The Lundy-Fetterman School of Business will host the second free summer Economics Institute for Educators on Aug. 5-9. The event is open to current kindergarten-through-12th grade, in-service and pre-service teachers in greater Harnett, Wake and surrounding counties.
Grounded in research-based, economics instructional practices, the hands-on five-day professional development program is designed to equip K-12 teachers with the economics content knowledge and pedagogical best practices needed to effectively teach economics in an accessible and empowering way. Teachers will learn how to translate economics content into life skills required of critically-minded, reflective individuals who make intelligent and productive decision as democratic citizens and participants in a global economy.
Topics will include microeconomics, macroeconomics and international economics. Instructors will utilize field-tested, active-learning lessons relevant to students’ lives that can be easily applied in the classroom.
“Given the overwhelming success of our inaugural 2018 Institute on our main campus, this year we plan to welcome teachers from a wider geographic area to include the greater Wake and surrounding counties,” said Shahriar Mostashari, associate dean for external relations.
In addition, he said, Cheryl Ayers, co-director of the Center for Economic Education at Virginia Tech, is going to offer her popular and much-needed Economics for Educators five-day professional development program for K-12 teachers at the Norman Adrian Wiggins School of Law in downtown Raleigh.
“This summer’s institute is even more important in light of the proposed yearlong economics and personal finance course that is currently on the horizon for North Carolina,” said Ayers. “In fact, research suggests that many preservice and even veteran teachers do not have the content and pedagogical knowledge to make economics relevant and accessible to high school students in a way that empowers their daily decision-making and participation in our global economy.”
Teachers in attendance will receive a wealth of student-centered instructional resources for teaching economics, include a virtual economics 4.5 flash drive ($160 value) that contains more than 1,400 K-12 activity-based lessons on economics, personal finance and entrepreneurship. Participants will also receive a certificate of completion for 40 hours of professional development at the successful end of the institute.
In addition to the School of Business and its Center for Financial Literacy & Economic Education (CFLEE), the institute is co-sponsored by the College of Arts & Sciences, the School of Education and the School of Law. The program is also made possible by the Harnett County School System, and in partnership with the North Carolina Council on Economic Education (NCCEE) and the Virginia Tech Center for Economic Education.
“We are very excited to build on the success of last year’s program to assist our K-12 teachers to provide solid economic education to their students,” said School of Business Dean Kevin O’Mara. “We all benefit greatly from developing citizens knowledgeable about economic issues and how they impact the opportunities in our society. CFLEE has developed a hands-on, low-pressure, engaging program to encourage as many K-12 faculty to attend. Last year’s participants overwhelmingly offered very high marks for the program and for the teaching methods of Dr. Ayers. We are hopeful that having it in downtown Raleigh will allow even more teachers to participate this year.”
To register, e-mail your name, school division, and grades/subject to Mostashari at mostashari@campbell.edu.
Registration deadline is July 19. Class size is capped at 25 on a first-come, first-serve basis.