Difference between revisions of "Nuance"

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[http://www.cob.calpoly.edu/faculty/clare-battista/ Dr. Clare Battista], at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, teaches an upper-division economics course on the [[Battista - Poverty and Discrimination|Economics of Poverty, Discrimination, and Immigration]]. The course is US based with a focus on integration: integrating knowledge across disciplines, integrating real world and theoretical knowledge, and building on foundational knowledge from economics principles courses. As Dr. Battista reports,  
 
[http://www.cob.calpoly.edu/faculty/clare-battista/ Dr. Clare Battista], at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, teaches an upper-division economics course on the [[Battista - Poverty and Discrimination|Economics of Poverty, Discrimination, and Immigration]]. The course is US based with a focus on integration: integrating knowledge across disciplines, integrating real world and theoretical knowledge, and building on foundational knowledge from economics principles courses. As Dr. Battista reports,  
 
:''I abandoned a textbook for this course several years ago to keep it current, and now rely mostly on articles, videos, TED talks, etc. This keeps the cost low and students are also much more engaged because they feel like they are learning a lot about the real world as well as economics. The instruction is also flipped or what I refer to as a managed flip. I organize the course into 5 modules since I teach in 10 week quarters...As I move toward active and flipped instruction, I find I am much more cognizant of what it is I want students to learn or take away. Thus, I have converted many of my assignments to learning objectives for the module or lecture.'' (personal correspondence)
 
:''I abandoned a textbook for this course several years ago to keep it current, and now rely mostly on articles, videos, TED talks, etc. This keeps the cost low and students are also much more engaged because they feel like they are learning a lot about the real world as well as economics. The instruction is also flipped or what I refer to as a managed flip. I organize the course into 5 modules since I teach in 10 week quarters...As I move toward active and flipped instruction, I find I am much more cognizant of what it is I want students to learn or take away. Thus, I have converted many of my assignments to learning objectives for the module or lecture.'' (personal correspondence)
 
 
   
 
   
 
Check out [[Battista - Poverty and Discrimination|Dr. Battista's pages]] on Div.E.Q.
 
Check out [[Battista - Poverty and Discrimination|Dr. Battista's pages]] on Div.E.Q.

Revision as of 12:39, 10 January 2014

Teaching economics with nuance

Even if your department decides not to offer separate courses in heterodox theories of economics or on Race, Ethnicity, and Gender in Economics, it is important (and maybe even preferable) to integrate alternative perspectives and experiences into the content of existing courses. Acknowledge that the world is more complex than our simple (or even advanced) models suggest. Show how economists have taken steps towards improving models and methods and how we still have work ahead.

Here are some examples:

Macro:

On the Financial Crisis: Consider "the role of stratification along multiple trajectories – race, class, and gender – in contributing to economic crises and in shaping their distributional dynamics." See Fukuda-Parr, Sakiko, James Heintz, and Stephanie Seguino, "Critical Perspectives on Financial and Economic Crises: Heterodox Macroeconomics Meets Feminist Economics Feminist Economics," Volume 19, Issue 3, 2013. http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/13545701.2013.806990#preview

On Shortcomings of GDP: Assign the clip https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pT8Qc8mH-0s&list=PLD779AF4357E7D3E0, in which Marilyn Waring speaks about women's work and the importance of assigning value to it. Ask students to identify three policy decisions that may generate inefficiency if the policymakers do not adequately account for the value of nonmarket production. Ask students to identify and discuss three policy decisions that may generate inequity if policymakers do not adequately account for the value of nonmarket production.

Micro:

On the Labor-Leisure Model: To analyze an individual's time allocation decision, use a model of utility model derived indirectly from market goods and nonmarket time. While a portion of time outside of paid employment is leisure, men and especially women spend significant amounts of nonmarket time producing goods and services for the household[1] and caring for children[2]. Francine D. Blau, Marianne A. Ferber, Anne E. Winkler offer a great presentation of this model in The Economics of Women, Men, and Work by http://www.amazon.com/The-Economics-Women-Work-Edition/dp/0136084257.

On discrimination: Explicitly acknowledge the narrow conditions under which competitive market forces penalize and eliminate discrimination. Teach alternative theories of discrimination, which explain the persistence of discrimination in markets.


Courses on Poverty and Inequality

Dr. Diana Strassmann, Carolyn and Fred McManis Distinguished Professor in the Practice of Humanities at Rice University and chair of the board of the Wiki Education Foundation, designed and taught two courses within the Wikipedia Education Program.

  • Poverty, Justice, Human Capabilities "provides an introduction to the study of poverty, justice, and capabilities. The course considers theory and policy oriented towards improving human well-being in the US and internationally. Readings address material deprivations and inequalities, including links to racial and ethnic disparities, gender, sexual orientation, health status, education, human rights, and political freedoms."
  • Poverty, Gender, and Human Development, offered by Diana Strassmann and Anne Chao, "explores the gender dimensions of poverty and development policies in local and global communities. Drawing from feminist economics research, the course considers how gender relations and the organization of domestic and market work influence gender equality."


Dr. Clare Battista, at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, teaches an upper-division economics course on the Economics of Poverty, Discrimination, and Immigration. The course is US based with a focus on integration: integrating knowledge across disciplines, integrating real world and theoretical knowledge, and building on foundational knowledge from economics principles courses. As Dr. Battista reports,

I abandoned a textbook for this course several years ago to keep it current, and now rely mostly on articles, videos, TED talks, etc. This keeps the cost low and students are also much more engaged because they feel like they are learning a lot about the real world as well as economics. The instruction is also flipped or what I refer to as a managed flip. I organize the course into 5 modules since I teach in 10 week quarters...As I move toward active and flipped instruction, I find I am much more cognizant of what it is I want students to learn or take away. Thus, I have converted many of my assignments to learning objectives for the module or lecture. (personal correspondence)

Check out Dr. Battista's pages on Div.E.Q.