Roland Happ

Gender Effects in Assessment of Economic Knowledge and Understanding: Differences Among Undergraduate Business and Economics Students in Germany, Japan, and the United States

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 cross-nationally between Germany, Japan, and the United States. To assess economic content knowledge of higher education students, we used translated, adapted, and validated versions of the Test of Understanding in College Economics (TUCE, 4th ed.), an instrument that is commonly used internationally. We found gender effects on test scores in all three countries; effects were larger in Germany and the United States than in Japan. Gender effects were generally more pronounced on the numeracy subscale than on the literacy subscale, that is, male students had a greater edge over female students when items required calculations. In our conclusion, we discuss how numeracy and literacy items may tap different abilities.

Assessing the previous economic knowledge of beginning students in Germany: Implications for teaching economics in basic courses

Study-related prior knowledge plays a decisive role in business and economics degree courses. Prior knowledge has a significant influence on knowledge acquisition in higher education, and teachers need information on it to plan their introductory courses accordingly. Very few studies have been conducted of first-year students’ prior economic knowledge or differences among students in such knowledge. In this article, the prior economic knowledge and the influence of personal factors on first-year students’ prior economic knowledge are examined. For this purpose, an adaptation of the fourth, revised edition of the American Test of Economic Literacy was administered, which was adapted in 2014 according to the Test and Adaptation Guidelines for use in higher education in Germany. We present findings based from an assessment conducted in higher education in Germany in the summer term of 2014; the subsample for this study comprises first-year students of business and economics. Findings indicate that there are significant differences in prior economic knowledge among first-year students within universities. Influence factors include economic learning experiences prior to starting university, gender, and mother tongue. The article closes with implications for teaching and degree program design.

Young adults’ knowledge and understanding of personal finance in Germany: Interviews with experts and test-takers:

In recent years, the financial education of young adults has gained importance in Germany; however, very few valid test instruments to assess the knowledge and understanding of personal finance are suitable for use in Germany. In this article, we describe results of a survey in which experts in Germany in areas related to personal finance judged the relevance of the items of the American Council of Economic Education’s Test of Financial Literacy for use in Germany. Overall, they found the German version of the Test of Financial Literacy to be a valid instrument for assessing the knowledge and understanding of personal finance of young adults in Germany. Also, we conducted cognitive interviews with young adults in Germany to identify the sources of their knowledge of personal finance. Most of the participants claimed they gained a significant amount but not the majority of their knowledge and understanding of personal finance through formal school education. We conclude that personal finance should be addressed more thoroughly at secondary schools in Germany

Integrating refugees into higher education – the impact of a new online education program for policies and practices

ABSTRACT Gaining access to higher education (HE) is a serious concern for refugees. Although studies on the integration and success of refugees in HE are scarce, the challenges associated with this issue as well as its international relevance are becoming apparent. The Success and Opportunities for Refugees in Higher Education (SUCCESS) project was launched to investigate the effectiveness of new online study programs offered through the Kiron Open Higher Education (Kiron) platform, the aim of which is to provide refugees worldwide with the opportunity to access HE. The results of the first project phase based on data from the enrolment process present an extremely heterogeneous sample. The students come from 54 countries around the world and are currently located in over 66 countries; their educational biographies and their language proficiency vary greatly. The described diversity, especially between the different current places of residence, and possible implications for practice and politics are discussed. The evidence from the SUCCESS project indicates that refugee students exhibit significant differences in level of education, and internal and external (pre)conditions and that the successful integration of refugees into HE worldwide requires new approaches to designing effective instructional and assessment methods.