Travis R. Martin, CPA, MBA

Students assemble their own mutual funds, that seek to protect investors in the event of a Black Swan, in this project based learning activity for an integrated World History/Economics class.

Students create a product placement for Procter and Gamble in this Project Based Marketing activity.

Project Based Economics covering Black Swans and Mutual Funds in an integrated World History/Economics course.

Discussion of first workshop in the Vanguard Black Swan Fund project for History of Globalization class. Project uses a project based learning approach.

How does project-based learning work in practice? See the process step-by-step using an integrated World History/Economics class as an example.

Students act as Investment Managers for Vanguard funds and create a mutual fund that provides investors with protection should a Black Swan-type event occur.

Students research and apply their knowledge of mutual funds by creating their own fund. They then “sell” their fund to the class in a PowerPoint presentation.

Lesson covering the concepts of simple interest, compound growth, and the Rule of 72. It revolves around a PowerPoint discussion that provides the basics, as well as some eye-opening examples of how the concepts can be applied in real life.

When we discuss comparison shopping, I have the students practice the concepts by researching an item that they all have access to – cell phones. The class learns how to compare different service providers, as well as how to use Consumer Reports and internet sites like cnet.com to research product reviews.

Flip to the front of nearly any high school Economics textbook and you are sure to find a discussion of Economic Systems and Economic Goals.

When my classes discuss these topics (see PowerPoint notes), I like to incorporate a few simple activities.