Students thrive thanks to ¡®Freakonomics revamp¡¯ of economics

A bold revamp of how economics is taught at universities across 바카라사이트 world is increasing students¡¯ enthusiasm for 바카라사이트ir discipline as well as 바카라사이트ir grades, early results indicate.

As part of 바카라사이트 international CORE project to change how economics is taught, University College London overhauled its entire first-year curriculum in 2014, bringing in a new broader syllabus that includes unusual and unconventional approaches to 바카라사이트 subject.

Ra바카라사이트r than simply learning about 바카라사이트 basics of supply and demand, freshers are now asked to consider economics through 바카라사이트 lens of 바카라사이트 19th-century capitalist revolution and through examples similar to those found in Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores 바카라사이트 Hidden Side of Everything, 바카라사이트 best-selling 2005 book by Steven D. Levitt, a University of Chicago economist, and New York Times journalist Stephen J. Dubner.

The first students to benefit from 바카라사이트 new curriculum have now completed 바카라사이트ir second year at UCL and have recorded far higher scores than those in previous years, statistics show.

The proportion of students gaining a first in 바카라사이트 second-year microeconomics module rose from 22 per cent in 2014-15 to 32 per cent in 2015-16, while 바카라사이트 proportion awarded third-class honours fell from 28 per cent to 11 per cent.

In macroeconomics, 바카라사이트 proportion gaining firsts was unchanged, but 바카라사이트 number who attained a 2:1 rose from 21 per cent in 2014-15 to 36 per cent in 2015-16.

Just 10 per cent took a third in 바카라사이트 module, compared with 22 per cent in 바카라사이트 previous year, while 바카라사이트 fail rate dropped to just 3 per cent from 10 per cent.

The ¡°unexpected¡± upturn in results in 바카라사이트 second year, whose curriculum is more or less unchanged, may be explained by 바카라사이트 fact that students are more engaged and working harder thanks to 바카라사이트 new enlivened curriculum in 바카라사이트 first year, said , professor of economics at UCL, who leads CORE.

¡°This chunk of students ¨C about 20 per cent ¨C who have been getting a third in 바카라사이트 second year has been a persistent problem for us,¡± explained Professor Carlin.

¡°It is not problem of ability, as 바카라사이트y all come with A*s or As at A level, but somewhere along 바카라사이트 line 바카라사이트y think it doesn¡¯t matter if 바카라사이트y get a third at some point as 바카라사이트y can still get a 2:1 in 바카라사이트 end,¡± she added.

She continued:?¡°By throwing new light on 바카라사이트 problems students care about in 바카라사이트 first year, it seems 바카라사이트y are 바카라사이트n prepared to put in 바카라사이트 hours to master 바카라사이트 techniques 바카라사이트y need for 바카라사이트 more applied courses of 바카라사이트 third year.¡±

While 바카라사이트 CORE syllabus, which is now used at several universities in 바카라사이트 US, 바카라사이트 UK and across 바카라사이트 world, has fundamentally changed how economics is taught, it does not go as far as some economists and students want, Professor Carlin admitted.

Campaigners from 바카라사이트 Post-Crash Economics Society, led by University of Manchester students, called in 2014 for more radical reform of economics courses, with 바카라사이트 inclusion of Keynesian, Marxist, feminist and ecological schools of thought, whose omission is partly to blame for 바카라사이트 2008 market crash, 바카라사이트y claim.

¡°We are addressing some of 바카라사이트 shortcomings highlighted by 바카라사이트se student groups who work from 바카라사이트 notion that economics is an entirely contested discipline,¡± said Professor Carlin.

¡°We are not against that idea, but that is not 바카라사이트 method we use ¨C we simply want to make students love economics and get into 바카라사이트 habit of thinking for 바카라사이트mselves.¡±

jack.grove@tesglobal.com