UK Economics Database 2002 and World Development, Europe and USA 2002

UK Economics Database 2002 and World Development, Europe and USA 2002, Statistics for Education, 2002, database files by e-mail, prices - see below, tel 01279 652183 or order on line at www.statsed.co.uk.

In order to reduce costs, the latest versions of the SECOS material are available via e-mail - zipped files that teachers can then install on their machines. All of the files, even unzipped, could be easily stored on a normal floppy disc for using on separate, stand alone machines.

As with previous versions, and I remember them from when I first started teaching almost 15 years ago, the variety of data presented is impressive.

I tested two sets of data. The UK Economics Database 2002 covers markets at work, including useful data on emerging themes in 'A' level specifications like sport and leisure, transport and the environment, business economics, the labour market, income and wealth, the national economy and trade and payments. For business students, this data will be especially useful for work on the business environment.

The second set of data is entitled World Development, Europe and the USA. This is broken down into three subsets: one focuses on developed economies; the second on transitional economies and the third, on world development, contains data on a staggering 148 countries. Go ahead and count them! Admittedly the data for some of the countries is less than complete, particularly for the former Soviet nations and parts of Africa. But the authors, I think, are to be commended for unearthing the data they have - and in the process saving the rest of us a lot of time and effort! Colleagues teaching any course on European or development economics will be particularly grateful.

The data is made available in two separate forms. Teachers have the opportunity to use it with the SECOS for Windows software or with Microsoft Excel. Both platforms have their strengths and weaknesses.

For the computer literate, Excel may seem the better option - particularly since the ways of presenting the data in various graphical forms is far more powerful, particularly if you are using a more recent version. On the other hand, the SECOS version, whilst often presenting data in simpler forms, does do more for you automatically - like labelling axes and creating legends. The ease with which you can, for example, add the actual figure to a pie chart after the event is also useful. Where using SECOS definitely has the upper hand is with regional and international data, which can be presented in map form with a couple of mouse clicks - very useful indeed. Even when manipulating the tables, SECOS may be quicker - for example creating new rows and columns of 'total' figures or rebasing data. Both formats allow you to manipulate the data to your personal preference and mix and merge data sets. In the end I think you will find that you use both, depending on your specific requirements at the time.

The databases are available at (pound)11.75 each inclusive of VAT for the single user version. The network/site licence versions cost (pound)29.38 including VAT for 20 concurrent users. If you plan to use the Excel version, you will need to have Excel in a 1997 version or later.

If you already have the 2000 version of Secos installed, you can use that to access the Secos version of the databases. If you want to buy the latest version of Secos 4, it can be delivered by e-mail for (pound)17.63 including VAT for the single user version, or (pound)35.25 including VAT for the 20-user network version.

From my point of view I see three main uses for this type of material. It provides a wealth of up-to-date data that can be used in the classroom. It is an invaluable base for 'create, compare and contrast' questions, which seem to be very much in vogue with chief examiners of broadly macroeconomic W level units. Furthermore it allows students to access a range of data quickly and easily for their own work and research. They could spend fruitless hours trying to find data on the web.

In the very week that I was reviewing this material, the document 'Using ICT To Meet Teaching Objectives in Business and Economics' produced by the Teacher Training Agency dropped through my letterbox. It suggests that ICT enables students to, 'achieve something that could not be achieved without it ... or ... to learn something more effectively and efficiently'. It goes on to list a variety of specific ways in which the use of ICT, in business and economics education in particular, enhances pupils' learning. As I worked my way through their list it became apparent that the SECOS material I was reviewing could play a substantial part in virtually every one of them! A job very well done.

Ian Parker, Head of Economics & Business Studies, The Tuition Centre, London.

Copyright Economics and Business Education Association Summer 2002
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