IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/ibn/ijefaa/v9y2017i1p119-129.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Harmonizing Teaching Tools with Cognitive Learning Outcomes in the Teaching of Economics

Author

Listed:
  • Mohsen Edalati

Abstract

The selection of teaching tools is a key determinant of the extent to which the anticipated learning outcomes of a course will be realized. As such, choosing optimal teaching tools can be a greatly effective course of action to enhance learning in the classroom. As Terregrossa et al. (2009) point out, ¡°it is ironic that the practitioners of the discipline devoted to the study of efficiency principles [i.e. economics] are implicitly accused of being inefficient in their approach to teaching that discipline.¡± The purpose of the present paper is to first explain cognitive learning outcomes as well as review both traditional and modern teaching tools in the context of economics. Next, the appropriate teaching tools that match correspondingly with each specific cognitive learning outcome are proposed in the setting of teaching economics. To this end, the paper concentrates on Benjamin Bloom¡¯s (1956) taxonomy of cognitive domains to describe different cognitive learning levels. Then, a diverse set of teaching tools suitable to teach economics are corresponded to different cognitive learning outcomes. More specifically, the present paper aims to introduce different teaching tools - including course formats, major teaching methods, and teaching moves - corresponding to different levels of cognitive domain in the context of teaching economics. Finally, it is argued that economics instructors should select teaching tools as well as contents, readings, in-class activities, assignments, and assessment formats after formulating the learning outcomes of the course, so that the teaching tools selected can facilitate students¡¯ learning and help them achieve the anticipated learning outcomes more readily.

Suggested Citation

  • Mohsen Edalati, 2017. "Harmonizing Teaching Tools with Cognitive Learning Outcomes in the Teaching of Economics," International Journal of Economics and Finance, Canadian Center of Science and Education, vol. 9(1), pages 119-129, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:ibn:ijefaa:v:9:y:2017:i:1:p:119-129
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://ccsenet.org/journal/index.php/ijef/article/view/65146/35170
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: http://ccsenet.org/journal/index.php/ijef/article/view/65146
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Charles A. Holt & Susan K. Laury, 1997. "Classroom Games: Voluntary Provision of a Public Good," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 11(4), pages 209-215, Fall.
    2. Ralph A. Terregrossa & Valerie Englander, 2001. "Teaching College Economics : Efficiency Issues," Journal of Private Enterprise, The Association of Private Enterprise Education, vol. 17(Fall 2001), pages 52-60.
    3. Becker, William E & Watts, Michael, 1995. "Teaching Tools: Teaching Methods in Undergraduate Economics," Economic Inquiry, Western Economic Association International, vol. 33(4), pages 692-700, October.
    4. Seyyed Ali Zeytoon Nejad Moosavian, 2016. "A Comprehensive Visual “Wheel of Duality” in Consumer Theory," International Advances in Economic Research, Springer;International Atlantic Economic Society, vol. 22(3), pages 357-358, August.
    5. Charles A. Holt, 1999. "Teaching Economics with Classroom Experiments: A Symposium," Southern Economic Journal, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 65(3), pages 603-610, January.
    6. Alexandra Naumenko & Seyyed Ali Zeytoon Nejad Moosavian, 2016. "Clarifying Theoretical Intricacies through the Use of Conceptual Visualization: Case of Production Theory in Advanced Microeconomics," Applied Economics and Finance, Redfame publishing, vol. 3(4), pages 103-122, November.
    7. Seyyed Ali Zeytoon Nejad MOOSAVIAN, 2016. "Teaching Economics and Providing Visual “Big Pictures”," Journal of Economics and Political Economy, KSP Journals, vol. 3(1), pages 119-133, March.
    8. Michael Watts & Chineze Christopher, 2012. "Using Art (Paintings, Drawings, and Engravings) to Teach Economics," The Journal of Economic Education, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 43(4), pages 408-422, October.
    9. Ralph A. Terregrossa & Fred Englander & Zhaobo Wang, 2009. "Why Learning Styles Matter For Student Achievement In College Economics," Journal for Economic Educators, Middle Tennessee State University, Business and Economic Research Center, vol. 9(1), pages 16-31, Summer.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Hongxiang Zhang, 2017. "Accommodating Different Learning Styles in the Teaching of Economics: with Emphasis on Fleming and Mills¡¯s Sensory-based Learning Style Typology," Applied Economics and Finance, Redfame publishing, vol. 4(1), pages 72-83, January.
    2. Seyyed Ali Zeytoon Nejad MOOSAVIAN, 2016. "Teaching Economics and Providing Visual “Big Pictures”," Journal of Economics and Political Economy, KSP Journals, vol. 3(1), pages 119-133, March.
    3. Seyyed Ali Zeytoon Nejad Moosavian, 2016. "The Visual Decoding of the ¡°Wheel of Duality¡± in Consumer Theory in Modern Microeconomics: An Instructional Tool Usable in Advanced Microeconomics to Turn ¡°Pain¡± into ¡°Joy¡±," Applied Economics and Finance, Redfame publishing, vol. 3(3), pages 288-304, August.
    4. Gerald Eisenkopf & Pascal A. Sulser, 2016. "Randomized controlled trial of teaching methods: Do classroom experiments improve economic education in high schools?," The Journal of Economic Education, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 47(3), pages 211-225, July.
    5. McMahon, Michael, 2011. "Classroom Games in Economics: A Quantitative Assessment of the ‘Beer Game’," Economic Research Papers 270760, University of Warwick - Department of Economics.
    6. Correa, Manuel & García-Quero, Fernando & Ortega-Ortega, Marta, 2016. "A role-play to explain cartel behavior: Discussing the oligopolistic market," International Review of Economics Education, Elsevier, vol. 22(C), pages 8-15.
    7. Gerald Eisenkopf & Pascal Sulser, 2013. "A Randomized Controlled Trial of Teaching Methods: Do Classroom Experiments improve Economic Education in High Schools?," TWI Research Paper Series 80, Thurgauer Wirtschaftsinstitut, Universität Konstanz.
    8. Mehrdad KHADIMEE, 2016. "The Sources of Economic Growth in Iran’s Economy," Journal of Economics Library, KSP Journals, vol. 3(4), pages 621-631, December.
    9. David T. Mitchell & Robert P. Rebelein & Patricia H. Schneider & Nicole B. Simpson & Eric Fisher, 2009. "A Classroom Experiment on Exchange Rate Determination with Purchasing Power Parity," The Journal of Economic Education, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 40(2), pages 150-165, April.
    10. Grigoriadis, Theocharis, 2017. "Religion, administration & public goods: Experimental evidence from Russia," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 66(C), pages 42-60.
    11. Charles A. Holt & Monica Capra, 2000. "Classroom Games: A Prisoner's Dilemma," The Journal of Economic Education, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 31(3), pages 229-236, September.
    12. Stephen J. Schmidt, 2003. "Active and Cooperative Learning Using Web-Based Simulations," The Journal of Economic Education, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 34(2), pages 151-167, January.
    13. Hendrik P. van Dalen, 2003. "Pluralism in Economics: A Public Good or a Public Bad?," Tinbergen Institute Discussion Papers 03-034/1, Tinbergen Institute, revised 18 May 2004.
    14. Grace Finley & Charles Holt & Emily Snow, 2019. "The welfare costs of price controls and rent seeking in a class experiment," Experimental Economics, Springer;Economic Science Association, vol. 22(3), pages 753-771, September.
    15. Alexandra Naumenko & Seyyed Ali Zeytoon Nejad Moosavian, 2016. "Clarifying Theoretical Intricacies through the Use of Conceptual Visualization: Case of Production Theory in Advanced Microeconomics," Applied Economics and Finance, Redfame publishing, vol. 3(4), pages 103-122, November.
    16. Giuseppe Attanasi & Samuele Centorrino & Elena Manzoni, 2020. "Zero-Intelligence vs. Human Agents: An Experimental Analysis of the Efficiency of Double Auctions and Over-the-Counter Markets of Varying Sizes," Working Papers 05/2020, University of Verona, Department of Economics.
    17. Jonathan Guest, 2015. "Reflections on ten years of using economics games and experiments in teaching," Cogent Economics & Finance, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 3(1), pages 1115619-111, December.
    18. Sahan T. M. Dissanayake & Sarah A. Jacobson, 2016. "Policies with varying costs and benefits: A land conservation classroom game," The Journal of Economic Education, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 47(2), pages 142-160, April.
    19. Maertens, Annemie & Michelson, Hope & Nourani, Vesall, 2015. "Cooperative Behavior in Farmer Clubs: Experimental Evidence from Malawi," 2015 AAEA & WAEA Joint Annual Meeting, July 26-28, San Francisco, California 205551, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    20. Charles A. Holt, 2011. "Teaching Experimental Economics: Reinforcing Paradigms and Bringing Research into the Undergraduate Classroom," Chapters, in: Gail M. Hoyt & KimMarie McGoldrick (ed.), International Handbook on Teaching and Learning Economics, chapter 47, Edward Elgar Publishing.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    teaching of economics; pedagogy; teaching tools; cognitive learning outcomes;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • R00 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - General - - - General
    • Z0 - Other Special Topics - - General

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:ibn:ijefaa:v:9:y:2017:i:1:p:119-129. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Canadian Center of Science and Education (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/cepflch.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.