Teaching Innovations
Fred C. White
Agricultural and Applied Economics
The Universtity of Georgia
fwhite@agecon.uga.edu
Annotated Bibliography
Simulations
General Innovations
Testing
Computer Simulation Programs
Industry Structure
Trade
Multistage Markets
Fred White's home page
Annotated Bibliography
Journal Articles on Teaching by Fred C. White
Economic Simulations in Teaching
White, Fred C. "An Interactive Learning System for the Economic Analysis of Public Policies," Journal of Economic Education, Vol. 28 No. 3, Summer 1997, pp. 222-229.
An innovative instructional technique has been developed for courses dealing with the economic analysis of public policies. The interactive learning system integrates team building, intra-team cooperation, inter-team negotiation, and economic simulation. Three economic simulation models have been developed and implemented for the system: industry structure simulation, international trade simulation, and multistage market simulation. The system provides continual feedback to students on their economic understanding and decision making processes. It is designed to improve students' decision making skills and increase their understanding of the economic consequences of public policies. Student evaluations were used to compare the course using the interactive learning system with other courses. The approach stimulated thinking and maintained student interest to a greater degree than all other courses considered.
White, Fred C. "Farm Structure Simulation: A Tool for Effective Learning," Journal of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vol. 26 No. 2, Fall 1997, pp. 156-159.
This article examines the development, implementation, and assessment of a farm structure simulation model that allows students to manage hypothetical farms. The economic simulation model developed and implemented for this approach is described in detail in the industry structure simulation. In the simulation exercise, students apply firm growth and asset valuation concepts in an uncertain and dynamic environment. Land can be rented or purchased through negotiations between farms. Decisions are made on production levels, firm size, asset values, and investments. The simulation helps develop problem-solving and interpersonal skills. Uncertain product prices and government programs can be introduced in later stages of the simulation. Student responses indicated increased understanding of economic decisions related to production levels, profits, firm size, rental rates, and diversification. Active involvement in the learning process with the simulation motivates students, stimulates critical thinking, and increases understanding of economic concepts.
White, Fred C., "Cooperative Learning Through Simulation of Regulated Markets," Review of Agricultural Economics, Vol. 16, No. 1, January 1994, pp. 73-81.
Teaching agricultural policy is challenging in that the operations of markets are complicated by government intervention.
Many students need practical experience in formulating decision strategies in the presence of government programs to adequately understand consequences of government actions. This paper shows how cooperative learning and simulation can be effectively combined in agricultural policy. With cooperative learning in small groups, complicated problems related to government intervention can be addressed. Economic simulation provides realistic problems for the small groups to consider. The approach helps students understand how abstract economic models can be used to improve economic decision making in the presence of government regulations.
White, Fred C. "Agricultural Trade Policy: An Instructional Game," New Technologies and Innovations in Agricultural Economics Instruction, Southern Agricultural Economics Association, August, 1992, pp. 32-38.
Simulation of international trading can be used to help students make the link between theoretical economic models of international trade and the real world situation. This paper describes a simulation approach for teaching international agricultural trade. For more details on the simulation see the international trade simulation. In the simulation, negotiations are undertaken simultaneously by importing and exporting countries. A free trade situation is considered fir and then alternative trade restrictions are considered. Trading results are presented as an example to show how the simulation works and how the results might be interpreted. Interpretation of the results is an integral part of the teaching and learning process.
Agricultural Trade Simulation
Top Team: Potts, Arrington, Lawson, Rider, and Blount
Scores: 133+144+108=385
White, Fred C. "Student Learning on a Multistage Market Simulation," Agricultural and Resource Economics Review, Vol. 27 No. 2, October 1998, pp. 252-257.
Simulations are widely used to teach economic principles and to provide students experience in decision making. This paper describes and evaluates a simulation exercise which helps students understand public policy impacts in a multistage market. For more details on the simulation see the multistage market simulation. Student teams of producers, marketers, and processors use information on costs and demand in negotiations to determine prices and quantities. Selected public policies such as marketing orders with price discrimination are implemented and analyzed. The simulation exercise improved student understanding of marketing orders and policy impacts on prices, quantities and profits in a multistage market. Financial outcomes in the simulation were related to student learning as evidenced by exam scores. The complete text of the multistage market simulation paper is available on the Internet.
Multistage Market Simulation
Top Team: McWhirter, Williams, Quattlebaum, Fowler, and Aderholt
Scores: 65+75+65=205
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Annotated Bibliography
Simulations
General Innovations
Testing
General Teaching Innovations
White, Fred C. and Sherry K. White, "Incorporating Small Group Activities Into Agricultural Economics Classes," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Vol. 58, No. l, February l976, pp. l05-l08.
Small group activities are particularly useful in giving students an opportunity to apply economic principles. Using these activities as supplements to more widely used teaching techniques would provide welcomed variety to students, as well as a vehicle for instructors to maintain contact with individual students. These methods can be used in agricultural economics classes to improve both problem-solving skills and communication skills. Students learn by doing, and these activities provide opportunities for greater student involvement and participation. Student performance resulting from these activities and students' comments helped to substantiate our belief that small group activities have a place in the college classroom.
White, Fred C., "Simulation of Agricultural Policy Formation as a Teaching Approach," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Vol. 59, No. l, February l977, pp. 225-227.
Public policy students should understand the nature of public decisions and how those decisions are made. They should also learn to analyze policy issues and make critical judgments concerning those issues. These educational objectives can best be achieved by actively involving students in the policy-making process. Simulation allows students to participate in this process by casting them in the role of policy makers. Furthermore, students reacted enthusiastically to simulation; they enjoyed the competition in the games and the variety of ways that the issues were introduced and discussed. This approach can effectively be used to supplement more traditional lecture techniques.
White, Fred C., "Analyzing Academic Performance in a Graduate Program," NACTA Journal, Vol. XXI, No. 2, June l977, pp. 4-7.
This paper describes methodology to systematically analyze student performance in a graduate program. The procedures are illustrated for agricultural economics students but could also be applied to other disciplines. These techniques can easily be applied to data available in almost every department with a graduate program and the results readily applied to periodic but nevertheless difficult and important decisions concerning the admission and financial support of prospective graduate students.
White, Fred C., Josef M. Broder and Michael E. Wetzstein, "Teaching Practicum in Agricultural Economics," NACTA Journal, Vol. XXVI, No. 2, June l982, pp. 4-7.
Use of a teaching practicum for Ph.D. students is one way to improve their skills as a teacher and at the same time give them much needed teaching experience. This teaching practicum uses a combination of seminars on how to teach agricultural economics at the college level and actual classroom teaching experience. This approach is superior to either offering a course on teaching which does not provide teaching experience or having Ph.D. students teach a course without provision to improve their teaching skills.
White, Fred C., "A Student-to-Student Program: The Policy Fair," So. J. Agr. Econ., Vol. 22, 1990, pp. 95-199.
Student participation in such instructional activities as presentations, panel discussions, and projects can be used to stimulate interest and learning. Such activities need not be limited to a single class. This paper describes potential linkages between selected classes in which students from upper level or graduate classes are used as instructional resources in other classes. The general approach which is described as a student-to-student program, has been applied in a Policy Fair. The Policy Fair is described and evaluated in this paper. There was widespread support among faculty, graduate students, and undergraduates for the general concept and this specific application.
White, Fred C., "Enhancing Class Attendance," NACTA Journal, Vol. 36, No. 4, December 1992, pp. 13-15.
Absences hinder learning by students who miss class and detract from a dynamic teaching-learning environment, adversely affecting the overall well-being of the class. When choosing to miss a class, a student takes into account only his/her own benefits and costs of attendance and ignores the impact of attendance on the overall well-being of the class. Because individual decisions lead to actions that are not best for the class, teachers have a responsibility to encourage attendance. A variety of regulations and rewards can be used to help achieve a desired level of attendance.
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Annotated Bibliography
Simulations
General Innovations
Testing
Testing Innovations
White, Fred C. and Josef M. Broder, "Testing and Student Aggression," NACTA Journal, Vol. XXXII, No. 2, June l988, pp. 2l-24.
This paper examines ways to improve classroom teaching and testing so that tests are more consistent with expectations of both the instructor and the students. These techniques should help avoid certain stressful situations and undesired student responses. A survey of student attitudes and behavior found that selected student characteristics and testing formats contribute to student stress which could be reduced by improved teaching and evaluation techniques.
White, Fred D., "Academic Dishonesty: Blight in the Classroom,"NACTA Journal, Vol. 36, No. 1, March 1992, pp. 22-24.
Cheating by students is a serious problem that needs to be dealt with effectively by college teachers. This paper describes how to guard against cheating, how to detect cheating, and what to do when cheating is detected. Teachers should keep thorough records, closely monitor exams, use a dynamic testing strategy, and use multiple tests. Effectively dealing with the problems of cheating are costly in terms of time and effort. Each individual teacher is encouraged to select a combination of preventative measures to reduce the risk of cheating. Each cheating incident should be referred to judiciary or administrative hearings.
Top of Innovations Page
Annotated Bibliography
Simulations
General Innovations
Testing
Computer Simulation Programs
Industry Structure
Trade
Multistage Markets
Fred White's home page