Instructor Insights

Instructor Insights pages are part of the OCW Educator initiative, which seeks to enhance the value of OCW for educators.

Instructor Insights

Below, Professor Jonathan Gruber describes various aspects of how he teaches 14.01 Principles of Microeconomics.

You only really understand something when you go out in the real world and apply it.

— Prof. Jonathan Gruber

Professor Gruber wants to train students to think like economists. Economics uses elegant mathematical models to explain how people make decisions and allocate their resources—but all too often those models are taught in ways that remain disconnected from students’ own experience. In an interview on OCW’s Chalk Radio podcast, Professor Gruber shares his thoughts on bridging that gap in his course 14.01 Introductory Microeconomics (the name given to 14.01 Principles of Microeconomics in its version on the MITx platform). He says he tries to anchor learning with real-world examples; as he explains, “You only really understand something when you go out in the real world and apply it.” And those examples, he says, have to be relatable. So rather than discussing companies none of his students have heard of or commodities nobody cares about, he illustrates fundamental economic concepts with examples like Kim Kardashian’s exercise corset, Uber’s policy of surge pricing, and LeBron James’s decision not to attend college. By engaging students with accessible examples of economic principles in action, Professor Gruber helps them develop economic intuition—a sense of how the mathematical models apply in the real, seemingly chaotic world.

 

Curriculum Information

Prerequisites

None, although some calculus at the level of 18.01 Single Variable Calculus is used in the course.

Requirements Satisfied

Offered

Every semester

The Classroom

  • An empty lecture hall.

    Room 1 of 2 Click for next classroom.

    Lecture

    Classes were held in a lecture hall with tiered seating for 150, as well as A/V equipment and sliding chalkboards.

  • An empty medium-size classroom.

    Click for previous classroom. Room 2 of 2

    Recitation

    Recitations were held in medium-size classrooms like the one pictured, with seating for about 40 students at shared tables, as well as A/V equipment and sliding chalkboards.

 

Assessment

Grade Breakdown

The students' grades were based on the following activities:

The color used on the preceding chart which represents the percentage of the total grade contributed by ten problem sets. 25% Ten problem sets; only the nine highest scores count toward the final grade
The color used on the preceding chart which represents the percentage of the total grade contributed by mid-term exams. 25% Mid-term exam
The color used on the preceding chart which represents the percentage of the total grade contributed by final exam. 50% Final exam

Student Information

165 students took this course when it was taught in Fall 2018.

Breakdown by Year

Mostly undergraduates, with a few graduate students also enrolled.

Breakdown by Major

The course attracts students from a variety of concentrations.

 

How Student Time Was Spent

During an average week, students were expected to spend 12 hours on the course, roughly divided as follows:

Lecture

2 hours per week

Prof. Gruber’s lecture classes met 2 times per week for 1 hour per session; 27 sessions total; mandatory attendance. Students taking the course in this format also had one recitation per week; students taking the course in an optional section format had three 1-hour section meetings per week in place of the lectures and recitation.

 

Recitation

1 hours per week

Recitations, conducted by the graduate TAs, met 1 time per week for 1 hour per session; these sessions introduced new material in addition to reviewing material from the lectures.

 

Out of Class

9 hours per week

Students spent time out of class completing problem sets and studying for exams.

 

Semester Breakdown

WEEK M T W Th F
1 No classes throughout MIT. No classes throughout MIT. Lecture scheduled. No session scheduled. Recitation scheduled.
2 Lecture scheduled. No session scheduled. Lecture scheduled. No session scheduled. Recitation scheduled and a problem set due.
3 Lecture scheduled. No session scheduled. Lecture scheduled. No session scheduled. No classes throughout MIT.
4 Lecture scheduled. No session scheduled. Lecture scheduled. No session scheduled. Recitation scheduled and a problem set due.
5 Lecture scheduled. No session scheduled. Lecture scheduled. No session scheduled. Recitation scheduled and a problem set due.
6 No classes throughout MIT. No classes throughout MIT. Lecture scheduled. No session scheduled. Recitation scheduled and a problem set due.
7 Lecture scheduled. Mid-term exam scheduled. Lecture scheduled. No session scheduled. Recitation scheduled and a problem set due.
8 Lecture scheduled. No session scheduled. Lecture scheduled. No session scheduled. Recitation scheduled and a problem set due.
9 Lecture scheduled. No session scheduled. Lecture scheduled. No session scheduled. Recitation scheduled and a problem set due.
10 Lecture scheduled. No session scheduled. Lecture scheduled. No session scheduled. Recitation scheduled and a problem set due.
11 No classes throughout MIT. No session scheduled. Lecture scheduled. No session scheduled. Recitation scheduled and a problem set due.
12 Lecture scheduled. No session scheduled. Lecture scheduled. No classes throughout MIT. No classes throughout MIT.
13 Lecture scheduled. No session scheduled. Lecture scheduled. No session scheduled. Recitation scheduled and a problem set due.
14 Lecture scheduled. No session scheduled. Lecture scheduled. No session scheduled. Recitation scheduled and a problem set due.
15 Lecture scheduled. No session scheduled. Lecture scheduled. No classes throughout MIT. No classes throughout MIT.
16 No classes throughout MIT. No classes throughout MIT. No classes throughout MIT. No classes throughout MIT. No classes throughout MIT.
Displays the color and pattern used on the preceding table to indicate dates when classes are not held at MIT. No classes throughout MIT
Displays the color used on the preceding table to indicate dates when lecture sessions are held. Lecture
Displays the symbol used on the preceding table to indicate dates when labs or projects are due. Problem set due
Displays the color used on the preceding table to indicate dates when no class session is scheduled. No class session scheduled
Displays the color used on the preceding table to indicate dates when recitations are held. Recitation
Displays the symbol used on the preceding table to indicate dates when mid-term exam is held. Mid-term exam
 

Course Team Roles

Professor Gruber

Delivering lectures; holding regular office hours

Teaching Assistants (5) 

Teaching MWF sections of the course for students in the section format; leading recitations for students in the lecture-and-recitation format; holding regular office hours.