Over the two years of this proposed faculty development project more than 400 undergraduate economics professors will: participate in hands-on activities focussing on methods for integrating the new scholarship on the economics of women and minorities into introductory economics courses; revise all aspects of their courses to reflect the teaching and assessment of student learning of this scholarship; and disseminate the results of these activities. These faculty development activities are informed by, grow out of, and adapt the very successful NSF funded programs we've held in the summers of 1993, 1994, and 1995 (June 15 - 20, Wellesley College). This proposed project will extend the results of prior NSF support to ensure the long term impact of these innovations in undergraduate economics education. During the three years of proposed activities Project Director Feiner will work with Project co-PIs to plan, advertise and conduct one, 1.5 day and four, 2.5 day faculty development conferences focussing on integrating race and gender into introductory economics (Two 2.5 day conferences are scheduled in the first year, two 2.5 day conferences and one 1.5 day conference are scheduled in the second year.) The 1.5 day program will run immediately prior to regional Eastern Economics Association meetings in March of 1997, the 2.5 day programs will target various sub-sets of the profession including economics faculty teaching at; women's colleges, historically black colleges, colleges with substantial Hispanic/Native American enrollments, community colleges serving underrepresented populations, and new minted Ph.D.'s. Each program (excluding the last) will accommodate 40 participants who will work in small groups to develop: ways to use the work of prior NSF conferences in their classrooms; strategies for teaching economic controversies in a manner which facilitates students' critical thinking capacities; the pedagogies associated with diversity and the classroom clima te; and instructional materials for the range of course activities which incorporate race, gender and active learning. Participants will critique and refine these modifications and develop techniques to assess the impact of these changes on student outcomes. The last program is the Capstone Conference and is planned for 250 participants. It will be held at the University of Southern Maine in October 1997. Upon return to his/her home institution faculty will teach their redesigned courses, and assess the project's impact on student outcomes and faculty intellectual growth. Dissemination occurs as participants: share project results with department colleagues; meet at the Allied Social Science Association Meetings (the annual meeting of the AEA); present papers at regularly scheduled professional meetings; and participate in panels or workshops during the Capstone conference scheduled for October, 1997 open to all interested members of the economics profession. Conference proceedings will be published in an edited volume. This project has the potential to significantly affect the teaching of economics while greatly increasing the numbers of minority and female undergraduates pursuing economics.
