Gold, moonshine, & autopsies: Engaging different student learning styles in Micro & Macro

This paper assesses the use of economics-themed podcast listening in introductory economic courses to improve the understanding and application of economic concepts, particularly for students with an auditory learning style. Student learning styles, gender, and year of study are considered for correlation to improved understanding of concepts and how economics is relevant to the world through podcast listening.  We conducted pre- and post-surveys of approximately 150 students across five introductory economics sections at two small liberal arts colleges in the spring 2012 semester. Findings from preliminary OLS regression analysis of  student self-assessment survey data suggest that podcast listening particularly helps students with auditory learning preferences to understand economic concepts and how those concepts are relevant to the world.  This supports the idea that students benefit when instructors incorporate an understanding of different learning preferences into development of courses and assignments.