The Birmingham Economics Education Seminar Series is a collaboration between Aston University, the University of Birmingham, and Birmingham City University with five key priorities:
- Innovation: Explore and promote educational innovation through seminars and presentations, discussions and exchange of insights among educators.
- Engagement: Promote engagement with economics educational and pedagogical research to assist in the development and dissemination of impactful strategies for engaging students actively in economics classrooms.
- Diversity and inclusion: To prioritise diversity and inclusion in economics, to provide an inclusive platform for a diverse range of participants, and to meaningfully embed inclusivity and diversity in all activities.
- Development: To provide a platform for the development of economics education and the professional development of economics educational researchers.
- Collaboration: To foster a network of dedicated economics educators committed to continuous improvement in teaching and create opportunities for collaborative research across institutions.
Join us as we explore the intersections of economics and education, bringing together the expertise of our institutions to enhance the way we teach and learn.
Seminars are held monthly between October and April.
Seminar 1:
Speaker: Stefania Simion (University of Bristol)
Date: 8 November 2023
Time: 14:00-16:00 UK time
Location: Room G05, University House, University of Birmingham
Title: Adventures in Pair Programming (joint with Annika Johnson and Anastasia Papadopoulou)
Abstract: This project evaluates a multi-day data workshop implemented through a supportive pair programming approach complemented by bespoke cheat sheets. The event gave students the opportunity to learn how to produce data analysis in Python through a combination of pair programming, specially designed cheat sheets and exercises to create a supportive and highly social learning environment. Over five days, students worked together to progress from basic arithmetic commands all the way through to independently downloading data sets and visualising them using Python. The aim of the event was threefold: (i) to learn how pair programming and cheat sheets can be used jointly to facilitate learning of data analysis in new languages, a skill of increasing importance in applied economics courses; (ii) to enhance employability by providing students with the opportunity to develop hard programming skills not included in their regular programme of study; (iii) to provide a rare and vital opportunity for community building by allowing students to embrace uncertainty and collaborate on an authentic data project. We ran four qualitative surveys across the week to better understand how each student perceived their progress and the pair programming learning experience. The qualitative analysis of the comments shows that participants embraced the pair programming approach and the use of the bespoke cheat sheets, appreciated the social environment created during the event, and the use of incentives.
Seminar 2:
Speakers:Emanuela Lotti and Jana Sadeh (University of Southampton)
Date: 6 December 2023
Time: 15.00-17.00 UK time
Location: University Main Building MB161B, Aston University, B4 7ET
Title: Nudging Procrastination Away: The use of simplification and reminders in a dissertation project (joint with Panagiotis Giannarakis University of Southampton)
Abstract: While literature has established the detrimental effect that procrastination has on student performance, there is relatively sparse research on potential behavioural interventions to counter it. We apply a combined experimental and randomised control trial approach. We measure time and risk preferences for a cohort of students in an online experiment and then follow this with a nudge for the Treatment Group that combines the fragmentation of a large task into smaller chunks with a weekly reminder of the tasks to work on. We find that the intention to treat has no significant impact on either grades or submission time. However, the nudged students were significantly more likely to interact with the task list. These students, who consumed the treatment, received significantly higher grades and submitted earlier than those who did not. In general we also find that students that engaged with the task list perform better than those who did not. In addition, the more tasks are completed the higher the grade received. If we look at subgroup effects we find that students who are risk averse tend to submit earlier, although they do not necessarily receive higher grades, and that treating this group leads to significantly earlier submission. Finally, the self-reported and experimental measures of procrastination are poor predictors of actual behaviour, while a direct measure of procrastination on a low stakes online test is significantly related to lower grades. These findings suggest that the task breakdown checklist can be a helpful tool for long term assessment but that weekly reminders on their own are insufficient. Combining the two increases the use of the tool and improves student outcomes. This has important implications for higher education where students are expected to carry out a greater degree of independent work. It suggests that providing bench marking forward-feedback can support self-led projects and improve student outcomes, but only if students decide to engage.