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Voicethread Presentation and Links for Further Reading

You can find the PowerPoint here. Enjoy.

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End of Year Reflection & Evaluation

As the first year of your IB Economics Course comes to an end now is a good time to complete two tasks:

1. Reflection on your progress and your performance on the exam.

Write a blog post evaluating your performance during the course. What have you learnt about yourself as a learner of IB Economics? What are your strengths and areas of your performance that need improvement? What are your resolutions for next year?

2. Evaluation of the course and my role as your teacher. Please complete the survey on the course, the class and the teacher that you will be given in class.

Can you also complete this online survey.

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Final Assessment Opportunities Semester 2, 2010

There remains a number of opportunities for you to consolidate your learning and demonstrate your understand in the last weeks of your Year IB Economics course.

1. All Section 3 Online Quizzes will close on 30 May.

2. Data Response #2 Period A and B 24 and Period H 25 May.

3. Problem Bases Learning Presentation: H Period 29 May, A and B Periods 31 May.

4. End of Year Exam (Exam period 3 June – 8 June)

Data Response:

Covers Section 2 and Section 3

Focus:

The characteristics of market economy

Demand-side and Supply-side policices

Diagrams that show the impact of subsidies

AD/AS Diagrams that show shifts in AD and AS

Evaluating an economy with references to Macroeconomic goals and stakeholders

Exam

SL Paper 1

Option 1

Review: PPC, Merit Goods, Market Forces of Supply and Demand

Option 2

Demand-side and Supply-side Policies and Unemployment

SL Paper 2

Option 1

Review: Opportunity Costs, GDP, shifts in S and D negative externalities, Supply-side policies pros and cons

Option 2

Consumption , unemployment, components of GDP, normative and positive statements, evaluating Demand-side and Supply-side policies

HL Paper 1

Option 1

Review: Price Discrimination, the goals of a firm in the Theory of the Firm

Option 2

Rate of inflation and how it is measured/Polices used to influence the rate of inflation

HL Paper 2

Option 1

Review: Consumption , unemployment, components of GDP, normative and positive statements, evaluating Demand-side and Supply-side policies

Option 2

Review: Characteristics of a market, normal profit, abnormal profit in monopolistic competition, costs and benefits of monopolistic competition for stakeholders

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Problem Based Learning: The President’s Dilemma

Problem Based Learning as presented by the Buck Institute for Education is based on the idea that a unit of instruction that presents students with an engaging realistic problem with more than one reasonable solution leads to deeper understanding. Students solve a problem through collaborative resource-gathering, investigation and decision-making. The teacher acts as coach and delivers problem based teaching.  Problem based learning will be most effective when it is a collaborate effort between the teacher and students with the teacher as the senior partner.

The President’s Dilemma

The PBL unit begins with a memo that outlines the dilemma facing  the President’s economic management team.  Due to a rapid rise in oil prices, the United States faces a severe economic crisis with high levels on inflation, unemployment, and negative economic growth . The President, fearing prospects for reelection, has asked a Special Task Force of the Council of  Advisors to recommend a policy that does not increase the national debt . You are to imagine yourself as a member of this  Task Force who will make an oral presentation with visual aides to a panel composed of representatives of various constituencies. The President also asks the Task Force, as a first step, to compare current economic indicators with statistics from the past .

Activities:

  1. As a class, discuss the memo from the President.
  2. Develop an initial What we Know list
  3. As a class develop an initial problem statement
  4. As a class develop a What we Need to Know list
  5. Lecture #1 : What are Economic Indicators?
  6. In your group write a memo using Google Docs comparing the current economic crisis with the past. (You will receive a table of data.)
  7. As a class, discuss a  letter from Maria Bautista.
  8. Lecture #2: Fiscal Policy Tools
  9. Individually write your first problem blog entry: “How can fiscal policy be used to help workers like Joe Brezinski?”
  10. As a class, discuss a letter from Angela Sorracco.
  11. Lecture #3: Monetary Policy Tools
  12. Review What we Know and What we Need to Know lists
  13. Individually write your second problem blog entry: “How can monetary policy help people represented by Silver Cougars?”
  14. As a class discuss the letter from William M. Jorgenson.
  15. Individually write your last problem blog entry: “How can the government use demand side and/or supply side policies to respond to the differing views of corporate leaders, unemployed workers and retired people?”
  16. Group work on policy recommendations.
  17. Receive last memo from Chief of Staff
  18. Finalize What we Know and What we Need to Know lists
  19. Finalize Problem Statement
  20. Group work on presentation
  21. Group Presentation of Policy Recommendations
  22. Debrief and reflection

PP Summary of 3.4 and 3.5

Stagflation and policy options

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Economist Debate

This house believes that GDP growth is a poor measure of improving living standards.

Join the debate here.

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Section 3.3 – 3.5: Macroeconomic Models, Demand-side and Supply-side Policies and Unemployment and Inflation

John Maynard Keynes is considered the father of macroeconomics and his theories have recently enjoyed a renewed level of interest in the context of the Global Economic Crisis (GEC). There has even been a rap on Youtube dedicated to the differing opinions between Keynes and the less famous Hayek.

Not only will you be able to understand the lyrics of  ”Fear the Boom and Bust”, Sections 3.3 to 3.5 will explain various macroeconomic models and outline the enduring debate between neoclassical economists and Keynes and their solutions to the threats posed by inflation and unemployment.

Activities:

1. PP Lecture on  Section 3.3 Macroeconomic Models: AD, AS and the Business Cycle

Section 3.3 Macroeconomics Models: Neoclassical and Keynesian Perspectives

2. Commanding Heights

Viewing Guide #1

In Class Short Essay Test on Commanding Heights

3. Problem Bases Learning: The President’s Delmma

4. Triple A Reading

5. Extended Response Writing

6. Diagram Bank: Over the course of this unit you are to compile a bank of macroeconomic diagrams. You can use any method to display your understanding: a series of blog posts, a series of voicethreads, an Inspiration concept map (Inspiration has a beta version of a free web-based program), hand drawn diagrams etc.

7. Online quizes are now open and will close on Sunday 30 May 2010.

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Final Review for Year 12

Diagram and Definitions Tests on Monday 12 April and Thursday 15 April.

Diagrams Explained by Holden

Fiscal Policy and the Multiplier (Multiplier is a HL topic)

Phillips Curve HL Only

Lorenz Curve and Gini Coefficient HL Only

Laffer Curve HL Only

Indirect Taxation

Absolute and Comparative Advantage

Balance of Payments

Tariffs

Quotas

Current Account Deficits and Currency

Development Economics: The Monk Debates

Pro

Con

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Posted in Review Activities, Section 3, Section 4, Uncategorized.


Section 3.1-3.2 Macroeconomics: National Income and Introduction to Development

Macroeconomics studies the economy as a whole. While micro examined individual consumers and  firms, macro investigates all consumers, all firms and owners of resources and markets.  Instead of demand and supply we will study Aggregate Demand and Aggregate Supply.  You will have the opportunity for a detailed examination of the major macroeconomic issues facing countries’ economic growth, economic development, unemployment, inflation and income distribution.

Government policy plays a vital role in the economy as it seeks to achieve the following macroeconomic goals:

  1. full employment
  2. stable prices
  3. economic growth
  4. fair distribution of income
  5. external balance between overseas trade and  payments

The economic strategies available to governments—demand-side policies, supply-side policies, direct intervention— to achieve these goals are introduced and evaluated. These policies are applicable to almost all areas of macroeconomics, international economics and development economics.

3.1 Measuring national income
3.2 Introduction to Development

Circular flow of income

Methods of measurement—income, expenditure and output

Distinction between: gross and net national and domestic nominal and real total and per capita

Activities:

  1. View the PP Lecture on Section 3.1
  2. Read Triple A  Macroeconomics Module 3 A
  3. Complete Lesson 1 Activity 10
  4. Complete Lesson 2 Activity 11
  5. Read this article and write a blog post that identifies five major ideas presented as to why the Japanese economy faces great challenges. (This is a difficult article but it provides a insightful analysis  of the Japanese economy. You are not expected to understand it all at this stage of your study of economics.)
  6. View Section PP Section 3.2 Lecture
  7. Reading Triple A Module 3 B
  8. Develop a list of criteria to determine the “best” economy in the world
  9. In your group decide on the three most important criteria and then decide on the three economies that your rate as among the best in the world.
  10. Present your data to the class in any way. You can use any of the following Web 2.0 tools.
  11. Two lessons for research and preparation of the presentation. Presentations following. Aim for 5-7 minutes.
  12. A and B Class present on Monday 12 April, H Class present on Tuesday 13.
  13. Write a brief blog entry that provides a link to your presentation. (Slideshare if you made a PP)
  14. Blog Entry: After viewing all the presentation, write a post identifying your selection for the world’s best economy. Explain your choice. Also identify the one economic indicator that you found most compelling. Include this data in your post.
  15. Concluding Activities: Write a 400 word response to the following question:

Explain three possible limitations of using GDP as a measure to compare welfare between countries. (10 Marks)

This will be administered as an in-class short essay test on Monday 19 April for A and B and Tuesday 20 April for H Class. You will have 20 minutes of writing time. We will use class time to review Sections 3.1 and 3.2 and highlight strategies to answer questions using the “explain” command term.

Review the PP slide presentation on Section 3.2.

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Technology in the IB Economics Classroom

This presentation aims to provide you with a overview of how Technology is used in the IB Economics Classroom @ CA.

This Powerpoint Presentation provides an overview of the different Web 2.0 tools and how they are integrated into the classroom to improve teaching and learning.

This wiki gives a more detailed explanation of each of the tools and links to teacher and student examples for you to explore.

Once you have browsed all of the links you might like to write a comment on this blog discussing the following:

1. Which software or web application do you see as most useful in your MS classroom?

2. In your opinion, what is the most important factor to consider when using technology to enhance teaching and learning in the MS classroom?

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Posted in Teaching Ideas, Technology.


Year 2 Revision

Classroom Activities:

Review activities in the classroom will concentrate of the following:

PP Lecture Review of the most important concepts in Sections 1-4

30 minutes of SSR of Triple A

Tests of diagrams and definitions associated with each section

The Diagrams and Definitions Tests will be graded and included in a portfolio of your review work.

Continued…

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