Virtual Economics: An Interactive Center for Economic Education

The Michigan Council on Economic Education is offering a free copy of this multimedia CD-ROM (Version 1.0) to every school in the state. For technical notes and materials in addition to the CD-ROM, go to the Virtual Economics Web Site.


Virtual Economics Overview
Daunted by the inclusion of economics in the Michigan Framework for Social Studies Education_ Feel like you need to brush up on your understanding of economic concepts and find fresh approaches to teaching them_ Virtual Economics: An Interactive Center for Economic Education can help.

Virtual Economics contains an entire library of documents for K-12 economics educators. You'll find the full-text of lesson plans, simulations, textbooks, tests and more organized by grade level and subject matter. Mix and match ideas to create your own lessons or choose from thousands of the best classroom-tested lessons available. Many of the 30,000 pages in the library can be printed out for your reference or as handouts for students.

These economic education curriculum guides are just a small sampling of the 150 documents on the CD-ROM:

  • Master Curriculum Guide: K-2
  • Master Curriculum Guide: 3-4
  • Master Curriculum Guide: 5-6
  • Focus: Middle School
  • Focus: High School
  • Focus: Civics & Government
  • Focus: Geography
  • Focus: World History
  • Advanced Placement Economics
  • Choices and Changes
  • Community Publishing
  • International News Journal
  • Playdough Economics
  • Trade Around the World

The rich database of materials is just the first part of this story. The CD-ROM also has an interactive tutorial that teaches twenty-two basic economic concepts through vivid full-color graphics, newsreel footage, films, and photographs. You'll hear the voices of those who have made economic history as well as those who have been affected by it. Actual newsreel footage of FDR, Gerald Ford, and Jimmy Carter is included. Designed for teachers, the CD-ROM can also be a valuable learning tool for students.

System Requirements
Version 1.0 of the Virtual Economics CD-ROM will run on any computer with:

  • mouse
  • double-speed CD-ROM drive
  • Windows 3.1 and higher or Mac OS 7.0 and later 
  • 13" color monitor, a sound card and speakers
  • at least 16 MB of RAM


Free Copy of Version 1.0 for Michigan Schools
Virtual Economics was developed at the University of Nebraska in cooperation with the National Council on Economic Education. A grant from the National Science Foundation funded the project. The NSF grant has made it possible for the Michigan Council on Economic Education to distribute the CD-ROM free to Michigan schools. To get a free copy, a school must have at least one teacher, librarian or media specialist participate in a hands-on training program on how to install and use the disk. Contact the Michigan Council to find out whether your school has received its free copy of the CD-ROM and to add your name to the list for future workshop announcements.

The two-hour free programs are generally cosponsored by a local ISD, RESA or REMC. For more information, contact:

Michigan Council on Economic Education
Walsh College
41500 Gardenbrook Road
Novi, Michigan, 48375
Phone: (248)596-9560
Fax: (248)596-9562
email:

Updating to Version 2.0
The second edition of the Virtual Economics CD-ROM is now available for purchase for $74.95 from the National Council on Economic Education. A Local Area Network version of 2.0 is available for $149.95. Please add 10% postage and handling. Before ordering, check for updated pricing information by contacting: 

Order Department
National Council on Economic Education
140 Avenue of the Americas 
New York, New York 10036 
Phone: 1-800-338-1192, ext 763 
Fax: 212-730-1793

Additional features of Virtual Economics Version 2.0 include:

  • New voluntary national content standards in Economics 
  • Hot link to the web site for The Stock Market Game TM
  • Complete text of the new teacher guide
  • Learning from the Market: Integrating The Stock Market GameTM across the Curriculum 
  • Advanced Placement Economics: a teacher resource manual and student activity books for microeconomics and macroeconomics 
  • Economics and the Environment: EcoDetectives for Middle and Junior High Schools
  • Two new teacher guides from the Personal Finance Economics series: Wallet Wisdom for grades 9-12 and Money in the Middle for Grades 6-12