Good-By Old, Hello New in Teaching Economics

Abstract:     
Throughout the world, economists have observed student lack of interest in pursuing the study of economics. In response, there has been an increase in academic economists' interest in their teaching, but that does not necessarily imply that they have figured out what is required for good teaching or what should be taught. In this article, I again address what is versus what should be taught, and the way economics is taught versus how it should be taught at the tertiary level. I argue that the dumbing down of economics to the dogmatic preaching of a few simple concepts, principles, and axioms of old misses the excitement of modern day economics. The power of economics can be shown at the tertiary level by instructors updating their lists of concepts, abandoning their reliance on chalk and talk type teaching methods, and changing their examples to reflect current social and political issues.

JEL Classifications: A2

Working Paper Series