Teaching Large Classes: Overcoming the Myths

Debra Herbert, Denise Chalmers and Rachel Hannam
Additional contact information
Rachel Hannam: Teaching and Educational Development Institute, University of Queensland

Economic Analysis and Policy, 2003, vol. 33, issue 1, 103-117

Abstract: Undergraduate (particularly first year) economics courses often service a variety of related programs (e.g. business, commerce, accounting, journalism and social science) and have very large enrolments. Research examining undergraduate economics teaching practices undertaken in the mid-1990s reports that the traditional principles used in undergraduate economics courses focus on the lecture format, where students are assigned reading topics and the teacher provides oral lectures and visual illustrations to supplement those readings. In addition, research has indicated that the lack of cooperative learning techniques in large economics courses compared to other disciplines may be one reason why students are abandoning economics as a major. This paper discusses some of the recent findings regarding teaching and learning in large classes, with particular reference to the discipline of economics--what are the major issues facing teachers and students? Which strategies for teaching large economics classes are successful, and why? Such questions are discussed in conjunction with examples of alternative lecturing methods, and the application of different student-centred techniques such as collaborative problem-solving, web-based resources and activities, and small group student-to-student interaction. These will help outline the benefits of using alternative teaching practices in teaching economics in large classes; including motivating and stimulating students in their learning and assisting students to develop self-paced learning in large classes.

Keywords: Economics Teaching; Economics (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: A22 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2003
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

Downloads: (external link)
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S031359260350008X
Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:ecanpo:v:33:y:2003:i:1:p:103-117

Access Statistics for this article

Economic Analysis and Policy is currently edited by Clevo Wilson

More articles in Economic Analysis and Policy from Elsevier
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Catherine Liu ().