Tag: online resources

Writer’s Resources

MediaBistro has a series of posts for National Novel Writing Month to inspire and assist the serious writer.

Tips and links range from how to start a writing bible, to the correct writing posture. I’m partial to tip on how to turn your computer into a typewriter, although it’s something that’s never worked for me:

The free Q10 program will convert your distracting computer into an old-fashioned typewriter–focused by real typing sounds and disconnected from the Internet.
–Boog (2010) in GalleyCat

Classroom Activities in Economics: Resource Guide Plus

From the Federal Reserve System.

I’ve had a number of posts based on stuff I learned this summer at the Fed. Most of it has been about the resources and tools they have available on their website and it can be a little intimidating trying to figure out how to actually use all of this data.

So the Fed has created Resource Guide Plus, a collection of activities, simulations, publications and tools for the classroom. The activities have pretty good instructions and use the resources available on the Fed’s website. They were kind enough to post the math and economics activity I worked on at the meeting (also posted here) in their Tips and Tools section.

The activities are searchable and geared mostly toward middle and high school though there are some elementary ones in there too.

Liber8 economic newsletter

The Liber8 online newsletter from the St. Louis Fed is designed for non-economists (librarians to begin with) and has some wonderful articles explaining economic thought and issues in the news. “How Would Modern Macroeconomic Schools of Thought Respond to the Recent Economic Crisis?” is a great introduction to the different perspectives on managing the economy. It may be good preparation for, or alternatively a followup on, the great Keynes vs. Hayek video.

The Ledger

The Boston Federal Reserve Bank publishes (occasionally) a newsletter with easy-to-read articles on economic subjects. Themes include: Immigration; Economic Resources on the web (as 2008); Coping with economic change; Varied Perspectives on the Global Economy; Are We Better Off Than We Were?; and, The Economics of Entertainment.

It’s a very informative, easy read.

Federal Reserve’s economic data

The St. Louis Federal Reserve has a Summer School program for teachers. Two of the sessions deal with current events (banking crisis and jobs) but the third covers the data and primary source documents that bank makes available online (for free). These include the FRED and GeoFred websites.

Unemployment data for the Eastern US from GeoFRED.

GeoFred produces graphs like the one above showing economic statistics across the country. It can do it on a state by state basis, by county (as above), or by even more refined areas.

US GDP from FRED.

FRED plots graphs and even provides the data for economic statistics over time. The graph above shows GDP since they started collecting data in the 1940’s. It also has the times of recessions shaded in. The data in the graph can also be downloaded if you want to do your own analysis.

These seem to be handy little tools for teaching and for research projects, and are pretty easy to use.

The teachers’ training sessions are free though you have to get your own housing. They do provide breakfast and lunch. If you want graduate credit for them however, each three day session will cost around $306 and garner one credit.