Jim Butkiewicz -- head of the University of Delaware’s economics department, a Master of Arts in Economics and Entrepreneurship for Educators (MAEEE) professor since 1981 and winner of the 2017 James B. O’Neill Award for Excellence in Economic Education and Entrepreneurship -- presented his research suggesting that Richard Nixon knew that his 1971 New Economic Policy would likely harm the economy to an audience of local teachers on May 11.

Butkiewicz’s presentation was part of the UD Center for Economic Education and Entrepreneurship (CEEE)’s “Nixon Tapes Workshop,” a professional development event for Delaware business and economics teachers.

The teacher workshop was organized and run by Ashley Miller, a current MAEEE student and a social studies teacher at the Conrad Schools of Science in Red Clay, Delaware, as part of a requirement before her May graduation from the program. Each year, MAEEE students, who study in UD’s Center for Economic Education and Entrepreneurship (CEEE), are charged with completing a project that spreads economic education in their home state.

The workshop was made possible by collaboration between three groups: the CEEE in UD’s Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics, the Professional Development Center for Educators in UD’s College of Education and Human Development and the Democracy Project in UD’s Institute for Public Administration.

After Butkiewicz’ presentation, curriculum director for the Democracy Project Fran O’Malley presented on the subject of the trustee and delegate models of representation. These are models for understanding the role of governmental representatives, and they differ in terms of the level of autonomy that elected officials have.

Miller then gave the teachers suggested lesson ideas based on the research Butkiewicz presented.

“I wanted to create a professional development activity for teachers to show how to incorporate economics in any class,” Miller said. “I feel that economics is an under-taught subject that affects all aspects of our lives, because it’s really about decision making.”

Miller presented multiple activities on topics like price ceilings and wages, using Nixon’s policy decisions as real-world examples.

Miller said she designed the lesson plans as helpful ready-to-go materials for teachers in multiple subject areas, like history or civics, due to the versatile subject matter. She explained that many other topics could be taught through a similar multi-disciplinary approach and that collaboration between the different UD Social Studies groups for this workshop helps to bring this approach to teachers in a way that can easily be incorporated into classroom instruction.

“The CEEE does a fantastic job of hosting these events throughout the year to promote economic education throughout Delaware,” Miller said.

“They were so supportive of me during the creation and planning of this workshop,” she continued. “I could not have done it without them.”

About the MAEEE

The Master of Arts in Economics and Entrepreneurship for Educators (MAEEE) program properly outfits teachers so that they can inspire students to become effective participants in the economy, successful entrepreneurs, responsible consumers and wise investors. MAEEE educators are master teachers who serve as agents of change in their own regions, equipped with both a solid foundation in economic theory and a set of strategies and methods for teaching economics, entrepreneurship and personal finance.