Differences in Economic Knowledge Among Beginning Students in Higher Education in Germany

• In Event: Poster Session 7
  In Poster Session: College Student Learning and Development

Abstract

In this study, we examined the economic knowledge of beginning students in higher education in Germany. For the assessment, we used the fourth edition of the Test of Economic Literacy (TEL4), revised substantially in 2013 and adapted for use in Germany in 2014. Using the new edition in Germany for the first time, we tested 1,403 students of business and economics from 10 universities in Germany at the beginning of their studies, assessing their level of economic knowledge. Our analysis shows the TEL4 score was influenced by prior education in economics (e.g., completion of a vocational training had a positive effect), gender (male students scored higher), and socio-cultural background (students with migration background scored lower).

Authors

• Manuel Förster, Johannes Gutenberg University of Mainz

• Roland Happ, Johannes Gutenberg University of Mainz

• Olga Zlatkin-Troitschanskaia, Johannes Gutenberg University of Mainz

• Sebastian Brueckner, Johannes Gutenberg University of Mainz

• Susanne Schmidt, Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz