Gerard Dericks (seen far-right, top row) with students in an 'Economics for Hawai'i Teachers' course taught at HPU.
HPU’s ‘Economics for Hawaiʻi Teachers’ course continued its remarkable enrollment streak of four consecutive terms of growth, with nearly 300 high school teachers completing the summer 2024 term. Director of the HPU Center for Entrepreneurship and Economic Education (CEEE), Gerard Dericks, Ph.D., leads and teaches the free course he created in 2022. Initially designed for in-person instruction, the course has evolved into an online format to meet its growing demand under Dericks' guidance.
Building on this success, the CEEE will launch a free ‘Economics Curriculum Praxis’ (ED6465) course this August, aimed at equipping Hawaiʻi’s high school teachers with the necessary training for certification to teach economics courses.
Designed and taught by Dericks, the new Praxis course offers a thorough grasp of economic concepts, essential mathematical skills, and proven teaching methods. Successful completion includes passing the Educational Testing Service (ETS) Economics Praxis Exam, leading to certification in economics education.
“The Economics Curriculum Praxis course follows our Economics for Hawaiʻi Teachers Course and provides three (3) graduate credits that count towards Hawaiʻi Department of Education (HIDOE) salary reclassification. All teachers will receive a 100% scholarship from HPU,” Dericks said. “The course aligns well with CEEE’s goal of building a more robust economic future by broadening and deepening economic education and helping to foster entrepreneurial values throughout the state.”
The new course will also be delivered online, with synchronous sessions recorded for review. It is scheduled to run for 16 weeks on Thursdays, from 5:15 p.m. to 8:10 p.m., August 29 to December 12.
The deadline to apply is Sunday, August 18. To register, visit the registration page.
An online resource created by Dericks provides teachers with lesson plans and tools for classroom use. The resource can be accessed at www.hieconlib.org. For questions or additional information on the CEEE or its courses, contact Dericks at gdericks@hpu.edu.
