2. Selected Assignments
Below are a series of descriptions of selected assignments that futher demonstrate my pedadogical innovations and teaching effectiveness. Each contains links to the full assignment description (often on one of my course websites) and some examples.
Op-Ed Assignment (ECON 306 - Microeconomic Analysis)
For my ECON 306 Microeconomic Analysis course, all students write an Opinion-Editorial that uses the economic way of thinking to make a claim or argument about any topic students wish to write about. I simulate the assignment as if students are submitting to a newspaper, and offer bonus points to students that actually get their Op-Eds published in any journalistic outlet. I also spend a class meeting covering how to write a good paper (a guide that I put together). I grade students not on whether I agree with them, but how well they make their argument.
Empirical Research Project (ECON 480 - Econometrics)
For my ECON 480 Econometrics course, all students must complete an empirical project where they come up with a research question to answer, find data in the real world, analyze that data, test their research question, and then write up their findings in a report and present to the class. This high impact practice simulates what it is like to work as a data scientist and covers the full research and data analysis process much better than playing with pre-cleaned “toy” data provided by textbooks. I also stagger this assignment over the semester so that students work on discrete steps of the project, receiving feedback and suggestions from me at each stage. In addition to covering theoretical models and practicing data analysis in R, I also spend a class meeting covering how to write a good empirical paper.
Most of my students who take Seminar in Economics expand upon their econometrics paper for that course, as do many of our Deparmental Honors students.
Discussion Rules (ECON 304, 317, 324, 410)
Nearly all of my economics elective courses contain a readings-based classroom discussion component. These discussions help shift the focus of the course away from me lecturing material at students and more towards students’ taking ownership of their own learning. I organize the discussions according to a series of rules that have worked very well from experience, and I grade students on the combination of their discussion contributions and questions based on the reading that they email me prior to a discussion (to ensure students that are more quiet are not overly penalized if they do not speak). See the description on the assignments page for more.
Country Profile (ECON 317 - Economics of Development)
For my ECON 306 Economics of Development course, each student examines one developing country in depth, writing up a short history and description of the country, and presenting data on development metrics and indicators. This allows students to explore the world from a perspective very different from their own, and allows me to ensure the course “covers” the development experience of a wide variety of countries, as I can only cover so many broad themes in my lectures, readings, and class discussions.
In Class Activities
Moblab Games in Game Theory (ECON 316)
Double Auction in Microeconomic Analysis (ECON 306)
