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…

This chapter addresses how sustainability can be incorporated within the Principles of Microeconomics and Principles of Macroeconomics curriculum. Examples of assignments along with case study assessments of the impact of the assignments as they relate to understanding and fostering sustainability in the student are provided.

The authors of this article describe the design and implementation of a multi-site randomized controlled trial of team-based learning (TBL) application exercises (AE) in introductory economics courses that use TBL. For each of the four study modules that are common across sites, a site is assigned to either the treatment or control version of the…

The author of this article discusses the extensive use and analysis of real-world situations as the core construct on which to build a course in principles of microeconomics. Building on the literature that focuses on current event readings, the goal here is to train students to be able to "do economics." The author details course…

The authors adapted a lab-in-the-field experiment emulating the dynamic extraction of a fishery to create a Web-based classroom experiment. The game includes a multi-player version analogous to an open-access problem and a single-player version analogous to the social planner problem. This game is helpful in introductory microeconomics courses to…

The author examined whether game play improves students' comprehension, attendance, and exam performance. The author designed three games; 120 students in introductory microeconomics classes participated in these experiments. The evidence showed that game play enhances students' attendance, comprehension, and exam performance. It also showed that…

Data from nine introductory microeconomics classes was used to test the effect of student learning style on academic performance. The Kolb Learning Style Inventory was used to assess individual student learning styles. The results indicate that student learning style has no significant effect on performance, undermining the claims of those who…

Economics is usually perceived as a difficult subject among undergraduate students with negative repercussions on their performance. The literature suggests that the students' problems with principles of economics are mainly related to the style and method of teaching together with the course content. Particularly attacked are the chalk and talk…

The author describes techniques that he uses to interactively teach economics principles. He describes an experiment on market entry and gives examples of applications of classroom clickers. Clicker applications include (a) collecting data about student preferences that can be used to construct demand curves and supply curves, (b) checking…

This author delineates an alternative to traditional textbook teaching of economics: using contemporary films to bring concepts and practices to life. (Contains 5 notes.)

Outlines a model for teaching economics that incorporates introductory economics concepts into an interdisciplinary class that includes three disciplines focused on a central theme. Covers the principles of microeconomics and the fundamentals of environmental economics. Links these topics to those covered in the ecology and philosophy sections of…

Describes a class where students learn microeconomics from the perspective of a new business owner. This approach requires reordering the typical sequence of material and introducing a market simulation exercise. Includes a sample business plan, course outline, and data tables. (MJP)