We’ve had many requests for news of the resources tutor2u is publishing to support the introduction of the new A Level Economics specifications from September 2008 (A2 from Sept 09). Well, here is news of our main new resource - a suite of digital Course Companions.
There is quite a lot to let you know about, so here are the edited highlights 
• New Digital Course Companions for all main Exam Board units, including Pre-U
• Resources closely mapped to each new specification
• Interactive & VLE friendly
• Live feeds from the best online Economics sources
• Includes guided revision questions & web research to promote independent learning
• MindManager mind-map support resources included
• All resources available via cost-effective network licences, allowing centres to make substantial savings compared with traditional textbooks
• New Teacher PowerPoint presentation suites to support new specifications – details to be announced separately
The new resources will shortly be available to pre-order from our online store - follow this link
So, with a prolonged drum-roll to build the suspense.....
tutor2u has today announced the publication of a significantly enhanced suite of teaching and learning resources to support the new 2008 A Level Economics specifications.
The popular and comprehensive Course Companions are being given a fresh, interactive makeover making them the essential, high quality and cost-effective resource for Economics departments.
There will be separate Course Companions for each of the AS and A2 units, available through attractive network licence pricing.
tutor2u’s team of experienced authors will map each unit to the specific requirements of each Board giving due weight to the changes in emphasis evident in the new syllabuses. For example there will be completely new sections on the following:
• Current issues in the labour market
• The economics of emerging market countries
• Aspects of globalization
• The expansion of the European Union
• Behavioural economics (including aspects of game theory)
• Economics of commodity markets
• China and the Global Economy
• The Pensions Crisis
Each Course Companion will be available in a VLE & desktop-friendly “autoplay” format. This richly interactive format allows students to browse a structured and blended collection of content, including study notes, revision quizzes, web quests and an inbuilt glossary. The Companion also includes live RSS feeds from the best online economics sources, enabling students to keep up to date with key economic issues and trends.
What is autoplay? Imagine the entire contents of a course all collected together in just one folder and launch file. Click to launch the file and the resources are ready to use – straightaway. There is no complicated software to load, just great Economics resources to use. Save it to a network; stick it on a desktop, laptop or memory stick. Even better, no more kg-pounding textbooks for the students to drag around or a gaping hole to be filled in the departmental budget after buying class sets of books that no-one ends up reading.
In addition to the autoplay interactive format, the contents of each Course Companion are also provided as separate learning files, such as individual quizzes, study notes, revision questions, charts and diagrams. We’ll provide these in the usual PDF format to allow centres maximum flexibility in terms of integrating tutor2u’s new content with existing VLE or other networked systems. Where relevant, SCORM-compliant content will also be provided.
The attractive network licence pricing provides a great way of giving each of your students a support resource that can sit happily on a school network or which is available for students to have on their own computers. Copy CDs of the resources can be ordered direct from tutor2u.
Publication dates:
AS Economics (AQA, OCR & Edexcel) – 2 August 2008
A2 Economics (AQA, OCR & Edexcel) – 15 August 2008
AQA
The new Course Companions will offer comprehensive coverage for all four units of the new AQA specification.
Unit 1: Markets and Market Failure
Unit 2: The National Economy
Unit 3: Business Economics and the Distribution of Income
Unit 4: The National and International Economy
Edexcel
The new Course Companions will offer comprehensive coverage for all four units of the new Edexcel specification:
Unit 1: Competitive markets, how they work and how they fail
Unit 2: Managing of the economy
Unit 3: Business economics and economic efficiency
Unit 4: The global economy
OCR
The new Course Companions will offer comprehensive coverage for the following units of the new OCR specification.
F581: Markets in Action
F582: National and International Economy
F585: The Global Economy
tutor2u does not plan at the moment to produce specific study companions for these units:
F583: Economics of Work and Leisure (option)
F584: Transport Economics (option)
tutor2u will continue to publish its popular toolkits to cover the pre-release materials for existing Unit 2888 and the new OCR A2 paper (F585
Pre-U
The new Course Companions will offer comprehensive coverage for the following units of the new Pre-U specification.
Microeconomics
The National Economy
International Economics
Great news about the publications for the new specs, but please consider doing a companion for the OCR Work and Leisure unit...there is very little on the market
Also what are your plans for the new GCSE specs? One for OCR Economics would be priceless!!!
Any chance of resources related to the CCEA course in Northern ireland. We always seem to be a “wee” bit forgotten in the Province!
That is really good news. Can make use the same for CIE AS amd A2.
