Preparing Economic Educators for a New Era: An Interdisciplinary Model Yields Teacher and Student Gains

Scott Willison, Boise State University
Philip P. Kelly, Boise State University

Abstract

This study examines the effectiveness of a three-year Masters of Economics Education program developed and delivered through an interdisciplinary partnership between a Northwest University's College of Business and College of Education. The research on the Idaho Economic Fellows Institute clearly supports this format of teacher preparation and/or professional development. Specifically the research showed that the program increased fellows' economic literacy and positively affected the fellows' teaching skills and techniques. There is also strong evidence that the institute influenced the economic content being taught by fellows as well as their students' success on standardized tests.

Researchers employed a mixed method approach to data collection, relying on standardized pre-post tests developed and validated by the National Council on Economic Education as well as instruments developed and validated by the authors.