Using backward design to create a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive principles course

Abstract

The economics profession has been working to become more open, inclusive, and welcoming. The introductory principles of economics courses provide a unique opportunity to teach students of the wider university the value of the field of economics. It is in this setting that instructors’ interactions with students show them a welcoming and diverse profession or confirm that economics provides a toolbox useful only to some. Using a careful backward course design and attention to creating a diverse, equitable, and inclusive environment, the following article’s author presents a principles of microeconomics course with the potential to illustrate to undergraduate students the value of a degree in economics for all students.

Keywords:

• Backward design
• diversity
• economic education
• equity
• pedagogy

JEL CODE:

• A2

Acknowledgments

The author thanks the facilitators and participants of the EDUCATE Workshop 2021, the UC Davis Center for Educational Effectiveness, and Derek Stimel for their insights and inspiration through the course redesign process.

Notes

1 The American Economics Association’s EDUCATE Workshop of 2021 offered me an opportunity to learn and practice the methodology used in the redesign and a community of support while executing the new course.

2 A detailed guide for the 3-2-1 teaching technique can be found on the K. Patricia Cross Academy Web site: https://kpcrossacademy.org.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the ILTI grant from the UCOP and the UC Davis Small Grant for the Aid of Research.