Innovative teaching tactics focus of economics conference

Does using poetry and laboratory experiments to teach economics sound far-fetched? Perhaps. But they are among the innovative and effective teaching methods being used in some of the nation's best classrooms.

Three leaders in economic education will discuss these and other creative teaching strategies at a conference being presented by the economics department on March 5. Although the topic is economics, the tools are useful for junior and senior high school teachers and college-level professors of other academic disciplines as well.

At the conference, Michael Watts of Purdue University and Charles Holt of the University of Virginia will discuss creative teaching techniques that develop active learning, bring interdisciplinary aspects to study and help students retain economic concepts that lead to economic literacy.

Watts, a professor of economics and director of the Center for Economic Education at Purdue, will present sessions on "Literature and Drama and the Classroom" and "What Students Remember and Say about College Economics Years Later." He argues that using literary readings encourages all students to participate in class discussions.

Holt, the Willis Robertson Professor of Political Economy at the University of Virginia, believes laboratory experiments, integrated with Socratic teaching approaches, enable students to discover meanings of economic concepts. He will focus on two topics, "Experiments in Teaching Economics" and "Practical Applications of Experiments."

In addition, Timothy Fuerst, the Owens-Illinois Professor of Economics at Bowling Green, will discuss what leads to a successful experiment. A nationally recognized economist, Fuerst received the BGSU Master Teacher Award in 2000.

The conference will be held from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. March 5 at the Bowen-Thompson Student Union.

The cost to attend is $60, which includes continental breakfast and lunch. To register, call 2-8181.
For more details, contact Mary Ellen Benedict at 2-8221 or email mbenedi@cba.bgsu.edu.

The conference is the 12th in an annual series designed to enhance economic education.