Robin L. Bartlett

The Status and Prospects of the Economics Major

The objects, methods of instruction, content, and accomplishments of the undergraduate major in economics at institutions of higher education within the United States are discussed. Recommendations are provided for teaching students to “think like economists.”

A Flip of the Coin-A Roll of the Die: An Answer to the Free-Rider Problem in Economic Instruction

This article reviews some of the literature on collaborative learning and identifies a free-rider problem inherent in assigning grades to students participating in cooperative learning activities. The authors solution: one member or each group is identified randomly to take the exam or to make the presentation, and the grade earned by that student is assigned to all members of the group.

Teaching Economics as a Laboratory Science

The premise of this experiment is that by teaching economics as a laboratory science, students can be helped to “think like economists.” Computer lab exercises and novel pedagogy are described.

Teaching Intermediate Macroeconomics as A Lab Science: Some Initial Observations

This article examines the possibility of combining a laboratory format with the traditional lecture format typically used to teach intermediate macroeconomic theory. The authors argue that this new lecture/laboratory format enables instructors to improve student understanding of both theoretical and empirical issues in intermediate macroeconomics. In the laboratory, using Macintosh personal computers, students collect data drawn from recent U.S. history, examine the validity of particular macroeconomic concepts, and write position papers about alternative policy measures. One result of this new instructional format is that students become more active and mdependent learners. Keywords computers, data analysis, economic pedagogy, laboratories, macroeconomic theory.