College Economics Course Research Articles

Evaluating the Cooperative Component in Cooperative Learning: A Quasi‐Experimental Study

In this study, the authors employed a quasi‐experimental research design to examine the efficacy of a cooperative learning pedagogy (i.e., think‐pair‐share exercises) integrated into sections of microeconomic principles. Materials, exercises, and assessment instruments for all study sections are identical except for the nature of the problem‐solving process used for in‐class practice problems. The results suggest that the treatment group of students engaging in think‐pair‐share problem‐solving exercises performed no better on the Test of Understanding in College Economics (Saunders 1991) or overall course scores than students in a control group engaging in independent, in‐class, problem solving. Similarly, no differences on measures of student interest, attitudes toward the subject, or other perceptions of the course or instructor emerge between the treatment and control groups.

What is behind class attendance in college economics courses?

How class attendance influences students’ performance remains unclear. Specifically, do students learn more in class if they attend more classes, or does class attendance create incentives for students to study harder outside class? To better understand this relationship, we designed an attendance policy in an economics course that does not significantly change students’ attendance rates. Students who scored below a cut-off on the midterm exam were required to attend subsequent class lectures even though attendance had been implicitly made mandatory for all students, accounting for 10% of the course grade. Our regression discontinuity analysis suggests that our attendance policy significantly improved students’ performance on the final exam, even though it had minimal impacts on their attendance rates. We also found that the policy worked via inducing students to reallocate their time spent studying other courses outside class to economics.

The impact of multiple grading scheme options on student test performance in college economics courses: empirical evidence from Taiwan

This study exploits an experimental opportunity to understand whether or not the introduction of multiple grading scheme options enhance college student learning and test performance in a Principles of Economics course. The econometric findings, based on a sample of students enrolled in the Principles of Economics course at Shih Hsin University, Taiwan in the second semester of the 2008 academic year, offer evidence that the availability of the multiple grading scheme options provides a positive effect on student test performance, particularly among the low midterm score students. The two grading scheme options significantly increase the average score in the final examination by 15.65 points among the poor midterm performance students. The results of this study suggest that the adoption of more flexible ways of assigning grades provides motivations for the poor midterm performance students not to give up and to study harder in the second-half of the course.

Mathematics Skills and Everyday Problem Solving

We administer a basic mathematics exam to over 600 students enrolled in various college economics courses to understand what factors influence a student's ability to use basic math skills in solving simple real world problems. We find that students with strong elementary math skills are better able to use their math background in solving everyday problems. Moreover, our findings suggest that by taking more math classes in college, students significantly improve their ability to apply math in real world settings. Finally, we find that many demographic variables are important determinants, particularly the size of personal and family income. Students with greater personal financial responsibility in funding their education do significantly better in understanding and applying basic math skills.

Student Response to Selective Grading in College Economics Courses

(1998). Student Response to Selective Grading in College Economics Courses. The Journal of Economic Education: Vol. 29, No. 3, pp. 195-201.

Student Response to Selective Grading in College Economics Courses

Student Response to Selective Grading in College Economics Courses

Beyond High School: Does the High School Economics Curriculum Make a Difference?

Results from previous studies assessing the effect of high school economics courses on student performance in college economics courses have been inconclusive. We argue that this research fails to distinguish between high school economics courses that focus on traditional college macroeconomic and microeconomic topics and those that focus on less theoretical topics. We correct for this error by examining the relationship between the high school curriculum and knowledge of college-level economics. Although we find no evidence that students who studied high school economics are better equipped to study college economics than students who did not, we find that the curriculum does make a difference for students who have taken high school economics.

Performance and Attitudinal Effects of a Computer Laboratory in the Principles of Economics Course

This study presents the results of a controlled experiment testing the effect of a computer laboratory on student performance and attitudes in an introductory college economics course. The authors develop a two-stage, ordered-probit model to examine the simultaneous determination of performance and attitude formation. The empirical results indicate the lab course significantly improved course performance for students at either end of the grade distribution. The lab was not found to significantly improve student attitudes toward the discipline. Keywords: economics, CAI, laboratory, learning, attitudes.

The Use of Seven Simulation Games in a College Economics Course

This study investigated the impact of four student characteristics and the instructors on the relative abilities of a simulation-gaming method and the lecture-discussion method to increase the economic knowledge, retention of economic knowledge, and interest toward economics of college students enrolled in an introductory economics course. The study indicated that the relative effectiveness of the methods of instruction was influenced by the students’ pre-course economic knowledge, previous economic training, and scholastic abilities. While the limitations of the study should be considered, it was suggested that a student’s economic knowledge, previous training, and scholastic ability could be used to place the student in the appropriate introductory economics course section.

Computer-assisted instruction in an elementary college economics course

The ingredients involved in the computer component of a cost effective college course in economics are examined in some detail in this article. As measured by increased student achievement and by favorable student reaction to the instruction the course is a success. The main computer ingredients used with the course consist of a series of seven instructional lessons of a review and expository nature, three hour examinations with multiple forms administered by the computer, a sophisticated record-keeping system and a note-writing capability enabling students and instructors to communicate with each other via the computer. In addition a study management system which research has demonstrated improves cognitive achievement was available but was not used in the experiment reported upon here. During the 1979 fall semester roughly 1000 students at the University of Illinois used the ‘economic supplementary package’—available world-wide through CDC. On the average students finishing the complete package spent somewhat less than one hour per week at the computer terminal. Off the computer students used different text books depending upon the lecturers teaching the various sections of the course. The author feels that instructors in other disciplines might benefit from knowing the peculiar combination of inputs which lead to favorable student acceptance of CAI instruction in economics and to statistically significant improvements in outcomes.

Student Evaluations of Teaching and the Cognitive Level of Economics Courses

The Journal of Economic Education of Fall 1973 was devoted to the subject of student evaluations of teachers. That issue has engendered a great many papers, only a few of which can be published in the JEE because of space limitations. Michael Everett's report is not a mere replication of previous research on the subject, but adds a new dimension—the possible effect of student evaluations on the cognitive level of college economics courses. His finding that students may favor professors who emphasize lower level cognitive material will surely be distressing to many teachers, and should cause sober reflection on the part of administrators and others involved in establishing faculty evaluation procedures and policies.

An experimental evaluation of a computer based study management system1

Abstract A computer assisted study management system (CAISMS) was experimentally investigated in the context of an introductory college economics course. The 169 students in the CAISMS and control classes attended similar lecture‐discussion classes and received an identical battery of achievement tests and questionnaires during the semester. Results from a multivariate analysis of covariance indicated that the CAISMS group scored significantly higher (p <.05) on achievement tests than the control group. In addition, analysis of variance showed that the attitudes of CAISMS students were more positive (p <.01) than were those of control students. Attrition rates were approximately equal in the two groups.

A computer based study management system1

Abstract The Computer Aided Instruction Study Management System (CAISMS) was designed to maintain attentive study of instructional materials. Students often fail to learn from books and other instructional sources because they do not study them carefully enough. CAISMS was designed to intermittently question the student about what he is studying so as to maintain deep processing. In practice, the student signs in at a computer terminal and receives a brief study assignment. Upon completing the assignment in a nearby work space, the student again signs in. This time he receives a short quiz over the assignment just finished. The cycle starts again with the next assignment. CAISMS was used in an introductory level college economics course with approximately 70 students. Achievement, procedural and attitudinal data indicate that the study management technique is feasible to administer and potentially effective in producing achievement gains over traditional ongoing instruction. Most students had favorable to...

Things you can try: A seventh-grade mathematics class tackles the stock market

Our seventh-grade mathematics class had had no previous experience in making graphs, and I wanted to find an approach to the topic that would provide a stimulating, enrichment activity for a bright group of youngsters. I also wanted to involve other mathematics skills so there would be maximum benefit from the project. Remembering my own experience with theoretically buying and selling stocks during a college economics course I had once taken, I decided to try the same approach with the seventh grade.

An Exploratory Study of the Economic Understanding of Elementary School Teachers

Professor McKenzie administered the SRA Test of Economic Understanding to 144 elementary teachers in southwest Virginia and compared their performance with that of several other groups. It is concluded that elementary teachers whose formal economics training is comparable to that of high school teachers are equally knowledgable. His results raise further questions about the effectiveness of two semesters of economics as compared with one, at least as far as long-run impact is concerned. The so-called “Stigler hypothesis” was also tested, McKenzie concluding that Stigler was probably “overly pessimistic about the lasting effects of the college economics course.” Several suggestions for improving the teaching of economics at the elementary level are included.