Getting a Foot in the Door

1. Getting a Foot in the Door Establishing an Ecological Economics Course in a Non-Economics Department Kevin Horan Chris Stratton University of Oregon

2. Outline • Creating the Course • Challenges and Intentions • Results & Lessons Learned • Next Steps Creation Challenges Results Next Steps

3. Creating the Course - Overview • Structure of the Program • Impetus for the Course • Format of the Class Creation Results Next Steps Challenges

4. Structure of the Program • Submit Proposal with Syllabus • Original Course Material • Faculty Oversight • Fulfills Degree Requirement for Undergraduates Creation Results Next Steps Challenges

5. Impetus for the course • Experiences with other economics classes, especially Environmental Economics • A desire to introduce an interdisciplinary perspective to the economics offerings on campus Creation Results Next Steps Challenges

6. Format of the class Ten Week Course, including: • Theoretical Context (History & Mainstream Econ.) • Environmental Economics • Principles of Ecological Economics • Biophysical Limits to Growth • Marketing & the Creation of Wants • Metrics & Ecosystem Valuation • Distribution & International Trade • Going Forward – Big Think v. Little Think Creation Results Next Steps Challenges

7. Challenges and Intentions - Overview • Theoretical Challenges • Practical/Pragmatic Challenges • Personal Challenges Creation Results Next Steps Challenges

8. Theoretical Challenges • Framing the Course • Balancing Theoretical & Real-World • Scope of the Class • Striving for Cohesiveness • Making EE powerful, meaningful & applicable Creation Results Next Steps Challenges

9. Practical/Pragmatic Challenges • Varying level of students’ knowledge of economics • Dealing with varied backgrounds and interests • The text: a VERY steep learning curve • Lack of on-campus resources • Lack of available EE material Creation Results Next Steps Challenges

10. Personal Challenges • Teaching outside of our comfort zone • Balancing EE with our core areas of research • Keeping up with the diversity of “EE” literature • Bringing creativity & innovation to the course • Leaving students with something tangible to walk away with Creation Results Next Steps Challenges

11. Results and Lessons Learned Creation Next Steps Challenges Results

12. Don’t Cover Too Much • For us: only a ten week course • Had to sacrifice depth for breadth • Less discussion and more lecturing than we would’ve liked • BUT we covered A LOT of topics Creation Next Steps Challenges Results

13. Assess Students’ Economic Knowledge • Students comfortable with economics will be more open to theoretical critiques, solutions • Non-economic students had difficulty connecting with economic material • Some great real-world discussion topics: marketing, metrics, international issues, etc. Creation Next Steps Challenges Results

14. Finding EE Materials is Challenging • Aside from the textbook, we were largely structuring the class ourselves • Be prepared to make your own connections between material and EE • Weave disparate material into a cohesive thread • More EE resources will develop as the discipline evolves Creation Next Steps Challenges Results

15. EE is a Powerful, Cross-disciplinary Tool • Students initially believed ecology and economics were at odds • EE has the potential to create dialog between Economics and other disciplines • Admittedly, EE is not yet commonly well-known or respected Creation Next Steps Challenges Results

16. Next Steps • The class is not permanent, despite student interest • Its continuation is contingent on the interests of incoming graduate students • Would require hiring new faculty – not likely in the short term Creation Challenges Results Next Steps

17. Final Thoughts • Teaching EE a great opportunity • Student response to EE • Teaching on the leading edge • Looking forward to the development of other EE programs – like yours! Creation Challenges Results Next Steps

18. Thanks! Questions? Comments?