A Study of the Relationship between Economic Understanding, Business Education Curricula and Certain Personal Factors of Business Education Seniors in Selected Delaware High Schools.

Overview & Synopsis

Using information from results of the Test of Economic Understanding, personal data sheets, and student transcripts, this study sought to determine whether seniors enrolled in business education programs develop an understanding of basic economic concepts. Additional objectives were to determine whether seniors enrolled in various sequences of business education courses differ in degree of economic understanding, and whether there is a relationship between economic understanding and selected personal factors--sex, grade average, and work experience. Based on results of the investigation, several conclusions were: (1) The business education curriculum in the state of Delaware is ineffective in teaching those basic economic concepts essential for good citizenship, (2) Sequences of business education courses that do not include a one-semester economics course do not provide business education seniors with an understanding of the economic concepts as recommended by the National Task Force on Economic Education, (3) No significant relationships exist between achievement in economic understanding and post-high school education plans, or between understanding and the education of the principal wage earner in the business education senior's family. (JS)