Teaching Methods in Undergraduate Intermediate Theory, Statistics and Econometrics, and Other Upper-Division Economics Courses: Results From a Sixth National Quinquennial Survey

Abstract

This article is an extension of a recent article published in The American Economist (Asarta et al., 2021) and presents the second report of basic findings from the 2020 online administration of the sixth national quinquennial survey on teaching and assessment methods in economics. Consistent with the results from the first report, we find that “chalk and talk” remains the staple method of instruction across the entire undergraduate economics curriculum. Lessons, activities, and references that address diversity, inclusion, or gender issues are almost never used in intermediate theory, statistics and econometrics, and other upper-division field courses. There has been notable growth in the use of cooperative learning/small-group assignments, as well as in instructor-led and “student(s) with student(s)” discussions over the past 25 years. Overall, however, there have been minimal changes in teaching methods over time. JEL Classifications: A20, A22