Engaging Students to Make Economic Sense of Data: Towards a Better Mix of Learning Resources DEE09 Wednesday 9th September 2009 Dean Garratt and Stephen Heasell Economics Division Nottingham Trent University

Deans perspective What do professional economists do? Advocate of Problem-Based Learning (PBL) Embed concepts, theories and techniques in real world scenario Context can help to enhance deeper learning Enhance awareness of economic environment Historical and international PBL beyond principles in economics modules Transition and study skills modules Quantitative economics modules

Steves perspective For introducing methods used in HE Economics For introducing the information production function Applicability of theoretical ideas and methods Appeal to external interests Clear exposition of complexity Dumbing Down? Instrumental?

3 main messages Data can play a role in engaging students with economics How to retain student engagement when learning about the production of data Learning materials should be easy to blend into a package of learning resources

Ideas addressed in the Case Studies Economic concepts and theory embedded in data Economic concepts and theory used to interpret data Threshold concepts and key ideas Opportunity cost; nominal and real; stocks and flows Ideas arising from classroom experience Levels, rates of change Trends and volatility Volumes and values Frequency of data Ratios, percentages and proportions

And more ideas… Specific data-related issues Choice of data Cross-sectional/Time series/Longitudinal Seasonally-adjusted/cyclically-adjusted Reliability Timeliness Use of proxies Use of plural sources together Risk of misleading over-interpretation

Evidence from a funded project Case studies: structure and content For first-time HE students of economics From classroom to case study: successes and limitations

Case Study Structure Data Use Data Search and Selection Data Transformation and Interpretation Review Questions 6 dual-column pages; tables; charts; few equations; short sentences & paragraphs

Case Study Topics Working with Data on… Economic Growth House Prices Household Debt Consumption Spending Government Finances

How will tutors integrate the Studies into their module LT? Napier & UCL NBS & NTU

Empirically-led LT for Economics Empirically-led LT in economic concepts Empirically-led LT in data work Data use-led LT in data work Non HE data use-led LT in data work for decision makers Empirically-led introduction to the information production function

Stimulating rigorous use of data as a resource for learning Overcoming reluctance to work with data Information and education production functions Embed concepts in an empirical context Practising data and ICT skills