Contemporary pedagogy encourages instructors to move away from memorization to teaching the ability to "do economics." In such an environment, students are taught to apply knowledge of economic measurement, the economic model, and economic policy to analyze current events and policies. In this article, the authors build on existing…

Pedagogical research shows that teaching methods other than traditional lectures may result in better outcomes. However, lecture remains the dominant method in economics, likely due to high implementation costs of methods shown to be effective in the literature. In this article, the author shows significant benefits of using a teaching app for…

This research provides evidence that the flipped classroom instructional format increases student final exam performance, relative to the traditional instructional format, in a large lecture principles of economics course. The authors find that the flipped classroom directly improves performance by 0.2 to 0.7 standardized deviations, depending on…

For many years, surveys have shown that lecture is the dominant method for teaching principles of economics (Watts and Schaur 2011; Watts and Becker 2008; Becker and Watts 1996, 2001a, b). The authors confirm this and augment it by asking why principles instructors teach the way they do. The respondents, 340 principles instructors at the 2012…

In 1995, 2000, and 2005, the authors surveyed U.S. academic economists to investigate how economics is taught in four different types of undergraduate courses at postsecondary institutions. They especially looked for any changes in teaching methods that occurred over this decade, when there were several prominent calls for economists and…

What is the effect of small-group learning on student learning outcomes in economic instruction? In spring 2002 and fall 2004, the author applied cooperative learning to one section of intermediate macroeconomics and taught another section using a traditional lecture format. He identified and then tracked measures of student learning outcomes.…

The author presents new evidence on the effects of attendance on academic performance. He used a large panel data set for introductory microeconomics students to explicitly take into account the effect of unobservable factors correlated with attendance, such as ability, effort, and motivation. He found that neither proxy variables nor instrumental…

Reported is the evaluation of a program in which lectures were integrated with programmed instruction assignments and a series of quizzes which concluded that PI can be an effective means of teaching large classes. (JB)

Describes a study which investigated the effectiveness of a simulation-gaming method of instruction to teach a college level introductory economics course. Also investigated were the interaction effects between student characteristics and the simulation-game as well as the lecture-discussion methods of instruction. (RM)

Reports the results of a study that examined interaction effects between student characteristics and the simulation-game as well as the lecture-discussion methods of instruction among freshman business administration students enrolled in an introductory economics course. (AM)

Tests the effects on student performance when using graphs as part of a University of South Carolina (Columbia) principles of economics lecture. Finds in 1995 that students in the lecture with graphs had significantly lower gain scores than those in the no-graphs lecture. Finds no significant difference in 1997. (RLH)

Comparisons are made between four college economic principles courses: one-semester live lectures, programed instruction, and televised lectures, and, two-semester televised lectures, the latter producing the greatest content learning. Opportunity costs and other implications are discussed. (DB)

Proposes using some of the 26 Nobel Prize lectures as teaching tools in economics courses. Notes lectures are reprinted in economic journals. Lists titles of lectures from 1969 to 1988; identifies level of difficulty; and categorizes the lectures by subject field. Outlines George Stigler's 1982 Nobel lecture and gives suggestions for teaching. (NL)

Describes team-taught courses in which the lectures of each team member are critiqued by other team members. Stresses that the result is a deeper, more critical analysis of each team member's material and of the interrelationship of their presentations. (DB)

University of Georgia Student Performance was measured by the Test of Understanding in College Economics pretest-posttest procedure with Part II Forms A and B. Both lecture and TV groups were lower than the national norm with the TV groups the lowest. (Author/SE)