A Discussion of “How Often Does Active Learning Actually Occur?” “Chalk and Talk.” “Sage on the Stage.” AKA, lecturing — the most common technique used in teaching economics in higher education today. Why? Because it is effective? Probably more because it is traditional. It is the method most current professors had in school….
Economic Thought
Sports, Religion, Communism, and Capitalism
A Discussion of “Emotional Tagging and Belief Formation: The Long-Lasting Effects of Experiencing Communism” Have you ever shared a dramatic experience with other people but each of you have a very different reaction? Each seems to draw their own conclusion, learn different lessons, store different memories. That’s similar to what…
Pedagogy
Remote Testing Without Cheating
Exploring a Better Way to Test During the Shut Down Halfway through the spring semester, living for Spring Break when I will get caught up on that ever-growing to do list, I certainly could not have predicted how much time I was about to have at home! Spring Break passed normally…
Macroeconomics
Who is Winning the Trade War?
A Discussion of “Who’s Paying for the US Tariffs? A Longer-Term Perspective” The Trump tariffs on China will lead to inflation, job losses and the end of the world as we know it! OK, a bit much, but sometimes reading the news feels more like click bait. As an economist,…
Microeconomics
Targeted Beats Universal in Developing Countries
A Discussion of “Universal Basic Income vs. Targeted Transfers” Universal Basic Income (UBI) is a hot issue— it even played a role in the 2020 Democrat presidential primary as a key feature of Andrew Yang’s platform. I see a lot of political, ethical, and philosophical reasons given for it, but…
Economic Thought
Where Economists Should Fear to Tread
A Discussion of “The Political Limits of Economics” We are living in a time when experts and their recommendations are ruling over us. Our politically elected officials are deferring to their guidance — is that how it should be in our democratic republic? Given the time it takes to publish, I doubt…
Economic Thought
Time for a Paradigm Shift in Economics?
A Discussion of “Shrinking Capitalism” In the May 2020 American Economic Association’s (AEA) Paper and Proceedings, Samuel Bowles and Wendy Carlin put forth a bold proposition for a new paradigm to supplant the previous reign of Neoliberalism. A provocative goal paired with an equally provocative title, “Shrinking Capitalism”. While it could…
Pedagogy
Learning From Remote Learning
What the Shift to Remote Learning Can Teach Us About Teaching Who could have predicted this end to the Spring 2020 semester? If your future-self had shown up on February 1 to warn you, would you have believed them? Note: we shifted our residential classes to remote learning, not to online…