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============================================ Economics UPDATE The monthly Economics LTSN Email Newsletter ============================================ 10th May 2004 Welcome to the Economics LTSN Email Newsletter. This newsletter is intended to inform ECON-LTSN subscribers about our activities and to provide other information that may be of interest. Economics UPDATE will be distributed on the first Monday of each calendar month. ========== CONTENTS ========== 1.WHAT'S NEW Learning and Teaching in Economics Awards, 2004 The Higher Education Academy 2. NOTICEBOARD New Case Study: Teaching Economics as a Foreign Language 3. AND FINALLY..... Real Economies, Virtual Worlds =============== 1. WHAT'S NEW =============== LEARNING AND TEACHING IN ECONOMICS AWARDS, 2004 We are pleased to invite nominations from the economics community for our annual Learning and Teaching Awards. This is the 4th year that this national initiative has recognised exemplary practice across the following three categories: The Outstanding Teaching award is given in recognition of a UK-based academic that encourages students to develop and understanding of and interest in the study of economics. The Student Nominated award provides an opportunity for economics students to identify and honour excellent teaching practices in their department. The eLearning award (formerly Electronic Resource) is for UK-based academics or teams who have implemented eLearning successfully in the context of economics Higher Education. Self or peer nominations should include a statement of up to 500 words and address each of the five criteria listed below: *Innovative and student-centred *Inspires and encourages student interest *Integrated into other aspects of learning and teaching practice *Shows sound educational design and implementation *Has made a positive impact on the wider teaching community The closing date for nominations is 18th June 2004. The result will be announced on 1st July 2004. Winners in each category will receive GBP250 in gift vouchers. Additional information and on-line nomination forms are available on our Web site at: http://www.economics.ltsn.ac.uk/awards/ THE HIGHER EDUCATION ACADEMY The Learning and Teaching Support Network (LTSN) became part of the new Higher Education Academy on 30th April 2004. The Academy has been established by the four UK funding councils following recommendations made in a report by the Teaching Quality Enhancement Committee (TQEC). Its remit will extend beyond learning and teaching to include all aspects of the student experience. All 24 LTSN subject centres have been incorporated into the Academy together with the Institute for Learning and Teaching (ILTHE) and the National Co-ordination Team (NCT). A review of the role and composition of the centres will be commencing shortly with any subsequent changes scheduled for January 2006. The Academy will be officially launched in Autumn 2004. In the meantime, please continue to check the website for news and information. http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/ ================ 2. NOTICEBOARD ================ NEW CASE STUDY: TEACHING ECONOMICS AS A FOREIGN LANGUAGE “There is a belief - an assumption perhaps - in certain quarters, that economics taught to non-economists is distinctly inferior to that taught to students studying single or joint honours economics. Evidence however reveals ‘non-economists’……using economic models, analytical frameworks and terminology competently, indeed enthusiastically and without any fuss. So striking has been the evidence of this grasp of economic fundamentals by non-specialists that lessons have been re-imported into the teaching of economics to economists.” http://www.economics.ltsn.ac.uk/showcase/dowdall_tefl.htm =================== 3. AND FINALLY.... =================== REAL ECONOMIES, VIRTUAL WORLDS Continuing our coverage of the real economies spawned by virtual worlds, a writer spent a month trading items such as gold coins and armour that only exist in the online game Ultima Online to prove that he could make a decent salary doing it. "Look at the people I'm making more money than," he says. "Firefighters, drug counselors and teachers, for God's sake." http://www.wired.com/news/games/0,2101,63083,00.html ============ CONTACT US ============ If you have any suggestions, feedback or comments please contact: Bhagesh Sachania, Information Officer, Economics LTSN Email: [log in to unmask] Tel.:(0117) 928 7071