A student model in economic education : factors influencing a student's learning of economics

Graduation date: 1988The major focus of this research was to examine the factors, both\ud instructional factors and student factors, that influence student\ud gains in economic knowledge in economic education. This study sampled\ud twelfth grade students from randomly selected high schools in the\ud Williamette Valley of Oregon. The stepwise regression analysis was\ud used to select the most significant factors influencing student\ud learning of economics.\ud The dependent variable was economics learning. The independent\ud variables were student factors and instructional factors. The\ud dependent variables were measured by the difference between pretest\ud and posttest on the Test of Economic Literacy (TEL). The independent\ud variables were measured by information students and teachers were\ud asked to give on their respective questionnaires.\ud A two-stage sampling technique was utilized to select the sample.\ud Six Willamette Valley high schools, selected at random, participated.\ud The subsampling unit included 113 male and 106 female senior\ud students. All were enrolled in economics courses at the randomly\ud selected high schools. Data were also collected from the six\ud teachers, one per high school, instructing the students in economics.\ud Three models of economic education were developed: (1) a student\ud model using student factors alone, based on student grade point\ud average (GPA) and socioeconomic status (SES); (2) a student model\ud using only instructional factors, based on previous economics courses\ud taken by teacher (EET); and (3) a model using all variables, based on\ud EET and GPA. This study showed that EET was more powerful than GPA in\ud economics learning.\ud Considering the importance of the findings of this study, it is\ud suggested that replication should be conducted, using large samples\ud and more variables. Research is needed which deals with the number of\ud economics courses and level of Economics courses appropriate for\ud economics teacher preparation. Research is also needed which shows\ud the impact of economics on cognitive development attainment and the\ud comparative study on different teaching methods in economics. Such\ud research could well yield more precise results for improving economic\ud education