Economics for Everybody

Economics for Everybody is a new series put out by Compass Cinema. You may be familiar with their Visual Latinseries. I know that series brought Latin to life for Munchkin, and she’s loved Latin ever since. Knowing this, I was excited when I saw that they were putting out an economics series. The teacher in this series is Dr. RC Sproul, Jr. who is a professor and lecturer at Ligonier Academy. His passion for Christ and economics shines through in each of his lessons. One of the unique aspects of this program is that it starts with God and his creation. It is a distinctly Christian production and curriculum.

Want to see more? You can view the complete first lesson free and check out other samples at economicsforeverybody.com. Topics covered in this 12-video series include:

1. And God Created Economics: Stewardship in God’s Image (15 min.)
2. The Economic Problem of Sin: Law, Liberty & Government (20 min.)
3. The Path from Work to Wealth: Production, Property & Tools (21 min.)
4. The Route From Scarcity to Plenty: Money, Markets & Trade (20 min.)
5. The Role of the Entrepreneur: Capital, Calculation & Profit (17 min.)
6. A Tale of Two Theologies, Part 1: From God to Politics (25 min.)
7. A Tale of Two Theologies, Part 2: Economic Philosophies & Systems (19 min.)
8. Government Intervention: Basic Principles & Education (19 min.)
9. The Two Mysteries of Monetary Policy: Inflation & Depressions (28 min.)
10. The Welfare & Corporate States of America: The Costs of Redistribution (24 min.)
11. Economics Has Consequences: The Real Effects of Sin (26 min.)
12. Kingdom Economics (15 min.)

The study guide contains a lesson introduction, scripture reading, learning objectives, quotations, detailed lecture outline, multiple choice questions, short answer questions, discussion questions, and resources for further study. The detailed lecture outline allows students to use just the text, if desired, but the learning is enhanced by adding in the colorful and entertaining videos. It’s recommended that you pick up one of the economics textbooks mentioned in the resources section if you want your student to go more in-depth into the study of economics. You are given several different choices. Because this is a Christian curriculum, the main textbooks are Christian textbooks. In addition to the textbooks, a variety of resources are given which include both free pdf downloads and hard copy books that can be purchased.

We (yes, I have been learning right along with Munchkin) have been enjoying the videos in the Economics for Everybody series. Dr. Sproul presents concepts in an easy to understand manner. He explains economics in a way that allows students to relate to the information which is being presented by using practical examples. The fun videos such as Charlie Chaplin and photos are entertaining as well as good visuals for the  topics being covered. The study guide helps Munchkin to refresh the information that was presented in the video before digging into the questions. The discussion questions have lead to some good conversations at our house. I think all of us have walked away with a better understanding of economics as well as had several ah-ha moments thanks to this study.

As of the time of this posting, Economics for Everybody is available at a presale price of only $29. It normally retails for $45. This price includes the 12 videos as either 2 dvds with spiral bound study guide or downloads with a pdf study guide. To stay informed on what is going on with Economics for Everybody, head over to their facebook page.