Title: Student attitudes toward economic pluralism: survey-based evidence

Authors: John T. Harvey

Addresses: Department of Economics, Texas Christian University, P.O. Box 298510, Fort Worth, Texas 76129, USA

Abstract: A university education should enable and improve students| cognitive abilities. An effective curriculum can help achieve this objective. Teaching that economics is more than just neoclassicism, for example, could aid the transition to higher stages of cognition. That said, even erstwhile supporters are sometimes reluctant to take this step for fear that students may become confused. Also open to question is how much students really develop an ability to select among various paradigms, or if they simply exit a course with their professor|s biases. To answer these questions, a survey was conducted among students enrolled in several sections of a Contending Perspectives in Economics course. The data suggest that, far from being disillusioned, they exit the course with great enthusiasm and increased confidence, although somewhat influenced by the instructor|s school of thought.

Keywords: William Perry; Perry|s scheme; student attitudes; economic pluralism; university education; universities; higher education; cognitive abilities; effective curriculum; teaching; contending perspectives; neoclassicism; cognition; professorial biases; professors; student enthusiasm; student confidence; heterodox courses; Texas Christian University; USA; United States; economics education.

DOI: 10.1504/IJPEE.2011.044271

International Journal of Pluralism and Economics Education, 2011 Vol.2 No.3, pp.270 - 290

Published online: 29 Jan 2015 *

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