AEA Papers and Proceedings
ISSN 2574-0768 (Print) | ISSN 2574-0776 (Online)
A Pareto-Improving Way to Teach Principles of Economics: Evidence from the University of Toronto
AEA Papers and Proceedings
vol. 110,
May 2020
(pp. 299–303)
Abstract
University of Toronto undergraduates can choose between conventional and literacy-targeted (LT) principles of economics courses. We compare demographics and performance in subsequent courses for 13,000 students over 11 years and find that LT courses attract a greater percentage of female and domestic students; conditional on meeting grade thresholds, LT students do just as well in intermediate theory and statistics courses as conventional principles students; women do as well or better than men in intermediate theory and statistics courses. With appropriately chosen thresholds, departments offering LT courses can preserve subsequent disciplinary rigor and address underrepresentation of women and minorities.Citation
Benjamin, Dwayne, Avi J. Cohen, and Gillian Hamilton. 2020. "A Pareto-Improving Way to Teach Principles of Economics: Evidence from the University of Toronto." AEA Papers and Proceedings, 110: 299–303. DOI: 10.1257/pandp.20201052Additional Materials
JEL Classification
- A22 Economic Education and Teaching of Economics: Undergraduate
- I23 Higher Education; Research Institutions
- J15 Economics of Minorities, Races, Indigenous Peoples, and Immigrants; Non-labor Discrimination
- J16 Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination