Learning macroeconomics at the University of Aberdeen Business School 1

Learning macroeconomics at the University of Aberdeen Business School 2

Feedback from undergraduate students at the University of Aberdeen Business School who used LiveEcon

Learning macroeconomics at the University of Aberdeen Business School Case Study 1

Louise Spooner graduated from the University of Aberdeen in the summer of 2006 with a MA in Economic Science. The 24-year-old from Ingatestone, Essex, began testing LiveEcon in 2004 and is now working with the programme's creators to liaise with academics around the country.

"I was in my second year of study at Aberdeen when I discovered LiveEcon. I was really enjoying my course but found that some parts were a little time-consuming and hard to grasp - so LiveEcon was a real boon. So much of economics is based on concepts, which at times can appear a little dry, so an interactive learning tool was brilliant for my studies.

"LiveEcon is a software programme that allows the user to change economic variables and see how they affect different areas of the economy or the bigger picture as a whole. You can see what affects what, which makes economics far more tangible and less conceptual. This process of changing mathematical formulas and having the programme deal with the arithmetical mechanics of it is a real advantage as it allows you to focus on economic theory. Indeed, the way LiveEcon works makes you wonder why no one has made something similar already. It helped so much with preparing for my exams and made the maths so much more accessible and, dare I say it, fun!

"There's nothing else around that I've seen that manipulates maths in the same way - it was a real boost to my exams. My learning definitely benefited from the visual aspect of LiveEcon. E-learning is something that can improve not just economics, but all subjects. The beauty of LiveEcon is that it doesn't replace the old, dusty text books - we still need those - but it complements them.

"Maths and the sciences will definitely benefit from e-learning, because of its power to simulate things. LiveEcon too is spreading its wings beyond pure economics, as there will soon be an accounting version of the programme.

"I did some part-time work with The Enterprise Library while I was still studying, and I was so pleased when they offered me a full-time job as Academic Client Manager at the end of my degree. I spend my days travelling around the country, meeting lecturers at lots of different universities, and showing them what LiveEcon could do for their students' work. It's great - I get paid to talk about economics, a subject I love.

"It is also brilliant meeting so many people who are enthusiastic about the subject and also so many people who are positive about LiveEcon. I've been involved with LiveEcon for two years now, and it just keeps on growing. I only wish it had the breadth of content it has now when I was studying. There are so many economics topics it caters for, which is lucky as there is quite a curriculum to cover!"

Learning macroeconomics at the University of Aberdeen Business School Case Study 2

Kostas Pouliakas was one of the first undergraduate macroeconomics students at the University of Aberdeen to test LiveEcon. Currently completing PhD at Aberdeen, the 26 year old from Athens has since applied his expertise and knowledge as a user to write LiveEcon’s question-and-answer sessions.

“I was studying macroeconomics at the University of Aberdeen in 2000-2001 when our tutor, Dr W David McCausland, introduced the class to a new economics e-learning tool that he was developing. When we were testing it, I found that it made economics study much more fun and dynamic. When I saw LiveEcon again early in 2006, I wished that this new, greatly improved version had been available during my undergraduate studies .

“I was studying for a Masters degree at Oxford University when I heard about LiveEcon again. David told me about an opportunity to become his PhD student at Aberdeen and, soon afterwards, he asked me to produce a couple of interactive question-and-answer sessions for Macroeconomics Intermediate. The LiveEcon team were impressed with my work – they saw the value of asking a former economics student to set questions that would be answered by current economics students – and I have now become involved in developing other areas of LiveEcon. For example, I am preparing powerpoint slides for the tutorials section which will increase its capability for distance learning.

“LiveEcon is an exciting development for students. Personally, I find it a more effective learning tool than textbooks – it also makes a pleasant change from reading books. Its strength lies in its ability to use scroll bars to run experiments on all economics variables and instantly see the effects on screen. I also like its tutorials which mean students do not have to get involved in heavy mathematics. Students who l have spoken to really like the way LiveEcon is set up on screen – its use of colour and easy navigation tools, for instance. Speaking as a former economics student, I would recommend LiveEcon to current undergraduates because it has been written with the student’s needs in mind.”

Feedback from undergraduate students at the University of Aberdeen Business School who used LiveEcon

93% enjoyed using LiveEcon

96% said that it helped them to understand macroeconomics

97% found it easy to use

60% found it made learning macroeconomics faster than using a traditional textbook

64% said that it made learning macroeconomics easier than using a traditional textbook

Some of their comments:

"LiveEcon is a good learning tool, easy to use and very clear."

"The tutorials help make understanding much quicker and easier. So often it is difficult to see what has actually happened to a diagram in a textbook."

"Best part of the program is the tutorial. It shows you how changes in the variables affect the graphs."

"It helps you understand the material better than the textbook as it is simple and summarised. Perfect for revision."