consortiums

PROJECT 1

High School Economics Workshops in Mississippi

Susan Wolcott
School of Business Administration,
University of Mississippi

Proposed Grant $26,624

Abstract:
It is recognized that American students need to enter the 21st century prepared to think like scientists. They will need to develop and enhance their analytical skills. The economics department of the University of Mississippi would like to assist the students to achieve those goals. The study of economics is well suited to that end as it is

axiomatic and logical. The field attempts to understand human behavior based upon close observation of actions. The particular field of experimental economics represents a vital and “hands-on” method of observation which is accessible to virtually any intelligent individual. Conducting experiments, and discussing why things happened as they did, serves several functions. First it gives students an intuitive knowledge of economics. Equally important, it is a first-hand view of the scientific method. The students see how scientists categorize and organize their observations, and how we can draw out general axioms from a group of individual behaviors. And finally, economic experiments are fun. Our goal at these workshops would be to share the excitement of investigation, and thus encourage the students to pursue a rigorous, scientific college education.