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Humanities as technology in teaching economics

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  • Wagner, Jeffrey

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to consider the promise of humanities as technology in the teaching of economics. Many students expect humanities and technology to be substitutes rather than complements. This paper seeks to leverage this expectation by challenging students to instead consider humanities as itself a technology—indeed, a very powerful technology. Three examples of humanities as technology are discussed. First, as an extension of essay examination technology, instructors might ask students to prepare one-act plays that are situated in the context of the work students would most wish to engage upon graduation. Second, we might ask students to prepare term papers in which they discover principles of economics in poetry. Third, instructors might feature philosophical tracts such as Plato’s Republic as a platform for discussing a number of economic concepts at both the principles and upper-division levels. These technologies arguably make learning economics more interesting and more permanent for students than would otherwise be the case.

Suggested Citation

  • Wagner, Jeffrey, 2017. "Humanities as technology in teaching economics," International Review of Economics Education, Elsevier, vol. 25(C), pages 35-40.
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:ireced:v:25:y:2017:i:c:p:35-40
    DOI: 10.1016/j.iree.2017.05.001
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Steven Shavell, 2002. "Law versus Morality as Regulators of Conduct," American Law and Economics Review, American Law and Economics Association, vol. 4(2), pages 227-257.
    2. Sheryl B. Ball & Catherine Eckel & Christian Rojas, 2006. "Technology Improves Learning in Large Principles of Economics Classes: Using Our WITS," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 96(2), pages 442-446, May.
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    4. Ilya Segal & Michael D. Whinston, 2007. "Antitrust in Innovative Industries," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 97(5), pages 1703-1730, December.
    5. Kenneth G. Elzinga, 2001. "Fifteen Theses on Classroom Teaching," Southern Economic Journal, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 68(2), pages 249-257, October.
    6. Jeffrey Wagner, 2007. "Plato's Republic and liberal economic education for the twenty-first century," Economics Bulletin, AccessEcon, vol. 1(2), pages 1-10.
    7. Sam Allgood & William B. Walstad & John J. Siegfried, 2015. "Research on Teaching Economics to Undergraduates," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 53(2), pages 285-325, June.
    8. Dale R. Deboer, 1998. "The Business-Plan Approach to Introductory Microeconomics," The Journal of Economic Education, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 29(1), pages 54-64, March.
    9. Davis, Mary E., 2015. "Bringing imagination back to the classroom: A model for creative arts in economics," International Review of Economics Education, Elsevier, vol. 19(C), pages 1-12.
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    Cited by:

    1. Jeffrey Wagner, 2021. "Concrete Strategies for Economics Tenure-Track Faculty and Their Mentors," Eastern Economic Journal, Palgrave Macmillan;Eastern Economic Association, vol. 47(3), pages 449-459, June.

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