1.Expectation: Students are expected to write understandable economic analysis. They need to convey their ideas well to professionals as well as lay men in writing.
2. Learning by doing: Learning is a process and “Write to learn” is a good approach to make the students more active in this process. As Confucius said: I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand. In economics, it is very important for students to go beyond lecture and do something on their own. Writing can aid this process. When they write they have to understand the concepts first and then put those concepts and theories into their own words. In particular this project gives them hands-on experience of securities and financial markets.
3. Scarcity: a society have limited resourced with respect to our unlimited wants. Writing in paper will consume paper and ink while writing online involves no additional costs as long as a computer is ready (marginal cost is zero).
4. Technology: “ a class without an online component would do them no favor” (Hawisher, Moran 1997). Asking the students to write online helps them stay current with the technology.
5 Atmosphere: I envision the atmosphere in cyberspace is more relaxed. For students who are not feeling comfortable speaking up in class, this gives them equal opportunity to get their voice heard.
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2 comments:
I like the comment by Confucius. You should use it as your class motto.
Also, the class will work out their competitive spirit by wanting to get that additional 5% by thinking and writing and investing well.
the computer component helps to "reel in" another group of students, who would otherwise not (at least not want to) write or participate. Writing involves another sense (or more) and therefore reinforces the learning. It has also been proving that the "shy" student may be more willing to write.
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