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Teaching methods and materials in undergraduate economics courses: School, instructor, and department effects

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  • Ahlstrom, Laura J.
  • Harter, Cynthia
  • Asarta, Carlos J.

Abstract

There has been very little change in how the economics profession teaches undergraduate students over the last 25 years. This study examines the effects of school, instructor, and departmental characteristics on teaching methods and materials used in undergraduate economics courses. We employ the regression framework originally used by Harter, Schaur, and Watts (2015a), but differentiate our work from prior research by using a single survey sample, separating descriptive statistics by course type, adding new dependent variables (e.g., use of adaptive learning technologies), and creating figures to represent predicted probabilities for a variety of variables. We find, among other things, that changes in departmental policies, such as teaching loads and class sizes, along with shifts in the composition and characteristics of faculty members (e.g., male vs. female or years of teaching experience) may have unintended consequences on instructors’ teaching practices. These findings have implications for school and departmental policies that could affect the quality of undergraduate economics course instruction.

Suggested Citation

  • Ahlstrom, Laura J. & Harter, Cynthia & Asarta, Carlos J., 2023. "Teaching methods and materials in undergraduate economics courses: School, instructor, and department effects," International Review of Economics Education, Elsevier, vol. 44(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ireced:v:44:y:2023:i:c:s1477388023000117
    DOI: 10.1016/j.iree.2023.100270
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Michael Watts & William E. Becker, 2008. "A Little More than Chalk and Talk: Results from a Third National Survey of Teaching Methods in Undergraduate Economics Courses," The Journal of Economic Education, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 39(3), pages 273-286, July.
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    4. William E. Becker & Michael Watts, 2001. "Teaching Economics at the Start of the 21st Century: Still Chalk-and-Talk," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 91(2), pages 446-451, May.
    5. Cynthia Harter & Carlos J. Asarta, 2022. "Teaching Methods in Undergraduate Intermediate Theory, Statistics and Econometrics, and Other Upper-Division Economics Courses: Results From a Sixth National Quinquennial Survey," The American Economist, Sage Publications, vol. 67(1), pages 132-146, March.
    6. Tisha L. N. Emerson & Beck A. Taylor, 2004. "Comparing Student Achievement across Experimental and Lecture‐Oriented Sections of a Principles of Microeconomics Course," Southern Economic Journal, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 70(3), pages 672-693, January.
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    11. Laura J. Ahlstrom & Carlos J. Asarta, 2019. "The Gender Gap in Undergraduate Economics Course Persistence and Degree Selection," AEA Papers and Proceedings, American Economic Association, vol. 109, pages 255-260, May.
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    17. Abdullah Al-Bahrani, 2022. "Classroom management and student interaction interventions: Fostering diversity, inclusion, and belonging in the undergraduate economics classroom," The Journal of Economic Education, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 53(3), pages 259-272, June.
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    1. Green, Alan, 2024. "Are we doing homework wrong? The marginal effect of homework using spaced repetition," International Review of Economics Education, Elsevier, vol. 46(C).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Teaching methods; Chalk and talk; Undergraduate economics; Instructor effects; Institutional effects;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • A22 - General Economics and Teaching - - Economic Education and Teaching of Economics - - - Undergraduate

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