EconPractice

EconPractice is an online environment for authoring and interacting with economic concepts. Instructors can construct and assign challenge scenarios for basic principles, such as demand and supply. Students then manipulate variables and visualize theory in a self-directed graphing interface, receiving feedback along the way.

EconPractice was conceived by Thomas Groll, Senior Lecturer in the Discipline of International and Public Affairs, who uses the platform in his large lecture course Macroeconomics for International and Public Affairs', a core course for many master’s programs at Columbia’s School of International and Public Affairs. The course is designed to provide students with a strong foundation in macroeconomics and allow them to analyze and critically assess arguments made in current policy debates as well as in their careers. Professor Groll found that many of his students struggled to attain proficiency with the traditional textbook, office hours and tutoring. The large scale of his classes—between 230 and 280 students—made additional individualized attention and feedback impractical. 

In 2017, Dr. Groll proposed an adaptive learning tool as an innovative way to support his students. He felt that providing students with an environment to reattempt problems, receive immediate feedback, and review targeted materials (video, text, illustrations) would improve learning outcomes.

CTL staff collaborated with Dr. Groll to develop an initial set of nine templates that modeled essential economic concepts. The scenarios can be embedded within external sites, as well as be integrated as CourseWorks assignments.

Since the initial development round, the CTL has continued its collaboration with Dr. Groll, adding six new graph prototypes and two new graphing features highlighting curves and interactions across multiple graphs . This allows for deeper understanding into how markets and people’s decisions interact. A basic user management system was also added to support individual course content.