Subject & Research Guides: PRME: Pedagogical Research

Economics - Pedagogical Research

Hale, Galina & Regev, Tali, 2014. "Gender Ratios at Top PhD Programs in Economics"Economics of Education Review
Analyzing university faculty and graduate students data for ten of the top U.S. economics departments between 1987 and 2007, we find persistent differences in the gender compositions of both faculty and graduate students across departments. There is a positive correlation between the share of female faculty and the share of women in the PhD class graduating six years later.
SDG Topics: Quality Education / Gender Equality.
Flynn, Patricia M. and Quinn, Michael A., 2010. “Economics: A Good Choice of Major for Future CEOs,” The American Economist, 60, 58-72.
It is often suggested that Economics is a good major for individuals interested in becoming business leaders. Despite this widespread assertion, little research has been conducted on this topic. Using the Standard and Poor (S&P) 500 companies, this article examines the validity of such a claim.
SDG Topics: Gender Equality / Decent Work & Economic Growth.
Bartlett, R. L., Ferber, M. A., & Green, C. A. (2009). The Committee on Economic Education: Its Effect on the Introductory Course and Women in Economics. Forum For Social Economics, 38(2- 3), 153-172.
The percentage of women economics majors has stagnated for decades. This is creating a bottleneck in the pipeline of female economists. The Committee on Economic Education (CEE) of the American Economic Association (AEA) is charged with fostering economic understanding and effective teaching. An examination of its structure, membership and activities over the past 35 years, however, suggests that it has narrowed the scope of economic ideas presented in introductory economics and has not convinced instructors of the benefits of a more active learning environment. The task of engaging students in the search for greater knowledge has largely been left to heterodox "visionaries," members of the profession who have tried to find ways to make economics courses more interesting and inviting to all students, and especially to underrepresented groups. We conclude that the CEE's membership and structure contribute to the small percentage of the increasingly female undergraduate population who major in economics.
SDG Topics: Quality Education / Gender Equality.
McDowell, John; Singell, Larry, Jr.; & Stater, Mark, 2006. "Two to Tango? Gender Differences in the Decisions to Publish and Coauthor, Economic Inquiry; Vol. 44, No, 1; pg. 153-168
The existence of old boy networks has long been postulated as a possible explanation for the presence of gender differences in market outcomes but with little empirical support because of the difficulty in measuring network access. This article explores the unique attributes of academic labor markets and detailed data on individuals and jobs for PhD economists over nearly four decades.
SDG Topics: Gender Equality / Decent Work & Economic Growth / Reduced Inequalities.
Joy, Lois, 2000. "Do Colleges Shortchange Women? Gender Differences in the Transition from College to Work." American Economic Review, 90(2): 471–475.
Do gender differences in college majors and qualifications account for gender differences in labor market outcomes? For the overwhelming majority of men and women, The Baccalauarate and Beyond Longitudinal Study data suggest that the answer is no. Within the majority of majors and occupations, men earn more than women in first jobs. The exception to this is for science and humanities majors, were men do not obtain a wage advantage over women.
SDG Topics: Gender Equality / Reduced Inequalities.
Robb, R., & Robb, A. (1999). Gender and the Study of Economics: The Role of Gender of the Instructor. Journal Of Economic Education, 30(1), 3-19.
The authors found no evidence that gender of the instructor matters in first-year university microeconomics performance or in the likelihood that a student will continue in economics, but female students do fare worse in economics than male students, controlling for measured ability and background. Moreover, fewer females continue in economics than do males.
SDG Topics: Quality Education / Gender Equality.
Kahn, Shulamit, 1995. "Women in the Economics Profession," Journal of Economic Perspectives; Vol. 9, No. 4; pp. 193 – 205.
Analysis of the trends of women in the economics profession. Women have progressively made more inroads in the profession of economics.
SDG Topics: Gender Equality.
Shelburn, M. R., & Lewellyn, P. G. (1995). Gender Bias in Doctoral Programs in Economics. Journal Of Economic Education, 26(4), 373-382.
In 1988, the president of the American Economic Association appointed 12 eminent economists to a Commission on Graduate Education in Economics (COGEE; 1991) whose purpose was to examine the state of graduate economics education. COGEE's research agenda did not include the investigation of gender bias in graduate economics programs. In this article, the authors seek to address that question. Learning more about this issue is important because an understanding of the precise nature of existing gender bias is essential to the creation of a gender- neutral environment, and students entering graduate economics programs can better cope with any gender bias if they recognize it as such.
SDG Topics: Quality Education / Gender Equality.
Hilmer, Christiana & Hilmer, Michael, 2007. "Women Helping Women, Men Helping Women? Same Gender Mentoring, Initial Job Placements, and Early Career Publishing Success for Economic PhDs," (May); AEA Papers and Proceedings; Vol. 97 No. 2; pp. 422 – 426.
The differences in the types of initial job placements and early career publication of recipients of economics PhD are investigated in relation to their gender-based relationship with their mentors. Results indicate that female students with male mentors are more likely to accept first jobs that are research-oriented compared to male students with male mentors. The supply of women in the field is also studied.
SDG Topics: Quality Education / Gender Equality / Industry, Innovation & Infrastructure.

Lopez, M. (2009). Incorporating Service-Learning into the Economics Curriculum. Review Of Black Political Economy, 36(2), 137-149.
The author provides a detailed application of the student-based instruction model of service-learning to an Economics of Race and Gender course at a liberal arts college. Upon completion of the project, students completed a survey about their service-learning experiences. The results indicated that the service-learning project enhanced student learning and created a more enriching course experience.
SDG Topics: Quality Education / Gender Equality / Reduced Inequalities / Partnerships for the Goals.
Robson, D. (2001). Women and Minorities in Economics Textbooks: Are They Being Adequately Represented?. Journal Of Economic Education, 32(2), 186-191.
The author examined 12 recent editions of principles of economics textbooks to determine the quantity of race- and gender-related material. Comparing the results to earlier studies demonstrates how efforts to incorporate more such coverage within the economics curriculum have influenced economics textbooks.
SDG Topics: Quality Education / Gender Equality / Reduced Inequalities.
Burnett, Nancy J. "Gender economics courses in liberal arts colleges." The Journal of Economic Education 28.4 (1997): 369-376.
This article presents a simultaneous probit model of gender-related economics courses as well as women's studies programs in the undergraduate, liberal arts curriculum. Liberal arts colleges are often perceived to be in the forefront of undergraduate pedagogy. I restricted the study to these colleges to avoid, as much as possible, the complications created by graduate programs. Liberal arts colleges are generally private and not subject to state mandates.
SDG Topics: Quality Education / Gender Equality.
Lage, Maureen J., and Michael Treglia. "The impact of integrating scholarship on women into introductory economics: Evidence from one institution." Journal of Economic Education (1996): 26-36.
This article empirically examines the effect of integrating the latest scholarship on women into the principles of microeconomics course. The content of the introductory microeconomics course was modified to address economic issues in a gender-inclusive manner. In addition, the formats of the classroom and of examinations were changed in a manner consistent with hypotheses that explain why female students do not perform as well as male students in economics courses. The resulting evidence suggests that all students perform significantly better in a gender-inclusive economics course.
SDG Topics: Quality Education / Gender Equality.
Bartlett, Robin L., and Susan F, "Balancing the economics curriculum: Content, method, and pedagogy." The American Economic Review (1992): 559-564.
For those concerned to produce a "diversity-friendly" economics curriculum, considerations of race and gender balance lead to an examination of the interaction of the various components of economics education. While work in this vein is rather new to economics, many other scholarly professions have constructively responded to the challenges posed by the increasingly multicultural environment in which economics competes with other disciplines for adherents. Indeed, a recent spate of scholarship suggests the need for such developments within economics (Marianne Ferber, 1984; Feiner and Barbara A. Morgan, 1987). This paper is an attempt at defining the nature and scope of problems confronting economics educators wishing to draw on the rich theoretic and empirical findings of the new scholarship on women and minorities.
SDG Topics: Quality Education / Gender Equality / Reduced Inequalities.
Conrad, Cecilia A. "Evaluating undergraduate courses on women in the economy." The American Economic Review (1992): 565-569.
This paper critically evaluates the scope and content of undergraduate courses on the economic status of women. It responds to critics who question whether these courses are too interdisciplinary, too laden with ideology, and too "soft" to qualify as economics courses.
SDG Topics: Quality Education / Gender Equality.
Gray, T. (1992). Women in Labor Economics Textbooks. Journal Of Economic Education, 23(4), 362-373.
This article critically analyzes the content of nine current labor economics textbooks, which may help teachers evaluate and supplement them.' To what extent do labor textbooks include women, present both sides of controversial issues, and avoid unwarranted inferences about women?
SDG Topics: Quality Education / Gender Equality.
Bergmann, Barbara R. "Women's roles in the economy: Teaching the issues." Journal of Economic Education (1987): 393-407.
The ongoing revolution in sex roles has created some new issues and some lively controversies that deserve a place in the economics curriculum. Both female and male students will find them interesting and important. Students recognize that these issues have affected their parents' lives and will affect their own—their career prospects, their chances to enjoy affluence, and their everyday domestic arrangements.
SDG Topics: Quality Education / Gender Equality.
Feiner, Susan F., and Barbara A. Morgan. "Women and minorities in introductory economics textbooks: 1974 to 1984." Journal of Economic Education (1987): 376-392.
Reviews widely-used introductory economics textbooks, examining how issues relating to race and gender are treated. Suggests how stereotypical roles could be avoided in the future. Includes a table summarizing data from 21 textbooks.
SDG Topics: Quality Education / Gender Equality / Reduced Inequalities.
Bartlett, Robin L. "Discovering diversity in introductory economics." The Journal of Economic Perspectives 10.2 (1996): 141-153.
About one million students each year take a course in introductory economics, which means that a great deal of diversity already exists in introductory economics courses. Even a seemingly homogeneous group of students within a single class will come from a variety of socioeconomic backgrounds and have varied abilities, skills and diverse interests. These students can serve as a valuable source of information about the impact of race and gender on economic events. Their personal stories can supplement the data from published sources. Incorporating race and gender will provide more realism in describing and explaining economic life; it should also encourage a more varied group of students to investigate economics courses.
SDG Topics: Quality Education / Gender Equality / Reduced Inequalities.
Feiner, Susan F., and Barbara A. Morgan. "Women and minorities in introductory economics textbooks: 1974 to 1984." Journal of Economic Education (1987): 376-392.
Reviews widely-used introductory economics textbooks, examining how issues relating to race and gender are treated. Suggests how stereotypical roles could be avoided in the future. Includes a table summarizing data from 21 textbooks.
SDG Topics: Quality Education / Gender Equality / Reduced Inequalities.
Ferber, M. A. (1984). Suggestions for Improving the Classroom Climate for Women in the Introductory Economics Course: A Review Article. Journal Of Economic Education, 15(2), 160- 168.
The first part of the article summarizes evidence that women students appear to be at some disadvantage in economics courses at all levels and presents some suggestions for mitigating this problem. The second part provides illustrations of how more information about and relevant to women can be integrated into economics courses.
SDG Topics: Quality Education / Gender Equality.
Freedman, Ora. "Sex, Class, and History: An Experiment in Teaching Economics in an Interdisciplinary Setting." The Journal of Economic Education 39.3 (2008): 251-259.
The author reports on various aspects of teaching economics in an interdisciplinary, team-taught course, including reflections on a unique experiment in teaching economics to nonmajors. By the incorporation of selected topics of gender economics into the interdisciplinary course about the changing economic statuses of women throughout history, the students are introduced to the fundamentals of economic thinking and encouraged to become economically literate.
SDG Topics: Quality Education / Gender Equality.
Hopkins, Barbara and Duggan, Lynn, (2011), A Feminist Comparative Economic Systems, Feminist Economics, 17, issue 3, p. 35-69.
This study proposes that feminist research be integrated into the field of comparative economic systems (CES) and that CES return to its traditional institutionalist methodologies to facilitate more complete analyses of economic systems and feminist alternatives to these systems and institutions. The study describes the evolution of CES, drawing attention to an increasing reliance on econometric modeling that reflects a shift in focus away from systems. An inventory of research on women and gender that has appeared in CES journals and textbooks finds little on topics other than formal labor markets in transition economies.
SDG Topics: Quality Education / Gender Equality.
Powlick, K. (2009). The Value of Advanced Interdisciplinary Classes for Students of Economics: Case Study of a 300-Level Class on Gender in the Economy. Forum For Social Economics, 38(2-3), 189-200.
Interdisciplinary classes are valuable to students of economics for many reasons. This paper discusses three reasons why such classes, at an advanced level, are useful and important for students of economics. First, interdisciplinary classes have the potential to encourage theory building and critical thinking, especially through the use of primary sources. Second, interdisciplinary classes also provide students with a richer empirical understanding of the world, beyond the narrowly quantitative data used in most economics research. Lastly, interdisciplinary classes can create a diverse learning environment that facilitates peer learning about difficult subjects such as race, class, and gender. A case study is used to explore such benefits.
SDG Topics: Quality Education / Gender Equality / Reduced Inequalities.
Tuma, Elias, (2004), Macroeconomics and Discrimination in Teaching, No 952, Working Papers, University of California, Davis, Department of Economics
There are biases in the teaching of macroeconomics. These biases reflect economic discrimination which varies in kind and impact on policy making and welfare of the people. Traditional economic concepts and tools of analysis are capable of identifying the different kinds of economic discrimination and assessing their impact on the economy. These concepts and tools are also adequate in teaching macroeconomics without bias and without compromising traditional objectives of economic education. The existence of economic discrimination has been widely recognized, but the teaching of macroeconomics has been too slow to reflect that reality.
SDG Topics: Quality Education / Gender Equality / Reduced Inequalities.

Ballard, Charles, and Marianne Johnson. "Gender, expectations, and grades in introductory microeconomics at a US university." Feminist Economics 11.1 (2005): 95-122.
Previous studies have documented a gender gap in the study of economics in Canada, the UK, and the US. One important factor may be women’s low expectations about their ability to succeed in economics courses. Women in our sample expect to do less well than men in an introductory microeconomics course, even after controlling for variables relating to family background, academic experience, and mathematics experience. These expectations are partly self-fulfilling, since expected grades have an important and positive effect on class performance. We also find that having taken an economics course in secondary school actually has a negative effect on performance. We observe this negative effect for women and men, but it is more pronounced for women. When we control for both expectations and secondary-school experience with economics, the independent effect of gender is small and insignificant.
SDG Topics: Quality Education / Gender Equality.
VRask, Kevin N. & Tiefenthaler, Jill, 2004. Too Few Women? - Or Too Many Men? The Gender Imbalance in Undergraduate Economics (August).
There is a gender imbalance in undergraduate economics departments with most departments educating a strong majority of young men. This imbalance has led many economists to ponder the question of why relatively few women choose to take courses and major in economics. Our hypothesis is that the gender imbalance in undergraduate economics, particularly at institutions with traditional liberal arts curriculums, is as much the result of too many men choosing economics as it is too few women.
SDG Topics: Quality Education / Gender Equality.
Borg, M. O., & Stranahan, H. A. (2002). Personality Type and Student Performance in UpperLevel Economics Courses: The Importance of Race and Gender. Journal Of Economic Education, 33(1), 3-14.
The authors demonstrate that personality type is an important explanatory variable in student performance in economics courses at the upper level, just as it was at the principles level.
SDG Topics: Quality Education / Gender Equality.
Greene, B. (1997). Verbal Abilities, Gender, and the Introductory Economics Course: A New Look at an Old Assumption
Challenges the assumption that female students enter college possessing greater verbal abilities than male students. The results of reading comprehension exercises conducted in introductory macroeconomics courses over a four-year period reveal little dichotomy in gender-specific performance. These findings are generally supported by SAT scores.
SDG Topics: Quality Education / Gender Equality.
Bartlett, Robin L. "Discovering diversity in introductory economics." The Journal of Economic Perspectives 10.2 (1996): 141-153.
About one million students each year take a course in introductory economics, which means that a great deal of diversity already exists in introductory economics courses. Even a seemingly homogeneous group of students within a single class will come from a variety of socioeconomic backgrounds and have varied abilities, skills and diverse interests. These students can serve as a valuable source of information about the impact of race and gender on economic events. Their personal stories can supplement the data from published sources. Incorporating race and gender will provide more realism in describing and explaining economic life; it should also encourage a more varied group of students to investigate economics courses.
SDG Topics: Quality Education / Gender Equality / Reduced Inequalities.
Lawson, L. D. (1994). The Role of Attitude in Learning Economics: Race and Gender Differences. Journal Of Economics And Finance, 18(2), 139-151.
This study identifies and analyzes factors that affect a learner's knowledge, comprehension, and application of economics by racial and gender grouping. A decomposition model is used to evaluate the impact of attitudinal effects and other exogenous variables on economic cognition. Preliminary findings suggest that the attitude of black students towards economics instruction differs from their white cohorts while no gender differences are found.
SDG Topics: Quality Education / Gender Equality / Reduced Inequalities.
Williams, M. L., Waldauer, C., & Duggal, V. G. (1992). Gender Differences in Economic Knowledge: An Extension of the Analysis. Journal Of Economic Education, 23(3), 219-231.
This study extends the research on gender differences in economic knowledge by including student test performances in courses at the intermediate economic theory level (both intermediate microeconomic analysis and intermediate macroeconomic analysis) and in economic statistics (for both semesters of a standard two-semester sequence in statistical analysis).
SDG Topics: Quality Education / Gender Equality.
Heath, J. A. (1989). An Econometric Model of the Role of Gender in Economic Education. American Economic Review, 79(2), 226.
Empirical analyses of gender differences have consistently shown that male high school students outperform female students on tests of the stock of economic knowledge. However, these results may be understating the true difference. In those cases in which students take economics as an elective course, it is likely that only the most analytical females will choose to take the course due to a culture that discourages women from displaying an interest in quantitatively-oriented courses. Gender differences in economic knowledge were analyzed, correcting for sample bias. The scores of 610 students on the Test of EconomicLiteracy served as the dependent variable.
SDG Topics: Quality Education / Gender Equality.
Ferber, M. A., Birnbaum, B. G., & Green, C. A. (1983). Gender Differences in Economic Knowledge: A Reevaluation of the Evidence. Journal Of Economic Education, 14(2), 24-37
Many studies have found that men have a higher level of economic understanding than women. Why such performance differences might matter for practical purposes is discussed. Results of a study which explored whether the gender differences found may be partly a result of the test instruments used are presented.
SDG Topics: Quality Education / Gender Equality.
Jackstadt, S. L., & Grootaert, C. (1980). Gender, Gender Stereotyping, and Socioeconomic Background as Determinants of Economic Knowledge and Learning. Journal Of Economic Education, 12(1), 34-40.
The article determines the level of economic understanding of high school students in Hawaii and several gender-related factors in economic knowledge and learning. The Test of Economic Understanding (TEU), a publication of Science Research Associates, was administered to over one thousand high school students in Hawaii. The results of the test explained the level of economic understanding of high school students and the amount of learning achieved in economics courses in terms of three groups of variables: (1) personal characteristics and socioeconomic background of the student, (2) gender-stereotyping of economics, and (3) the student-teacher relationship.
SDG Topics: Quality Education / Gender Equality / Reduced Inequalities.
Bansak, Cynthia & Starr, Martha, 2006. “Gender Differences in Predispositions towards Economics”
Previous studies find that, upon entering the college class, women are less likely than men to be interested in economics and more likely to expect it to be difficult, which contributes to their underrepresentation in the field. This paper investigates causes of gender differences in predispositions towards economics, using survey data from a large state university. A key finding is that students widely view economics as a business-oriented field that prioritizes math skills and emphasizes making money - a combination that is a turn-off for women, but not so much for men. Our results suggest that playing up the value of economics for social-welfare analysis, while playing down its business applications, may be important for re-balancing predispositions at the outset of the principles class.
SDG Topics: Quality Education / Gender Equality.
Davies, P., Mangan, J., & Telhaj, S. (2005). Bold, reckless and adaptable? Explaining gender differences in economic thinking and attitudes. British Educational Research Journal, 31(1), 29- 48.
In the first half of this paper we develop a perspective on the role of ‘boldness’ in explaining gender differences in thinking and attitudes. We apply this analysis to evidence from Australia, the USA and the UK in relation to economics at school and university levels. In the second half we present the results of a study of over 1000 15–17-year-olds in UK secondary schools. On the basis of the gender differences revealed in these data and our preceding analysis we offer some implications for learning and teaching.
SDG Topics: Quality Education / Gender Equality.
Gratton-Lavoie, C., & Stanley, D. (2009). Teaching and Learning Principles of Microeconomics Online: An Empirical Assessment. Journal Of Economic Education, 40(1), 3-25.
How do students enrolled in online courses perform relative to those who choose a more traditional classroom environment? What student characteristics help explain differences in student academic achievement in the two modes of instruction? What factors affect the students' choice of instruction mode? The authors address these questions in relation to the teaching of introductory economics courses. They find that the two groups of students are significantly different in age, gender composition, marital status and number of children, GPA, previous economics exposure, planned major, and other important characteristics.
SDG Topics: Quality Education / Gender Equality.
Horvath, J., Beaudin, B. Q., & Wright, S. P. (1992). Persisting in the Introductory Economics Course: An Exploration of Gender Differences. Journal Of Economic Education, 23(2), 101-108.
Presents results of a study examining gender differences in measures of academic aptitude and achievement that predict persistence in introductory economics courses. Concludes that females need more validation than male students to persist in the study of economics. Suggests that the need for female students to overcome classroom climate may explain the difference.
SDG Topics: Quality Education / Gender Equality.
Lumsden, K. G., & Scott, A. (1987). The Economics Student Reexamined: Male-Female Differences in Comprehension. Journal Of Economic Education, 18(4), 365-375.
Traces student comprehension in beginning economics course examinations in the United Kingdom from 1969 to 1973. Demonstrates that males performed better on multiple-choice tests, females performed better on essay examinations, and that female learning rates were lower than male learning rates. Reviews the influence of precollege courses. Includes illustrative tables.
SDG Topics: Quality Education / Gender Equality.
Siegfried, J. J. (1979). Male-Female Differences in Economic Education: A Survey. Journal Of Economic Education, 10(2), 1-11.
This survey first examines the hypotheses that are commonly used to justify the inclusion of a binary variable for gender in models of the "production function" for learning. Second, the distinction between understanding and learning economics is made, and its implications for the empirical studies are described. Third, the many empirical studies examining the association of gender with economic education are summarized and evaluated. The effect of gender on learning and understanding is distinguished and the question of when gender differentials appear is addressed. Fourth, gender differences in the effectiveness of alternative teaching techniques is discussed. The final section reports differences between men and women students in their enjoyment of and interest in economics.
SDG Topics: Quality Education / Gender Equality.

Owen, A. L. (2010). Grades, Gender, and Encouragement: A Regression Discontinuity Analysis. Journal Of Economic Education, 41(3), 217-234.
The author employs a regression discontinuity design to provide direct evidence on the effects of grades earned in economics principles classes on the decision to major in economics and finds a differential effect for male and female students.
SDG Topics: Quality Education / Gender Equality.
Gratton-Lavoie, C., & Stanley, D. (2009). Teaching and Learning Principles of Microeconomics Online: An Empirical Assessment. Journal Of Economic Education, 40(1), 3-25.
How do students enrolled in online courses perform relative to those who choose a more traditional classroom environment? What student characteristics help explain differences in student academic achievement in the two modes of instruction? What factors affect the students' choice of instruction mode? The authors address these questions in relation to the teaching of introductory economics courses. They find that the two groups of students are significantly different in age, gender composition, marital status and number of children, GPA, previous economics exposure, planned major, and other important characteristics.
SDG Topics: Quality Education / Gender Equality.
Powlick, K. (2009). The Value of Advanced Interdisciplinary Classes for Students of Economics: Case Study of a 300-Level Class on Gender in the Economy. Forum For Social Economics, 38(2-3), 189-200.
Interdisciplinary classes are valuable to students of economics for many reasons. This paper discusses three reasons why such classes, at an advanced level, are useful and important for students of economics. First, interdisciplinary classes have the potential to encourage theory building and critical thinking, especially through the use of primary sources. Second, interdisciplinary classes also provide students with a richer empirical understanding of the world, beyond the narrowly quantitative data used in most economics research. Lastly, interdisciplinary classes can create a diverse learning environment that facilitates peer learning about difficult subjects such as race, class, and gender. A case study is used to explore such benefits.
SDG Topics: Quality Education / Gender Equality / Reduced Inequalities.
Freedman, Ora. "Sex, Class, and History: An Experiment in Teaching Economics in an Interdisciplinary Setting." The Journal of Economic Education 39.3 (2008): 251-259.
The author reports on various aspects of teaching economics in an interdisciplinary, team-taught course, including reflections on a unique experiment in teaching economics to nonmajors. By the incorporation of selected topics of gender economics into the interdisciplinary course about the changing economic statuses of women throughout history, the students are introduced to the fundamentals of economic thinking and encouraged to become economically literate.
SDG Topics: Quality Education / Gender Equality.
Bansak, Cynthia & Starr, Martha, 2006. “Gender Differences in Predispositions towards Economics”
Previous studies find that, upon entering the college class, women are less likely than men to be interested in economics and more likely to expect it to be difficult, which contributes to their underrepresentation in the field. This paper investigates causes of gender differences in predispositions towards economics, using survey data from a large state university. A key finding is that students widely view economics as a business-oriented field that prioritizes math skills and emphasizes making money - a combination that is a turn-off for women, but not so much for men. Our results suggest that playing up the value of economics for social-welfare analysis, while playing down its business applications, may be important for re-balancing predispositions at the outset of the principles class.
SDG Topics: Quality Education / Gender Equality.
Van der merwe, Alex , (2006), IDENTIFYING SOME CONSTRAINTS IN FIRST YEAR ECONOMICS TEACHING AND LEARNING AT A TYPICAL SOUTH AFRICAN UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY, South African Journal of Economics, 74, issue 1, p. 150-159
This paper examines possible determinants of economics 1 performance at the Riverside campus of the Durban Institute of Technology. The study finds that high school subjects taken, age and gender are not significantly associated with economics achievement. Learner motivation, however, does appear to be associated with economics performance. Specifically, learners may find it difficult to relate meaningfully to the discipline's real content at least partly as a consequence of the philosophical framework within which it is delivered and partly because they do not have the textbook. A well-designed learner guide and workbook could go some way to demonstrating the relevance of economics and instilling in students more effective learning methods.
SDG Topics: Quality Education / Gender Equality / Reduced Inequalities.
Davies, P., Mangan, J., & Telhaj, S. (2005). Bold, reckless and adaptable? Explaining gender differences in economic thinking and attitudes. British Educational Research Journal, 31(1), 29- 48.
In the first half of this paper we develop a perspective on the role of ‘boldness’ in explaining gender differences in thinking and attitudes. We apply this analysis to evidence from Australia, the USA and the UK in relation to economics at school and university levels. In the second half we present the results of a study of over 1000 15–17-year-olds in UK secondary schools. On the basis of the gender differences revealed in these data and our preceding analysis we offer some implications for learning and teaching.
SDG Topics: Quality Education / Gender Equality.
Tuma, Elias, (2004), Macroeconomics and Discrimination in Teaching, No 952, Working Papers, University of California, Davis, Department of Economics
There are biases in the teaching of macroeconomics. These biases reflect economic discrimination which varies in kind and impact on policy making and welfare of the people. Traditional economic concepts and tools of analysis are capable of identifying the different kinds of economic discrimination and assessing their impact on the economy. These concepts and tools are also adequate in teaching macroeconomics without bias and without compromising traditional objectives of economic education. The existence of economic discrimination has been widely recognized, but the teaching of macroeconomics has been too slow to reflect that reality.
SDG Topics: Quality Education / Gender Equality / Reduced Inequalities.
Horvath, J., Beaudin, B. Q., & Wright, S. P. (1992). Persisting in the Introductory Economics Course: An Exploration of Gender Differences. Journal Of Economic Education, 23(2), 101-108.
Presents results of a study examining gender differences in measures of academic aptitude and achievement that predict persistence in introductory economics courses. Concludes that females need more validation than male students to persist in the study of economics. Suggests that the need for female students to overcome classroom climate may explain the difference.
SDG Topics: Quality Education / Gender Equality.
Lumsden, K. G., & Scott, A. (1987). The Economics Student Reexamined: Male-Female Differences in Comprehension. Journal Of Economic Education, 18(4), 365-375.
Traces student comprehension in beginning economics course examinations in the United Kingdom from 1969 to 1973. Demonstrates that males performed better on multiple-choice tests, females performed better on essay examinations, and that female learning rates were lower than male learning rates. Reviews the influence of precollege courses. Includes illustrative tables.
SDG Topics: Quality Education / Gender Equality.
Ferber, M. A. (1984). Suggestions for Improving the Classroom Climate for Women in the Introductory Economics Course: A Review Article. Journal Of Economic Education, 15(2), 160- 168.
The first part of the article summarizes evidence that women students appear to be at some disadvantage in economics courses at all levels and presents some suggestions for mitigating this problem. The second part provides illustrations of how more information about and relevant to women can be integrated into economics courses.
SDG Topics: Quality Education / Gender Equality.
Siegfried, J. J. (1979). Male-Female Differences in Economic Education: A Survey. Journal Of Economic Education, 10(2), 1-11.
This survey first examines the hypotheses that are commonly used to justify the inclusion of a binary variable for gender in models of the "production function" for learning. Second, the distinction between understanding and learning economics is made, and its implications for the empirical studies are described. Third, the many empirical studies examining the association of gender with economic education are summarized and evaluated. The effect of gender on learning and understanding is distinguished and the question of when gender differentials appear is addressed. Fourth, gender differences in the effectiveness of alternative teaching techniques is discussed. The final section reports differences between men and women students in their enjoyment of and interest in economics.
SDG Topics: Quality Education / Gender Equality.
Bertrand, Marianne; Goldin, Claudia & Katz, Lawrence F., 2010. "Dynamics of the Gender Gap for Young Professionals in the Financial and Corporate Sectors." American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, 2(3): 228–55.
The careers of MBAs from a top US business school are studied to understand how career dynamics differ by gender. Although male and female MBAs have nearly identical earnings at the outset of their careers, their earnings soon diverge, with the male earnings advantage reaching almost 60 log points a decade after MBA completion. Three proximate factors account for the large and rising gender gap in earnings: differences in training prior to MBA graduation, differences in career interruptions, and differences in weekly hours. The greater career discontinuity and shorter work hours for female MBAs are largely associated with motherhood.
SDG Topics: Quality Education / Gender Equality.