Courses Taught

Fred C. White
Agricultural and Applied Economics
The Universtity of Georgia
fwhite@agecon.uga.edu


Microeconomics    Macroeconomics    Policy

Advanced Policy    Teaching Practicum   





AAE 258-Applied Microeconomic Principles

A commitment to excellence is the foundation for continuous improvement in the microeconomic principles course. Student needs are assessed and desired learning outcomes identified. The course attracts many noneconomic majors who have interests in a wide variety of topics including the environment, international trade and development, and food safety and nutrition. Learning outcomes have been modified to meet student needs.

The appropriate instructional materials were developed to help students achieve learning objectives. Student attitudes, motivations, learning styles and behavior are assessed. Surveys of learning styles indicate that the students in the course prefer organized lectures, applications, concrete examples, learning in groups and practicing skills. Teaching methods which are appropriate for the particular students and the course content are identified and implemented. Lectures show how important problems can be addressed effectively with economic concepts. Decision-making applications are used to help develop problem solving skills. A wide variety of teaching methods are used to involve students and maintain their interest. A high-energy classroom environment conducive to learning is developed and maintained..


Tests and other evaluation techniques are used to assess how well students are individually meeting course objectives. The importance of integrating the teaching, learning, and evaluation process is recognized. Course objectives are identified to direct teaching, student learning, and testing and evaluation of learning progress..

The teaching/learning process is continually monitored and revised whenever changes are needed to improve the process. The percentage of ratings in the Excellent category are especially dominant in recent years. The increase in excellent ratings and the reduction in variability of ratings are direct results of efforts to continually improve instruction in the course.


AAE 302-Introductory Macroeconomic Principles

Macroeconomics is the study of aggregate markets. Topics to be addressed include unemployment, inflation, monetary and fiscal policies, interest rates, exchange rates, international trade, and economic development. Several important questions will be considered. What are the impacts of the government budget deficit? How does the Federal Reserve System exert its influence in financial markets, and how does this affect employment, inflation, and interest rates? What are the effects of changes in trade agreements?



AAE 340-Introduction to Agricultural Policy

The public policy analysis course is built on economic principles. The course examines the economic impacts of public policies related to food, agriculture, trade, natural resources and the environment. It differs from policy courses in political science and law, which place more emphasis on the political process and legal statutes. With emphasis on economic analysis, the course is forward looking. Students are prepared to address new policy issues which will develop in the future.




AAE 821-Advanced Agricultural Policy

The advanced agricultural policy course is an economic analysis of alternative governmental policies as they relate to the solution of specific agricultural problems. Food, agricultural and natural resource problems are identified. Government intervention is considered from both historical and methodological approaches. Economic effects of government policies on factor markets and related markets are analyzed. Welfare effects of government policies on redistribution of income within a market and across markets are also analyzed. Special topics include natural resource policy, food policy, linkages across sectors, and instability.


AAE 850x-Agricultural Economics Teaching Practicum

Use of a teaching practicum for Ph.D. students is one way to improve their skills as a teacher and at the same time give them much needed teaching experience. This teaching practicum uses a combination of seminars on how to teach agricultural economics at the college level and actual classroom teaching experience. This approach is superior to either offering a course on teaching which does not provide teaching experience or having Ph.D. students teach a course without provision to improve their teaching skills.


Top of Page for Courses Taught

Microeconomics    Macroeconomics    Policy

Advanced Policy    Teaching Practicum   


Annotated Bibliography of Teaching Innovations
Simulations    General Innovations    Testing

Computer Simulation Programs
Industry Structure   Trade   Multistage Markets

Fred White's home page