questions, among other management tools. III. Podcasts A. Audio podcasts 1. Unemployment 2. Market Equilibrium This section will alert teachers to this series of economics lessons specifically designed for student download. Although unemployment and market equilibrium are stated, teachers will also examine personal finance topics, such as a discussion of savings instruments. B . Video podcasts IV. Personal Finance Chats A. Prepaid Debit Cards B. Rent To Keep C. How to Get a Car Loan This section will introduce teachers to simulated online chats designed to provide brief introductions to common personal financial tools that are so often misunderstood.

Prerequisites

Social Studies, Economics, Personal Finance, Consumer Economics, and Business teachers of grades 9 through 14

Experience Level

Beginner

Qualifications

Barbara Flowers holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics (UM-St. Louis), a Master’s degree in Economics (UM-St. Louis), and a Master’s degree in Economic Education (University of Delaware). After 18 years teaching economics at UM-St. Louis, most recently also serving as director of the Center for Entrepreneurship and Economic Education at that institution, she joined the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis where she develops economic lessons for use in classrooms from Kindergarten through grade 14. Since moving to the Fed in 2009, she has written the online interactive economics programs, The Time Value of Money and Comparative Advantage, as well as editing Currency Crusaders, The Story of Unemployment, It's Your Paycheck, The Great Depression and Cards, Cars and Currency. In addition to online programming, she specializes in the development of economics lessons using interactive whiteboards. Within the last year, she has presented at the following organizations' national conferences: National Council for the Social Studies, Council on Economic Education, Association of Private Enterprise Education and has recently or will soon present at the following local conferences: Midwest Education Technology Conference, Missouri Council for History Education and Missouri Association of School Librarians. She has written extensively for the Council on Economic Education, including the popular Financial Fitness for Life series (both the original and the revised in 2010 for grades 6-8) and the Council's upcoming unit on entrepreneurship (2012).
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