The purpose of the EFL scavenger
hunt is twofold:
- to provide practice in using the Internet to enhance economics
instruction, and
- to introduce you to the variety of sources for economic education
available on the Web.
Directions:
- When your computer is turned on and connected to the Internet,
go to the FTE site by typing the URL http://www.fte.org
in the location box at the top of the screen, and then pressing
the "enter" key.
- Explore the FTE site by clicking on the links. (You know
it’s a link if the text is bright blue and underlined and/or
the cursor arrow changes to a pointing hand.)
- You can always return to the main page by clicking the
"back" button (sometimes repeatedly) or
by pulling down the Go menu at the top of the screen
and dragging the cursor to the listing for the FTE page.
- When you are comfortable with navigating around the FTE site,
type in the following URL http://www.fte.org//teachers/lessons/efl/thurs/eflthurs2.htm
to get to the scavenger hunt links.
- On
the screen, you will see a series of links to help you
start locating the answers to the scavenger hunt questions.
(Remember, you can always get back to this screen by:
- typing
in the URL again (the URLs are also listed below for
your convenience); or
- pressing
the back button until you find it, or
- pulling
down the Go menu and dragging the cursor to this listing.
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- Working with a partner, answer the questions on the attached
handout and turn in one copy of your handout at the end of the
session.
- A set of questions is provided for each of a variety of
economic education uses of the Internet. For the first question
in each set, directions to direct links are provided so
that you can get to the answer quickly and efficiently.
Directions for the other questions in the set are, deliberately,
left more obscure. You will be given the starting link,
but will not be taken directly to the answer. This strategy
allows you to experience one of the greatest strengths and
one of the greatest frustrations of the Internet.
- The myriad of connections and surprisingly rich and
diverse information have helped to make the Internet
the indispensable resource it is. Take time to follow
up on some of the links. (You may also discover that
one of the most addictive uses of the Internet is "surfing"-
following links as they catch your interest with no
specific end location in mind!)
- The wealth of information and non-linear organization
of the Internet are often a source of frustration for
students – and teachers who have experienced that frustration
themselves are more likely to be sympathetic to students
and to format assignments with an eye out for this disruptive
potential. Try to keep track of the path you took to
get the information you were looking for: Was it an
easy path to reconstruct? Could you find the same information
again?
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Using the Internet
to find current statistics
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The simplest use of the Internet to enhance economics instruction
is as an easily accessible source of current statistics. Instead
of using the CPI or federal budget statistics found in your 1987
edition textbook, you can offer students up-to-date data.
- What is the current CPI?
And, by the way, what is the base year for that calculation?
How did you find out what base year was used?
- What is the current exchange rate of dollars to francs?
- Start your search at the CNN Financial Network homepage
(http://www.cnnfn.com)
- Hint: The answer to this question is 3 links deep. You’ve
reached the first, so you have 2 more windows to go. Do
you see any links that have to do with travel?
- Below, offer a suggestion for a student/classroom/educational
use of this site.
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Using the Internet
to find statistical support of student research projects
and classroom investigations
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Students are often frustrated by their inability to update the
statistics they find in research sources that, in other respects,
offer them sound information and interesting insights. (Or, maybe
it’s more accurate to note that we, as teachers, are bothered
by students’ willingness to use outdated data!) In any case, the
Internet eliminates the lag time associated with print data and
provides students a "right now" and "today"
method of updating the data found in other sources.
- What is the population of the United States – as
of 5 minutes ago?
Are more people born, or do more people die in the US
each minute?
Explore this site. Write 2 questions you could ask students
that would require them to use the data on this site
in order to figure out the answers.
- For example, look at the chart at http://www.census.gov/population/estimates/nation/popclockest.txt
Ask students to figure out if the population increase shown
in 1950 is part of the baby boom. (Hint: The notes on the
chart tell about another important event that affected population.)
Help students to see that there are important questions to
ask about statistics; they rarely speak clearly for themselves.
- Who are the top 3 US trading partners for the current month?
Do we have more imports or exports with our top trading
partners?
- Click "back" at the top of the screen, and change
the parameters of the search by highlighting either the
"surplus" or "deficits" buttons.
For our top trading partner, what is the biggest category
of imports? Of exports? (Hmmm - Isn’t that interesting???)
- What are the 3 poorest countries on earth?
- Start your search with the United Nations Social Indicators
index at http://www.un.org/Depts/unsd/social)
Where do you go from there? Reconstruct the path. (What
did you "click" on?)
- List the URL where you found the answer:
List a specific unit of study you offer your students
and a way you and they could use the UN (and other social
indicators sites) to enhance their learning.
Search the web and find another site that offers world
economic and/or social indicator data. List the URL:
- Hint for the daring: Look for the "search" or
"Netsearch" button on the browser screen.
- Hint for the timid: Go back to the Scavenger Hunt links
for some suggestions.
Is this a good site for students? Why or why not?
- Hint: Think of the guidelines you offer students for evaluating
print material. Do you have an idea of similar guidelines
for web sites? Here are some starting questions to ask yourself
and to teach your students to ask themselves:
- Who created this site? Are they identified? Can you
find out more about the person or organization?
- For what purpose was the site created? (Is there a
great or small potential for bias?)
- Is it possible to corroborate information given on
the site? (Are there other sources that provide similar
types of information against which this source could
be checked? Are there links to other sources? Is there
acknowledgment, credit, footnoting of other sources?)
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Using the Internet
to find an
explanation of a concept or process
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- Is a 15-year-old who is looking for a job but hasn’t
been able to find one, counted as unemployed?
- Start with the Bureau of Labor Statistics site (another
good one to bookmark) at http://www.bls.gov
or http://stats.bls.gov
- At the bottom of the screen, click on "Keyword Search
of BLS Web Pages" which will take you to a search screen.
(http://stats.bls.gov/search/search.asp)
Type into the box "how unemployment is measured"
and then click on "Search Now."
- Scroll through the results list to the article entitled
"How the Government Measures Unemployment," and
click on the link.
- Skim the article. The answer is found in the section entitled,
"What are the basic concepts of employment and unemployment?"
- What’s the difference between GNP and GDP – and why does
it matter?
Hints:
- Chat rooms and bulletin boards can be an excellent teacher
resource. (Keep in mind, however, that not all are of equal
value. Ask yourself the same evaluation questions you would
ask about any other web site.)
- Start your search at EquilibriaChat, a site of the Richmond
Fed (http://www.rich.frb.org/eon)
Click on any of the bars on the left side. "Econ Concepts"
is a good place to start.
- Click on ‘Econ Concepts" and go to http://www.rich.frb.org/eon/topic2/discussion.html
- Scroll through the topics until you come to "GDP
Calculation" near the bottom. Follow the links and
read the correspondence.
Who is answering teachers’ questions on this site?
How can you participate in EquilibriaChat?
Find "Ask Dr. Econ" and post a question on his
site. (Write your question below as well.)
Which is the better site for teacher use – EquilibriaChat
or Ask Dr. Econ? Why?
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Using the Internet
to find lessons and activities
that use Web-based sources of information
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Note: In order to answer questions 8 &
9, first go through the exercises that follow question 9.
- List 3 ways in which the EconomicsAmerica (NCEE) and FTE
classroom lessons and activities web sites are similar:
- List 3 ways in which the EconomicsAmerica and FTE classroom
lessons and activities web sites are different:
To help you answer questions 8 and 9, follow the links below.
They will ask you to answer a variety of questions whose purpose
is to help you explore what each site has to offer.
- Start your search at EconomicsAmerica’s EconEdLink
(http://www.econedlink.org)
- Click on NetNewsLine to be connected to http://www.econedlink.org/lessons/index.cfm?lesson=nn
- Click on the link to "the Economics of Professional
Sports" and go to http://www.econedlink.org/lessons/index.cfm?lesson=NN146
- Click on the link to one of the articles on the topic
and skim.
- According to the article, do most economists think
professional athletes are overpaid or underpaid?
(circle one)
- Click on the link on the left side to go to the lesson
on "the Economics of Internet Access" at http://www.economicsamerica.org/econedlink/
newsline/internet/index.html
- Do you have an Internet account? How are you charged
for it? (If neither you nor your partner has an account,
ask the mentor teacher or another class member.
- Is the pricing of ferry rides analogous to or different
from pricing of Internet access services? If so, how?
If not, how would you explain the similarities? (Note
the use here of business advertising on the Internet
to teach about pricing.)
- Scroll down past "Activity" and "Research"
to "Discussion." Click on the link and
follow the instructions to participate in the discussion.
- How could you use this discussion bulletin board
with students? List 2 possibilities:
- Click on the EconomicsMinute icon on the left bar
on the screen to connect to: http://www.economicsamerica.org/econedlink/minute/index.html
- Click on the button for "Current Economics Minute
Lesson"
- What is the topic of the latest Economics Minute lesson?
Next, turn your search to the FTE site. Begin with the
lessons for teachers, called "Using the Internet to Teach
Economics" at http://www.fte.org//teachers/connect/weblessons.htm
- Scroll down to the link to Step 4 and explore the lesson.
What would you have to do to be comfortable assigning
such a student-directed project in your own classroom?
- Change the URL at the top of the page to read http://www.fte.org//teachers/connect/tcpi.htm
- Explore the parts of the lesson. What would your students
have to do in each stage of the activity?
- How do students and/or classes submit price data to
the TCPI?
- How often does FTE run the TCPI activity?
- Scroll down and click on the link at "Step 3: Lesson
3". This link takes you to http://www.fte.org/teachers/connect/tcpi3.htm
- What is the current TCPI (Teenage Consumer Price Index)?
- What is the base year for this calculation?
- How do students (or you) find the answers to the questions
in the TCPI stage 3 lesson?
- Find the bulletin board for the TCPI. How could you
use this bulletin board to enhance the lesson by connecting
with teachers and students from other parts of the country?
List 2 suggestions below:
- Change the URL at the top of the page to read http://www.fte.org/teachers/currentissues.htm
- According to the article, the sad state of Russia’s
economy is due to the lack of?
- Somewhere in the FTE site, find an e-mail link. Send a message
to Cecily back in the main FTE office, telling her how much
you love the computer and how great the mentor teacher is.
After you have explored both the NCEE and FTE sites, go back
to answer questions 8 and 9.
- Of the Internet uses demonstrated here, with which are
you personally comfortable?
- Which uses do you find "challenging?"
- What conditions inhibit your use of the Internet in the
classroom?
- Did you see anything here today that you might use with
your students next fall? Explain and tell how you would shape
it to your own style and purposes.
Copyright © 1999 Foundation
for Teaching Economics
Permission granted to copy for classroom use.
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