A survey of student characteristics and the Test of Economic Literacy in an introductory economics course
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Date
2014
Type
Conference Contribution - published
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Abstract
The Test of Economic Literacy (TEL) is widely used as a standard test for the economic knowledge of students entering introductory economic courses.
Students in Lincoln University’s introductory economics course (Econ110) were surveyed over three semesters before teaching started. Respondents gave background information: their gender, age, first language, previous studies, prior learning outside the classroom, and interest in economics. They then completed the TEL (3rd edition).
The results of this TEL are compared to other TEL results in New Zealand, the USA and Japan as a form of benchmarking. Respondents’ information is used to identify personal characteristics that are related to performance in the TEL.
Students’ TEL scores and personal characteristics are correlated with their subsequent marks in Econ110 to analyse the extent to which the survey information at the start of the semester predicts the marks gained over the semester.
In the survey, students also gave the final grade they were aiming for in Econ110. We take a very preliminary look at how this target relates to their entry level (as TEL score) and subsequent Econ110 marks.