Virtual Concurrent Credit in Economics: Issues in Concurrent Credit Courses

Virtual Concurrent Credit in Economics: Issues in Concurrent Credit Courses Peter R. Crabb, Northwest Nazarene University & M. Brad Patzer, Idaho Digital Learning Academy

Issues in Online Economics Course • Partnership of Idaho Digital Learning Academy and Northwest Nazarene University • Curriculum Issues • Course must meet Idaho standards for Economics • Online Teaching Issues • Assessment Issues

Background • The Idaho Digital Learning Academy (IDLA) is a statewide, web-based educational program • A virtual high school created to address the educational needs of all Idaho students: traditional, home schooled, at-risk, gifted, and adult learners. • Currently serving over 1500 students • Over 82% of the districts in Idaho participate • 575 course enrollments • US History • Latin, • AP English from: http://idla.k12.id.us/

Background • Northwest Nazarene University a Christian liberal arts university in the Treasure Valley of Idaho • 23 Courses offered in Idaho High Schools and with IDLA • Northwest Nazarene University is fully accredited by the Northwest Association of Schools and of Colleges and Universities • The School of Business at NNU is accredited by the Association of Collegiate Business Schools

Concurrent Enrollment Economics • Course Construction • Began with the Idaho State Economic Standards as the basis for the course, then compared these with existing university syllabi to determine a possible match.

PROBLEM: Idaho standards very broad, College level courses much more specific • Idaho standards include introductory—macro, micro, international and personal finance concepts. SOLUTION: utilize the broadest introductory course available • EC105 Analysis of Economic Issues

PROBLEM: Idaho standards very broad, College level courses much more specific • EC105 Analysis of Economic Issues Introduction to the theory of supply and demand, and application of this theory to economic issues such as social security, crime, medical care, poverty, higher education, economic systems, pollution, big business, free trade, the U.S. national debt, and economic growth.

PROBLEM: Low availability of online textbook/materials • Very few introductory textbooks are available online SOLUTION: Utilize existing online high school text and supplement with Federal Reserve publications. • Dallas Federal Reserve Annual Reports are utilized extensively.

PROBLEM: how to balance high school and college student expectations SOLUTION: utilize a variety of assignments from all levels of Bloom’s taxonomy. • Begin with weekly vocabulary/guided reading assignments (primarily knowledge/ comprehension level assignments) • Include weekly analysis/application level assignments for particular concepts as well (for example, determining the rate of inflation for a given year by determining a simple cpi.)

PROBLEM: how to balance high school and college student expectations • Utilize weekly discussion board assignments based on recent Federal Reserve Annual Reports for a more interactive opportunity to discuss the concepts of each module.

Problem: Assessment Examinations: • Tests 1 and 2 deal with micro, macro and international economics, • Test 3 is the state of Idaho multiple choice end of course economics assessment. It is designed to assess student proficiency of the Idaho economic standards. It includes concepts from tests 1 and 2 as well as personal finance concepts. Problem: Proctors needed Fewer Tests?

Assessment Problem: Meeting course objectives in EC 105 • Course tests covering more topics than college course • May not cover college course material in depth

Assessment Professor Oversight of the High School course • Online format makes it easy to visit the course more often. • Assessing the students’ understanding through discussion board review • More review of student work is warranted

Student Feedback • How does the IDLA concurrent enrollment economics course compare to other IDLA or online classes you have taken? Explain. (was it easier? harder?...) I have never taken any other online program before but it though that this was an okay program as long as you kept up with it, but if you fell behind then it was hard.

Student Feedback Cont. • How does the IDLA concurrent enrollment economics compare to dual enrollment or AP classes that you have taken in a traditional format? Explain. Well compared to my other dual credit class the only thing that is harder about this is that you don't have an instructor in front of you telling you to get your work done you are having to do it on your own without being instructed.

Student Feedback Cont. • What about the course did you find the most challenging? Rewarding? The most challenging part was that the work is harder and that you have to make time to get it done in your own time, after completing your other work. What I found most rewarding was the fact that i passed it with a good grade, and i now know that i can do it without being instructed by a teacher.

Ongoing Issues • Course changes under consideration: • Assignments are being redesigned to be more “application” oriented • Online textbooks for Introductory college courses • Course will be modified to contain two exams • Finding proctors is rather inconvenient • Additional self-assessment practice assignments will be added as checks for understanding

Virtual Concurrent Credit in Economics: Issues in Concurrent Credit Courses