Integrating themes in teaching an undergraduate course: the cases of intermediate microeconomics and principles of macroeconomics

Abstract

Building a course around an important and intriguing question (an integrating theme) could increase students’ interest and become a useful tool for organizing the course material. The integrating theme, or overarching question should resonate with a particular audience. In the case of Intermediate Microeconomics, a question like “Do people pay too much for their purchases?” seems effective for the most diverse audiences. For another example, an Introductory Macroeconomic course could be designed around a comparison between two countries such as Canada and Cuba. Comparisons often capture people’s attention. The idea of a course design surrounding a central issue is distinct from other related paradigms, such as integrated curriculum or problem-based learning.