A National Survey on Teaching Methods in Advanced Placement (AP) Economics Courses

Abstract

This article presents the first report of basic findings from the 2022 online administration of a national survey on teaching methods in Advanced Placement (AP) Economics courses. The authors find that “Chalk and Talk” is the preferred method of instruction in AP courses, but that AP instructors also make use of technology in their presentations via media such as films or movie clips. Those educators offer frequent opportunities for students to engage in classroom discussions with other students and with their instructors. Additionally, the toolbox used by AP instructors includes teaching methods and tools rarely used at the college level, including games and simulations, student self-assessments of learning, cooperative learning/small group assignments, references addressing diversity and inclusion, and databases such as Federal Reserve Economic Data (FRED). Overall, AP Economics instructors seem to offer a diverse range of instructional methods to teach high school economics.