Teaching at UF
Current Class
I am currently teaching ECP 3302: Environmental Economics. It is my third semester teaching Environmental Economics. Along with class lectures, I use guest speakers, video clips, and classroom discussion to create student interest in the material, particularly during the second half of the semester.
Class Structure
An excellent teacher not only conveys the material in a simple and comprehendible manner, but also creates student interest in the topic at hand. I initially simplify the material to understandable economic principles to ensure my students are able to follow the thought process. Although some student participation is useful, much of the economic theory is best taught through lecture. Once my students understand the economic concepts, I open up discussion to the class as I shift toward actual environmental issues. Students are more confident in their own understanding of the topic and are more willing to share their knowledge and opinions.
Class Material
I tailor the topics for discussion around the students' interests. For example, current "hot topics" of environmental issues include renewable energy, alternative fuels, and climate change. I also discuss several local or state topics with which students can associate themselves, such as a local Superfund site, a nearby nuclear power plant, the local utility renewable energy program, and the Florida water shortage issue. I begin discussion on these topics with some key points, but allow the flow of questions and discussion to direct the topic towards aspects most interesting to the students.
Understanding Environmental Policy
I encourage my students to dissect past, present, and future environmental policy to determine if the policy is economically sound. Many questions arise in environmental policy analysis. Will the policy result in the desired environmental goal? Will there be unexpected consequences from such a policy? How would you change the policy to improve the outcome? These are just some of the questions I ask my students when discussing environmental policy issues.
What I Expect My Students to Learn in My Class?
By the end of my class, I want my students to be able to look at a current environmental issue, determine the economic principles involved, and use those concepts to decipher what is the best approach to handle the environmental issue. My students should understand the origins of U.S. (and some international) environmental policies, their benefits and drawbacks, and how to improve on them with future policy actions. I also want my students to look past the face value of the "sound-bite" version of information often available on an environmental issue, and consider the complexities and intricacies involved in understanding the topic of debate to make logical, well informed policy decisions.