An Interinstitutional Study of Student Attitudes Towards Principles of Economics

An evaluation of the performance of and attitudes toward the beginning course in economics at three mid western collegiate institutions is investigated in this study. Pre- and post-examinations, attitude tests, and questionnaires were administered to thirty-one sections of economic principles (marco) during the fall sem ester of 1971-72. The results are subjected to multiple linear regression using both post-exam scores and post-attitude scores as dependent variables with twelve predictor variables. Specific research questions ad dressed focus on the relationship between learning economics and student attitude toward economics, the rela tionship of quality of instruction with both learning and attitude, and interinstitutional differences in learning and attitude as regards economics. It was discovered that 1. ) learning economics is closely associated with student attitude toward economics, 2. ) instructional quality as perceived by students is closely related with student attitude toward economics, and 3. ) there is little difference in student performance and attitude scores between institutions but the kind of institutions attended by students appears to affect their performance. Rec ommendations include a recognition that instructional quality in the beginning course in economics is of strong importance, and that instructors should make purposeful attempts to improve the attitude dimension of the learning process.