Aplia: A Complement or a Substitute to Traditional Teaching Methods? By Chris Makler

For professors and students, using Aplia is a great way to reduce the cost of teaching and learning. The problem sets in Aplia are easy for professors to assign and help students to get a grasp of the material in a way that traditional sets don't... [more]

Bringing News into the Classroom By Brandon Fuller

Illustrating economic ideas with current events engages students and enlivens the classroom. Real-world applications motivate otherwise apathetic students to learn the models and terms that can help them interpret interesting events in the world around them. Game theory takes on new importance when used to discuss development strategies for Sony's Playstation 3 and Microsoft's Xbox 360... [more]

Getting the Most Out of Aplia - Part 1 of 3 - "Encouraging Regular Work Outside the Classroom" By Paul Romer

Summer courses offer professors a chance to work more closely with a smaller group of students—a rare treat, especially at the principles level. Reduced class sizes make group discussions and Q & A sessions far more manageable. That said, coaxing student... [more]

Getting the Most Out of Aplia - Part 2 of 3 - "Getting Students Actively Engaged" By Paul Romer

One of the hardest parts about teaching is getting your students' interest for the duration of the course term. In the fall, incoming freshman are often bombarded with a new sense of freedom and you, as educators, are constantly vying for their attention. One of the ways... [more]

Getting the Most Out of Aplia - Part 3 of 3 - "Creating Multiple Paths" By Paul Romer

Another way to engage students in the learning process is to ensure that everyone is working at his or her level. One way to do this is by offering multiple paths for them to follow... [more]

The Technology Revolution? By Lisa Verissimo-Bates

The relationship between theory and application always seemed to be the quintessential chicken and egg dilemma, and one which has obvious implications for education... [more]

A Behind-the-Scenes Look at Aplia's Support Team By Lyssa Enzmann

Support is central to Aplia and is something that we take great pride in providing. Our company is unique in that everyone, from management to engineering to sales, is dedicated to giving the best support possible to create an exceptional user experience... [more]

New to Teaching Principles? By Brandon Fuller

Whether you're a grad student, a new adjunct, or a first-year professor, teaching your first few principles courses offers a mixture of excitement and anxiety. How can you possibly measure up to tenured professor... [more]

The Value of Precision By Chris Makler

As economists, we all know the value of being precise in our research. Imprecise assumptions inevitably lead to results which aren't terribly robust. Hand-waving your way through a proof only leads to disaster... [more]

A Behind-the-Scenes Look at Aplia's Content Development Process By Chris Makler

After receiving my PhD from the University of Pennsylvania this year, I joined Aplia because of my personal commitment to teaching. Although I had used Aplia before coming here, participating in this process was... [more]

Make Class More Interesting with Experiments By Brandon Fuller

Summer session courses mean extended meeting times. George Lucas may be able keep people's attention for one three-hour stint, but as an economics professor... [more]

Making the Most of a Condensed Schedule By Chris Makler

It's summertime, and chances are you're teaching a course that meets every day rather than once or twice a week. In a sense, this is a great way to teach, because students are really immersed in the material. On the other hand... [more]