Paper #1584

Title:

Teaching microeconomic principles with smartphones – lessons from classroom experiments with classEx

Authors:

Humberto Llavador and Marcus Giamattei

Date:

October 2017

Abstract:

Classroom experiments as a teaching tool increase understanding and especially motivation. Traditionally, experiments have been run using pen-and-paper or in a computer lab. Pen-and-paper is time and resource consuming. Experiments in the lab require appropriate installations and impede the direct interaction among students. During the last two years, we have created fully elaborated packages to run a complete course in microeconomics principles using face-to-face experiments with mobile devices. The experiments are based on Bergstrom-Miller (2000), and we used classEx, a free online tool, to run them in the classroom.The packages were used at Universitat Pompeu Fabra with over 500 undergraduate students in the fall 2016. This paper presents our experience on classEx and the Bergstrom-Miller approach working in combination, and the lessons learned.

Keywords:

experiential learning, microeconomics, mobile devices, classroom experiments, classEx

JEL codes:

A22, C72, C90, D00

Area of Research:

Microeconomics / Labour, Public, Development and Health Economics

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