This volume is a welcome addition to an ever growing body of work in economic education. The chapters herein are sure to appeal equally to new and seasoned instructors. The often overlooked process of setting expectations is motivated through a fresh look at syllabus construction. A wide range of content areas are covered throughout the volume, with dedicated chapters on the Coase Theorem and tax evasion. Research chapters enhance our understanding of the acquisition of economic knowledge (through clicker use), the stock of economic and financial knowledge (and correlated factors), and how real and perceived economic and financial literacy influence opinions (related to the financial crisis). The depth and breadth of coverage on such important topics make this a must have volume.' - KimMarie McGoldrick, University of Richmond, US'This volume includes chapters extending and updating innovative teaching methods for undergraduate economics courses, as well as chapters with empirical research. Economic educators and general economists who are interested in teaching will therefore find something of interest and importance here.' - Michael Watts, Purdue University, US This innovative book offers targeted strategies for effectively and efficiently teaching economics at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels. It provides professors and other teachers of economics various techniques to engage and retain the interest of students, and challenges them to apply both knowledge and methodological tools to a range of economic problems. Each chapter in this volume addresses a specific topic in the teaching of economics, with the overall goal of deepening students' understanding of economic reasoning and providing the tools required to apply that knowledge and insight to real-world problems. The contributors discuss a broad range of techniques and strategies, from syllabus creation to effective classroom demonstrations to the use of literature and film in illustrating economic principles, all of which provide fascinating insights and ideas for improving the overall quality of economics education. Teachers of economics at all levels particularly university and college professors - will find this book invaluable in their efforts to improve their teaching strategies and methods and provide high-quality economics education to future generations of scholars. Contributors: C.J. Asarta, Y. Bauman, S.A Beaulier, C. Blackwell, W.D. Bosshardt, R.B. Butters, A. Carden, R.J. Cebula, E. Chamlee-Wright, M. Foley, W. Geerling, T.G. Green, P.W. Grimes, J.C. Hall, M.R. Hammock, D. Hazlett, G.D. Mateer, F.G. Mixon Jr., A. Perumal, J.M. Potter, K.C. Rebeck, K.E. Rogers, P.J. Ruder, J.L. Scott, S.E. Skwire, L.J. Trevino, M.A. Vachris, W.B. Walstad, Z.X. Zygmont

What role have governing boards played in tuition and fee escalation at four-year public colleges and universities? In the United States, college costs, especially tuition and fees, have increased much more rapidly than either the overall Consumer Price Index or median household income. This cost inflation has effectively closed the doors of higher education to many qualified students and contributed to a staggering $1.5 trillion in student debt. Additionally, the number of college enrollments in the United States actually declined for eight straight years between 2011 and 2019, as college student bodies became increasingly stratified on the basis of family incomes. Virtually every public college cost increase, however, requires a positive vote from each university's governing board-and the record shows that these votes are nearly always unanimous. In Runaway College Costs, James V. Koch and Richard J. Cebula argue that many trustees have forgotten that they should act as fiduciaries who represent the best interests of students, parents, and taxpayers. Instead, Koch and Cebula explain, too often many trustees prize size and more prestigious rankings over access and affordability. These misplaced priorities make them vote in favor of ever more plush facilities, expensive intercollegiate athletic programs, administrative bloat, and outdated models of instruction and research. Koch and Cebula supply groundbreaking empirical evidence on the impact of governing board membership, size, and operations on tuition and fees. They show, for example, that the existence of a powerful statewide governing board exercises significant downward pressure on tuition and fees and that state funding cuts cannot explain more than one-half of the cost increases at the typical four-year public institution. The authors propose an action agenda for governing boards, including changing the incentives placed in front of campus presidents and senior administrators. Finally, they conclude that, although public university governing boards deserve blame for accelerating college cost inflation, they also are ideally situated to improve the situation. Runaway College Costs ends hopefully, suggesting that governing boards and their member trustees actually have the greatest potential to improve the situation. Providing the first rigorous empirical evidence of the impact that various modes of governance have had not only on tuition and fees but also on a half-dozen measures of institutional performance, this book will be of serious interest to governors, legislators, public university board members and their staffs, those interested in supporting the traditional goals of public higher education, and of course students and their parents, as well as taxpayers.

This collection of chapters comprises timely aspects of two rapidly growing bodies of academic research: entrepreneurship and economic freedom.Expert editors add to an important field of research, the economics of entrepreneurship, and explore how institutions influence entrepreneurial behavior. This book provides comprehensive and contemporary insights into the interaction between economic behavior of firms and households, economic freedom, and entrepreneurship, and how it generates an environment with greater opportunities for growth and development for individuals, households, and private-sector firms. This advanced and revolutionary book will prove to be a valuable tool for academics conducting research in entrepreneurship and/or economic freedom as well as for graduate students studying in these areas. The volume also provides insight into the measurement and value of economic freedom around the world, making it a useful resource for policymakers and practitioners. Contributors: G.M. Alexander, N.J.Ashby, D.L. Bennett, J. Bologna, R. Boylan, S.B. Caudill, T. Cavusoglu, R.J. Cebula, J.R. Clark, S.O. Crofton, O. Dincer, R.K. Goel, D.M. Gropper, R.W. Hafer, Joshua C. Hall, V. Hartarska, J.C. Heckelman, R.G. Holcombe, J.V. Koch, R. Lawson, D.R. Lee, J.E. Long, F.G. Mixon, Jr., R. Murphy, M.A. Nelson, B. Nikolaev, J.E. Payne, R.M. Robinson, M.G. Simonton, D. Stansel, D. Tarabar, R. Vedder

Attiat Ott and Richard Cebula have recognised the need to present, in an accessible and straightforward way, the voluminous literature in the public economics arena. Advances in econometric techniques and the spillover of knowledge from other disciplines made it difficult, not only for students but also for lecturers, to accurately find the information they need.This major Companion addresses a wealth of topics common to the study of both public economics and public choice including questions such as: How does one structure the whole spectrum of public finance in a manageable framework? What is Wagner's Law really about and what does empirical testing tell us? How binding is the budget constraint? How encompassing is a dictator's interest? How do veto powers of the executive, institutional structures and regimes affect public sector outcomes? Do voters behave rationally? Do conflicts yield benefits? Is war cost effective and does secession offer a viable exit option? The contributions, both theoretical and empirical, shed light on some contentious issues in the public economics literature and provide readers with insight into issues that are at the forefront of discussions about the public economy. The empirical analysis utilizes recent econometric techniques to validate or refute empirical findings based on older 'vintage' econometrics. The diversity of coverage ranges from traditional models of the public economy to the incorporation of defence spending as a significant and often neglected function of the public sector. The contributors include many pioneers and leading lights in the field. The Elgar Companion to Public Economics will be required reading for academics and scholars at many levels in the fields of public economics and public choice but mainly graduate and above. The Companion will also be of value to scholars in the wider social sciences in general and political science in particular.

This book offers 17 richly unique and interesting essays covering many of the subjects that are currently being examined in academic journals of this genre. Divided into three sections -- research, pedagogy and information about the economic education profession -- this volume offers insights on current debates over economic literacy, standardised test performance, the impact of gender, class attendance and homework policies on course performance and classroom cheating. Also recognising interest in the use of literature, sports, and popular culture to enhance classroom presentation of economics, this volume offers a number of chapters dealing with the use of books, motion pictures, professional sports and television cartoons to capture students' interests in economics. In providing these essays, this book brings together several notable scholars in the field of economic education, including William B. Walstad of the University of Nebraska, associate editor of the Journal of Economic Education, G. Dirk Mateer of Pennsylvania State University, author of Economics in the Movies, and Kim Marie McGoldrick of the University of Richmond, member of the editorial boards of The American Economist, Journal of Economic Education and the Journal of Economics & Finance Education. Complete with a Foreword by Rand W. Ressler, co-author of the popular economics text "Economics: Private Markets and Public Choice", this volume brings the research and ideas of several of the leading scholars in economic education together in one place.