A critical look at the failure of mainstream economics

Book Review Foundations of real-world economics: What every economics student needs to know (2nd ed.), by John Komlos, New York, Routledge, 2019, 306 pp., $42.95 (Paperback), ISBN 9781138296541. Many people in the United States of America are dissatisfied with the outcomes of the economy and some are suggesting measures that seem socialistic. The time has come to recognize that mainstream economics as taught in our schools is not serving students at all. The research sharing platform of the Latin American and Caribbean Economic Association (LACEA) states that John Komlos’s textbook Foundations of Real-World Economics: What Every Economics Student Needs to Know demonstrates how misleading it can be to oversimplify models of perfect competition relative to the real world (Vox LACEA, 2019). The math works well on college blackboards, but not so well on the main streets of America. This edition of Komlos’s text explores the realities of oligopolies, the real impact of minimum wage, the double-edged sword of free trade, and other ways that powerful institutions cause distortions in main stream models. Norbert Haring wrote “there is no doubt that a student who would otherwise be left with just the textbook wisdom will benefit greatly from reading this book and seeing that” (Haring, 2014, p. 4).

Curriculum Structure and its Influence on Content Knowledge of Economics Student Teachers

This study explored how the curriculum structure of the Bachelor of Education in economics teaching qualification at one South African university impacts on content knowledge of economics student teachers. Document analysis was undertaken on the university’s Faculty of Education prospectus. Due to meetings restrictions during lockdown, email focus group interviews were conducted. Ten fourth year economics student teachers participated in the study. The study adopted social transformation theory as a theoretical framework. Data was thematically analysed. Data revealed that economics student teachers study the subject content that is meant for economists and other economics related careers. The subject content that is not relevant to school curriculum economics negatively affects content knowledge needed during work-integrated learning and in in their teaching career. For this reason, the curriculum is unfairly structured. To strengthen the content knowledge of economics student teachers, the study recommends that a relationship between economics content in academic major modules and school curriculum economics content be formed. Secondly, economics academic major modules should expose economics student teachers to an introduction in economics content as a way of advancing their subject content knowledge but the focus should be more on school curriculum economics content.

PENGARUH KECERDASAN SPIRITUAL TERHADAP PRESTASI BELAJAR MAHASISWA JURUSAN EKONOMI SYARIAH BERDASARKAN PRESPEKTIF GENDER

This research aims to determine influence of spiritual intelligence on students achievement and differences in learning achievement between male and female in sharia economics students at Palu. The method used in this research is purposive sampling. The sample is 100 students based on criteria. Data analysis includes: normality test, simple regression analysis and T-test. The results of this research indicate that spiritual intelligent had a significant influence on student achievement in sharia economics student at Palu and there are differences in learning achievement between male and female in sharia economics students at Palu.