The author of this article describes an exercise for introductory economics courses in which students are exposed to the breadth of economic study using JEL codes. JEL codes have historically been used to classify economic subject matter and ultimately document the ever-evolving scope of economics. This discussion assignment provides an…

Cooperative learning is associated with a variety of potential benefits to students, including better comprehension and retention, improved perceptions and attitudes, and increased openness to diversity. Yet, there is limited evidence or instruction on cooperative learning activities in asynchronous online classrooms, an increasingly common course…

Misconceptions hinder optimal student learning. They need to be addressed explicitly and formally to achieve effective teaching of economics. The author of this article outlines an activity that is designed to address misconceptions about "others" using a backward course design framework. Fink's significant learning categories,…

The author of this article discusses a cooperative learning exercise designed for introductory macroeconomics that was completed by 44 groups of three or four students during the spring 2021, fall 2021, and spring 2022 semesters at a private U.S. liberal arts college. The exercise aims to foster an active learning community where students…

The economics profession has been working to become more open, inclusive, and welcoming. The introductory principles of economics courses provide a unique opportunity to teach students of the wider university the value of the field of economics. It is in this setting that instructors' interactions with students show them a welcoming and diverse…

In this article, the author describes a classroom activity for use in introductory economics courses to motivate the study of international trade. The learning activity highlights the importance of international trade in students' everyday lives by having students inventory their on-hand belongings and identify where the items were manufactured.…

The author describes the design and implementation of one experiential learning assignment used in a principles of macroeconomics course. The learning exercise provides an active role for students and results in a relational experience that provides traditional undergraduate students with a frame of reference with which to interpret the impact of…

A rationale for requiring undergraduate students to become familiar with the empirical side of economics is presented, and seven exercises that can be used in an introductory course are provided. (Author/RM)

The author presents an active-learning exercise for the introductory macroeconomics class in which students participate in a mock Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting. Preparation involves data gathering and writing both a research report and a policy recommendation. An FOMC meeting is simulated in which students give their policy…

A project for a seminar course in macroeconomic policy which involved students in writing, presenting, and discussing a position paper on a specific policy issue is described. Students rated the exercise very highly. (RM)

Illustrates the bias of the ordinary least squares (OLS) estimator for the first-order stochastic difference equations. Utilizes a small letter y denote a value of the corresponding random variable Y because it is important for students to distinguish a random variable from its realization. (CMK)

A teacher-developed economics newspaper brings real-world problems to the college classroom. The teacher must clip four or five articles a week, tape them to sheets of paper, underline key economic terms, and under each article write a few questions. Every four weeks a newspaper quiz is administered. (RM)

Observes that students in introductory and intermediate economics courses often have difficulty understanding concepts of trade and budget deficits. Presents a graphical technique to be used as a framework for teaching these concepts in the classroom. Claims that this technique is effective in other comparative statistics exercises. (NL)