OUTSIDE READINGS IN PRINCIPLES OF MACROECONOMICS: TEACHING STUDENTS TO SEE NUANCES

Abstract

Principles curricula frequently introduce students to complex social choice questions. The literature has emphasized the use of outside readings and real-world examples to improve students’ understanding and economic literacy. This paper focuses on robotization and its macroeconomic consequences as an example of a multifaceted social transformation that is relevant to both the textbook material and current economic events. I present an assignment on this topic based on news articles. The proposed intervention builds on the knowledge students have at the end of a semester-long, undergraduate Principles of Macroeconomics course. The goal of the assignment is to improve students’ ability to reconcile a complex trade-off. Using an experiment, I measure the contribution the assignment makes to students’ learning experience. I show that exposure to the texts changes students’ attitudes and preferences over policy. The paper contributes to the literature on outside readings and economic literacy.