Re: Economic Problems

[Peter Dorman <dormanp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Paul, here's my take.

Students should play a role in defining the problems to be looked at, but
they aren't likely to be ready to do this at the beginning of the course.
In a sense, the whole point of the course is to bring them to where they
can do this on their own.  So my suggestion would be, assuming this is a
regularly recurring course, to define the problems yourself this time
around, and then, perhaps as a final project, enlist the students to
define the problems for the *next* iteration.  Perhaps they could also
pick out the kinds of theories, analyses, etc. they think would be useful
for the next round.  You wouldn't have to follow their lead religiously,
but you could incorporate large parts of it, and they process of working
through it would probably be the sort of integrating and applying
experience you would hope for them.

How does this sound?

Peter

phillp2@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx wrote:

> For the list,
> For the first time, I am teaching a 2nd year course called
> "Canadian Economic Problems".  In the past, most profs have
> come in with their  texts and litany of problems and proceded to
> mould the course around these topics.  I (perhaps fool that I am)
> decided to make the students define what the problems were and
> how we should analyze them.  So I have asked them to go out and
> define what they think the biggest problems are and what we
> should look at in class.
>
> Our short initial discussion in class was not very edifying -- either
> the issues identified were defined by the current political debate at
> the national level -- high corporate taxes -- or were so general as to
> represent an impossible framework to develop an adequate
> analysis -- e.g. "the problem is the threat of the United States".
>
> Now while I am sympathetic to the critique of  American imperial
> design, I need more focus on which to direct one's analysis.
>
> Has anyone else taught such a course and, if so, what did you
> teach?  If you haven't taught such a course, what would you teach?
>
> In general, suggestions are welcome.
>
> Paul Phillips,
> Economics,
> University of Manitoba