William B Walstad
Biographic Data
| ID | 977629 |
|---|---|
| NAME | William B Walstad |
| GIVEN NAMES | William B |
| FAMILY NAME | Walstad |
| SIGNATURE | WALSTAD W B |
| AFFILIATIONS | University of Nebraska–Lincoln |
| ORCID | 0000-0002-9983-6013 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 14 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 8 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 14 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 1980 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2024 |
| H-INDEX | 2 |
Estimating the dimensionality of learning
Psychometrics traditionally has assumed that the changes occurring during learning have the same dimensionality as the targeted construct. This approach is akin to understanding learning as climbing a mountain: for each ability a student can increase their ability, decrease it, or not change it. However, an alternative approach has recently been suggested – learning score analysis. This analysis is grounded in the assumption that students “slide …
Long-term analysis of a savings program in elementary school
The prevalence of in-school savings programs (ISSPs) for children and youth is widespread, but research on their effectiveness is limited. This study investigates the long-term effects of an ISSP conducted in one U.S. elementary school. Survey data were collected on the financial behaviors of high school students, who participated in or did not participate in an ISSP while attending the same elementary school at the same time. The results from a …
The Effects of Perceived and Actual Financial Literacy on Financial Behaviors
A combined measure of financial literacy that includes both a test score of actual financial literacy and a self‐rating of overall financial literacy is used in this study. We find that the combined measure appears to provide greater understanding about how financial literacy affects financial behaviors. A large national survey of U.S. adults and households ( n = 28,146) was used to investigate how this overall financial literacy is likely to cha…
Effects of prior economic education, native language, and gender on economic knowledge of first-year students in higher education. A comparative study between Germany and the USA
The assessment of university students’ economic knowledge has become an increasingly important research area within and across countries. Particularly, the different influences of prior education, native language, and gender as some of the main prerequisites on students’ economic knowledge have been highlighted since long. However, the findings are often only available within countries and focus on students who are at different levels of their st…
Gender Effects in Assessment of Economic Knowledge and Understanding
Gender effects in large-scale assessments have become an increasingly important research area within and across countries. Yet few studies have linked differences in assessment results of male and female students in higher education to construct-relevant features of the target construct. This paper examines gender effects on students’ economic content knowledge with a focus on construct-relevant explanations. Moreover, we compare gender effects c…
Economic Education in U.S. High Schools
The teaching of economics at the high school level is vital for increasing basic economic literacy. This assessment of high school economics in the United States covers seven topics: enrollments in courses; course content; the testing of students; achievement in economics courses; economics instruction in related courses; teacher preparation for economics instruction; and the contributions from organizations and economists. Significant improvemen…
A Flawed Ideological Critique
In their critique of the Test of Economic Literacy (TEL), Nelson and Sheffrin draw the conclusion that the TEL is an ideological test. In making their case, however, they neglect to cite the TEL Examiner's Manual by John Soper and myself (1987). In the 67 pages of that achievement test manual are the multiple choice questions, written rationales for the correct answers, explanations of the test development and structure, psychometric data, item a…
Data Loss from Pretest to Posttest as a Sample Selection Problem
When estimating regression models of educational achievement with pre- and posttest data, researchers have overlooked a sample selection bias that may occur even where initial assignment to the control and experimental groups is random. The bias arises because students who take the pretest but do not take the posttest are excluded from the regression analysis. Using data from a nationally normed test of high school student knowledge of economics,…
Economic Attitudes of High School Students
This paper reopens the question of the reliability and validity of an affective domain instrument, the Survey on Economic Attitudes, by providing new norms and a full discussion of the properties of the national high school sample used. The study also presents current information about the economic attitudes of American high school students, and raises some important questions about the affective orientation of social education
Attitudes, opinions, and economic understanding
The world of economics is complex. Understanding that world requires education in basic economic concepts and their application to a multitude of economic issues. As students grow and learn, economic attitudes and opinions take shape and influence thoughts and actions over a lifetime. Consequently, educators need to know the nature of the relationship between cognitive and affective domains in economics learning. This article focuses on the devel…
A Response to Romanish
(1984). A Response to Romanish: Ideological Bias in Secondary Economics Textbooks. Theory & Research in Social Education: Vol. 11, No. 4, pp. 25-35
A Misrepresentation of Econometric and Educational Research
Measuring Economic Attitudes in High School
Economic Problem-Solving for the Classroom
Additional informationNotes on contributorsWilliam B. WalstadWilliam B. Walstad is an assistant professor of economics and director of the Center for Economic Education at the University of MissouriSt. Louis. In 1976, he won a national award for an economics teaching unit from the International Paper Company Foundation
Measuring Economic Attitudes in High School
A Response to Romanish
(1984). A Response to Romanish: Ideological Bias in Secondary Economics Textbooks. Theory & Research in Social Education: Vol. 11, No. 4, pp. 25-35
Attitudes, opinions, and economic understanding
The world of economics is complex. Understanding that world requires education in basic economic concepts and their application to a multitude of economic issues. As students grow and learn, economic attitudes and opinions take shape and influence thoughts and actions over a lifetime. Consequently, educators need to know the nature of the relationship between cognitive and affective domains in economics learning. This article focuses on the devel…
Economic Problem-Solving for the Classroom
Additional informationNotes on contributorsWilliam B. WalstadWilliam B. Walstad is an assistant professor of economics and director of the Center for Economic Education at the University of MissouriSt. Louis. In 1976, he won a national award for an economics teaching unit from the International Paper Company Foundation
Measuring Economic Attitudes in High School
A Response to Romanish
(1984). A Response to Romanish: Ideological Bias in Secondary Economics Textbooks. Theory & Research in Social Education: Vol. 11, No. 4, pp. 25-35
A Misrepresentation of Econometric and Educational Research
Attitudes, opinions, and economic understanding
The world of economics is complex. Understanding that world requires education in basic economic concepts and their application to a multitude of economic issues. As students grow and learn, economic attitudes and opinions take shape and influence thoughts and actions over a lifetime. Consequently, educators need to know the nature of the relationship between cognitive and affective domains in economics learning. This article focuses on the devel…
Economic Attitudes of High School Students
This paper reopens the question of the reliability and validity of an affective domain instrument, the Survey on Economic Attitudes, by providing new norms and a full discussion of the properties of the national high school sample used. The study also presents current information about the economic attitudes of American high school students, and raises some important questions about the affective orientation of social education
Data Loss from Pretest to Posttest as a Sample Selection Problem
When estimating regression models of educational achievement with pre- and posttest data, researchers have overlooked a sample selection bias that may occur even where initial assignment to the control and experimental groups is random. The bias arises because students who take the pretest but do not take the posttest are excluded from the regression analysis. Using data from a nationally normed test of high school student knowledge of economics,…
A Flawed Ideological Critique
In their critique of the Test of Economic Literacy (TEL), Nelson and Sheffrin draw the conclusion that the TEL is an ideological test. In making their case, however, they neglect to cite the TEL Examiner's Manual by John Soper and myself (1987). In the 67 pages of that achievement test manual are the multiple choice questions, written rationales for the correct answers, explanations of the test development and structure, psychometric data, item a…
Economic Education in U.S. High Schools
The teaching of economics at the high school level is vital for increasing basic economic literacy. This assessment of high school economics in the United States covers seven topics: enrollments in courses; course content; the testing of students; achievement in economics courses; economics instruction in related courses; teacher preparation for economics instruction; and the contributions from organizations and economists. Significant improvemen…
Effects of prior economic education, native language, and gender on economic knowledge of first-year students in higher education. A comparative study between Germany and the USA
The assessment of university students’ economic knowledge has become an increasingly important research area within and across countries. Particularly, the different influences of prior education, native language, and gender as some of the main prerequisites on students’ economic knowledge have been highlighted since long. However, the findings are often only available within countries and focus on students who are at different levels of their st…
Gender Effects in Assessment of Economic Knowledge and Understanding
Gender effects in large-scale assessments have become an increasingly important research area within and across countries. Yet few studies have linked differences in assessment results of male and female students in higher education to construct-relevant features of the target construct. This paper examines gender effects on students’ economic content knowledge with a focus on construct-relevant explanations. Moreover, we compare gender effects c…
The Effects of Perceived and Actual Financial Literacy on Financial Behaviors
A combined measure of financial literacy that includes both a test score of actual financial literacy and a self‐rating of overall financial literacy is used in this study. We find that the combined measure appears to provide greater understanding about how financial literacy affects financial behaviors. A large national survey of U.S. adults and households ( n = 28,146) was used to investigate how this overall financial literacy is likely to cha…
Long-term analysis of a savings program in elementary school
The prevalence of in-school savings programs (ISSPs) for children and youth is widespread, but research on their effectiveness is limited. This study investigates the long-term effects of an ISSP conducted in one U.S. elementary school. Survey data were collected on the financial behaviors of high school students, who participated in or did not participate in an ISSP while attending the same elementary school at the same time. The results from a …
Estimating the dimensionality of learning
Psychometrics traditionally has assumed that the changes occurring during learning have the same dimensionality as the targeted construct. This approach is akin to understanding learning as climbing a mountain: for each ability a student can increase their ability, decrease it, or not change it. However, an alternative approach has recently been suggested – learning score analysis. This analysis is grounded in the assumption that students “slide …
Psychology (13 works) · Economics (8 works) · Innovations in Educational Methods (8 works) · Mathematics education (8 works) · Sociology (7 works) · Economics education (6 works) · Political science (6 works) · Econometrics (5 works) · Law (5 works) · Computer Science (4 works)