Microeconomic analysis for professional training of students of economic specialties

Abstract

Methods. In the process of developing an educational product for teaching «Microeconomics», methods of analysis and synthesis, observation method, methods of induction and deduction, methods of comparative analysis, graphical, logical, tabular and econometric methods of scientific knowledge were used. The methodological basis of the study was the methods of pedagogical experiment conducted during Economics undergraduate students teaching process. The practical task is based on the situational teaching method. Results. The article describes the practice of applying a situational teaching methodology using the example of a case study to study the market demand for bread. During the exercise, students consolidate theoretical knowledge of consumer choice theory and learn to apply them to solve practical problems. The study of the case allows one to get practical skills in determining the factors affecting market demand, finding the necessary statistical data, assessing the demand for a particular product, as well as interpreting the results obtained. During the assignment, students get acquainted with the statistical database of the State Statistics Service of Ukraine, deepen their skills in searching for relevant economic information and learn to apply it in practice. Novelty. The presented case-exercise is aimed at practical skills development in assessing and forecasting market demand for food products using real data from the State Statistics Service of Ukraine. Practical value. The chosen teaching strategy allows students to bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and its use to solve practical problems. This tactic allows transferring knowledge from their passive condition to an active one, as well as encouraging students to use the knowledge they have acquired in other disciplines. The relaxed atmosphere that is established in such classes allows students to better assimilate normative knowledge. Practical skills obtained in this way increase the level of competitiveness of the graduate-economist in the labor market.