Premiere: Tuesday 27 June, starting at 3pm BST//10am EDT
Presenters:
Using Virtual Exchange (VE) to Integrate and Develop Global and Cultural Competency for Students in an Intermediate Economics Curriculum
Amy Eremionkhale, Georgia State University
Abstract
As the economies of the world have steadily progressed toward globalization, the need to educate our students along these lines, prepare them to be global citizens and workers, and provide them with information about other cultures and countries has increased (Heng & Yeh, 2022; Brodin, 2009; Lunn 2008). This research adds to the existing literature by speaking directly to the benefits of incorporating global competency-enhancing programs into the economics curriculum at the collegiate level of education. Additionally, the research contributes to the literature by detailing how the intermediate microeconomics course’s curriculum is updated to increase the students’ cultural competency. The virtual exchange program we implemented connects students at the intermediate microeconomics level at Georgia State University (GSU) to similar education-level students in the intermediate behavioral economics course at Southampton University in London, UK.
We use data from students’ pre- & post-surveys administered via Qualtrics and their course grades to perform our analysis. The survey questions measure students’ global competency along the dimensions of Interaction Engagement, Respect for Cultural Differences, Interaction Confidence, Interaction Enjoyment, and Interaction Attentiveness items. In addition, we perform a paired-sample t-test to compare student change in their responses about their cultural competencies on the Intercultural Sensitivity Scale from the beginning to the end of the virtual exchange program. Finally, we also evaluate the use of VE as a pedagogical tool and reflect on maximizing success in implementation.
How to teach and learn “The Economy” in Japan － An attempt to use a guidebook －
Naoyuki Kuida, Nihon University
Abstract
This presentation is to demonstrate how a study on the creation of a guidebook of the online economics educational source “CORE-Econ” is carried out. In Japan, a lot of universities have been offering classes, such as Economics, in English as many as possible. However, academic background which Japanese undergraduates have is totally different from that in other countries. Not only few have basic knowledge on Economics before entering university but also few can understand Economics textbooks in English. Our guidebook would help students study Economics in English and learn English. In addition, it would also help teachers. The guidebook provides vocabulary information for English learning and advice on what background knowledge is needed for each chapter. By showing the overlap between the English vocabulary students learned before entering university and the vocabulary in the textbook, guidebook users can clearly understand what new vocabulary they need to learn in order to understand the textbook. The textbook “The Economy” is a good textbook to study Economics and learn English. Our guidebook encourages Japanese to read “authentic text” in English. It means that the guidebook help integrate Economic education and English education. In my presentation, I would like to demonstrate how helpful and innovative our guidebook is.
Photo Assignments in Economics Courses – An International Approach
Lavinia Moldovan, Mount Royal University co-presenting with Alpna Bhatia, University of Colorado at Boulder
Abstract
We will discuss an adaptable photo assignment that can be used in introductory and intermediate economics courses. The assignment asks students to process their world through economic theory and communicate their ideas both through an original photograph and in writing, to demonstrate that they can make connections between the ideas they are learning in the course and every-day scenarios.
Our innovative approach is to implement this assignment simultaneously in two universities, ideally from different countries, to create an environment in which the students learn how to communicate economics to an international audience and to expose them to the work of their international peers. The assignment is inclusive, it encourages diverse perspectives, and it follows the guidelines of universal design for learning (CAST, UDL Guidelines, 2018). We have successfully run this assignment internationally, online, between Mount Royal University, Canada, and the University of Colorado, Boulder, US, and we would like to invite interested professors to join us.
The students were not only enrolled at universities in different countries, but were also enrolled in different courses: the students from Canada were enrolled in Principles of Microeconomics, while the students from the US were enrolled in Principles of Macroeconomics. While the students of microeconomics were looking at the provision of public goods, the macroeconomics students were looking at fiscal policy and government expenditures. Students created “art” about economic issues that were approached from different theoretical lenses but had a common core; for example, how important are highways as a public good, and how important is expenditure on highways and infrastructure for the government? Each student had to provide constructive feedback for at least one student from another country and they were impressed with the diversity of ideas and perspectives.
Learning Economics with La Economía: experience from an introductory course for law students
Pedro A. Tamayo, Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia – UNED
Abstract
The intention of this participation proposal is to share the experience from the use of the textbook La Economía, by CoreEcon, as a basic textbook in an introductory course to Economics. The course is taught during one term in a compulsory subject, Political Economy, aimed at students of the Law Degree, in the distance learning modality by the Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia (National University of Distance Education).
The teaching team adopted this textbook because of its positive evaluation of its format, design, contents and the existence of a large community of users. Since the 2021-2022 academic year and up to the present, it has been used with varying levels of acceptance by the students and by the professors in charge of tutoring their learning.
Its implementation has been accompanied by the creation of complementary materials to accompany students in their autonomous learning, such as a study guide, or on-line materials that replicate and enrich some of the graphics included in the text.
Once the second year of its use has concluded, we can evaluate the lights and shadows of the handling of the text La Economía in the specific framework of the degree in which it is used, in the distance teaching/learning modality, the peculiarities of the content and the approach adopted by the authors. We also share some ideas or recommendations to improve the reception of this text, especially in universities in Spanish-speaking countries.
Watch via our YouTube channel on Tuesday 27 June, starting at 3pm BST//10am EDT
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