Crisis? What Crisis? Teaching Economics in the UK During the Credit Crunch

In the early 1990s, concerns were expressed about declining numbers studying economics in secondary schools in the UK and the impact this would have on university recruitment. As we stand in 2009, applications for economics degrees have never been higher and, anecdotally, this unprecedented growth appears to have been fuelled by students showing interest in the ongoing credit crisis and the economic downturn. The challenge for university teachers of economics is that such interest and enthusiasm is maintained and developed once students begin their courses. Being able to deliver interesting yet rigorous programmes in ways that fit with prior learning is a challenge for teachers in areas such as: flexible delivery that allows the student to have greater control over when and where the learning takes place; design of class activities to encourage students to engage more with current economic issues; assessment designs that reflect learning outcomes; and developing learning outcomes that fit with the needs of graduate employers. All of these are significant tasks in themselves and unsurprisingly have been dealt with in a number of ways across institutions in the UK. This paper explores these challenges in more detail and offers some insights into what appears to work and where there is more to be done with the aim of sharing experiences in all areas between Australia and the UK. Keywords : Teaching economics, economic crises. JEL classifications :  A22, L14, L51