Integration of URSCA in Economics General Education Courses

Zamira Simkins, Rubana Mahjabeen and Sakib MahmudUniversity of Wisconsin-Superior

Introduction

• Undergraduate Research, Scholarship and Creative Activity (URSCA):• An inquiry or investigation conducted by an

undergraduate student with a faculty mentor that makes an original intellectual or creative contribution to the discipline

• URSCA at UW-Superior:• URSCA committee & activities• Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship program • UW-System Growth Agenda Grant & URSCA Center • URSCA program grants• Partnership with McNair Scholars program

URSCA in Economics

• URSCA taxonomy (DeLoach, Perry-Sizemore and Borg, 2010):

Course activities

Course projects

Capstone experience

Collaborative research

Examples Short assignments, experiments

Research papers, surveys

Thesis, SYE papers

Grant-funded studies

Course level

All All 4th year 3rd or 4th year

Time required

Days, weeks Weeks, months

Semester(s) Summer, semester(s)

Prereqs. Content knowledge

& basic research

skills

Content knowledge

& basic research

skills

Integrated content

knowledge & research skills

Integrated content

knowledge, research and

teamwork skills

URSCA in Economics (cont.)

• URSCA taxonomy (DeLoach, Perry-Sizemore and Borg, 2010):Course

activitiesCourse

projectsCapstone

experienceCollaborative

researchGoals & objectives

Application of concepts and theories

Integration of concepts and theories

Student learning & program

assessment

Advanced learning & grad. school preparation

Research type & student decision-making

Highly structured, common

instructions, few decisions

Structured, students

make some research decisions

Unstructured, students make most research

decisions

Varied structure, high degree of

faculty oversight, joint decisions

Mentoring focus

Individual or group, simple

Individual or group,

complex

Individual, highly complex

Individual, highly complex

UW-S URSCA in ECON Gen. Ed’s

• Project objectives:• Integrate URSCA in all Economics Gen. Ed. courses• Increase the number of students exposed to

experiential/active student learning • Introduce students to research methods and practices

• Implementation:• Courses: Economics in Society, Principles of

Microeconomics, Principles of Macroeconomics• Products: 3 sets of course-based assignments, grading

rubrics, assessment rubrics and feedback forms• Frequency: every semester

UW-S URSCA in Microeconomics

Economics Student Learning Outcomes:• Master economics terms, concepts and theories:• Demand, supply, law of demand and law of supply

• Apply knowledge to understand how the economy works: • Market forces of S & D, equilibrium P & Q

• Develop undergraduate research KSAs:• Data collection, processing and interpretation

• Demonstrate critical thinking and problem solving skills: • Data analysis

• Demonstrate effective communication skills: • Written answers, group discussions

Project Description

Market: • Online homework access code (e.g., Aplia access code) Assignment details:• Introduced after S & D • Market assumption: perfectly competitive market• Ideal class size: 20-40 students, 50-50 buyers-sellers • Two+ class periods: (1+) simulation, (2) analysis• Simulation: 10 rounds, 2-3 minutes per round• Student instruction sheets: • Buyers – product valuation and behavior rules• Sellers - production cost and behavior rules

Buyer & Seller’s Record FormsRound # Seller’s Name Price You Paid for

the Access CodeYour Access Code

ValuationYour Consumer

Surplus

Round # Buyer’s Name Price You Received for the Access Code

Your Production Cost of Access Code

Your Producer Surplus

Analysis of Simulated Data

Initial analysis:• Cleaning the data set• Analysis of sellers'

behavior• Analysis of buyers'

behavior

Analysis of Simulated Data

Subsequent analysis:• Revealing of buyer valuations & production costs• Analysis of simulated data in graph and table format:• Table: market Qs & Qd at each price level• Graph: market S&D curves; equilibrium P&Q

• Application of economic theory to simulated behavior• Discussion on findings

URSCA Project Grade

5% of class grade: • Participation in the simulation• Data collection• Data analysis• Group discussion

Student Survey ResultsThis assignment… Strongly Agree

& AgreeStrongly Disagree

& Disagree

Helped you master knowledge of economics terms, concepts, and theories 58.49% 11.32%

Improved your knowledge and abilities to understand how the economy works 81.13% 3.77%

Taught you undergraduate research methods and developed your research skills

60.38% 11.32%

Enhanced your critical thinking and problem-solving skills 58.49% 7.55%

Developed your KSAs in data collection, processing, and interpretation 83.02% 7.55%

Enhanced your oral & written communication skills 60.38% 7.58%

Helped you learn how to work effectively as an independent researcher or a member of a group

64.15% 5.67%

Conclusion

• Positive student feedback about the assignment• Areas for improvement and extensions:• Revise instructions to provide step-by-step guidance

for every phase of the assignment• Vary product costs and valuations across rounds• Extend the simulation across different market

structures: • Perfect competition• Monopolistic competition• Oligopoly• Monopoly