Grace Robinson
Reflection #1:
When I have thought about economics in the past, I thought of analysis which considered efficiency and profit maximization without regard for the impacts on the environment or people. This course has shown me the virtue of economics as a tool to improve not only efficiencies but also our relationships with the earth, each other, and our collective future. I truly appreciate this class as an amalgamation of philosophy and economics. Exploring the philosophy behind any action promotes intentionality, encouraging us to consider the broader implications of our choices and actions. Deliberating on the philosophy behind economic decisions is especially important, as our economy has significant impacts on welfare, the environment, and social equity. Economic activities can either contribute to or detract from the well-being of communities and ecosystems. By integrating philosophical inquiry into economic analysis, we can gain a deeper understanding of how our decisions shape not just financial outcomes, but also the quality of life for individuals and the health of our planet.
I am passionate about sustainability and our environment, but I didn’t see how that passion could fit into my future in a Bachelor of Management program. I often felt that traditional business approaches focused solely on profit, leaving little room for environmental considerations or ethical implications outside of non-profits and foundations. However, this course has engaged that passion for the environment and helped me see how I can utilize it in my future occupational endeavours.
Now, I recognize that sustainable practices can be integrated into management strategies, leading to innovative solutions that benefit both businesses and the environment. This course has inspired me to envision a future where I can advocate for sustainability in corporate settings, ensuring that economic growth does not come at the expense of ecological health or social responsibility. Ultimately, I feel empowered to pursue a career that combines my passion for the environment with my interest in management, contributing to a more sustainable and equitable world.
This class has also fine-tuned my ability to analyze and discuss current events with meaningful insight drawn from the concepts we have explored. I didn’t realize that the wiki assignments would help develop skills that are applicable in my daily life. A good example of this is a conversation I had with some customers at my work. As a server, I engage in many discussions about a wide range of topics. One of my tables expressed their refusal to drink tap water anywhere in Lake Country due to poor quality. They mentioned that the district council was asking each household to pay $54,000 to improve their water quality as a suburb. Understandably, the customer was outraged by such a request. I was able to discuss the open-access problem as it applied to the situation, the concept of free-riding, the shortcomings of contingent valuation, and the ideas of cost-benefit analysis and willingness to pay. Although this dilemma isn’t directly about environmental preservation, it does involve resource allocation and policy, consumer behaviour, and the frameworks of private and public goods. Our class gave me the opportunity to discuss these elements with the customer and develop a greater understanding of my own municipality. As it turned out, the customer worked in the stock market and recognized that I had been studying for my economics midterm. I almost charged his table an extra $30, and he commented that I would make a great economist for the government since I was already practiced at overcharging. Ouch!
Prof: Nice!
It is this kind of applicability and general relevance that sets this class apart from so many others in my academic journey, driving my appreciation and engagement. I get to work through local current events during our class, learning more about the area I live in and the situations occurring around me. It helps me feel that the content of our classes is useful, approachable, and important, as I can clearly see how it will impact my life and the lives of others in my community.
Another aspect of our class that has surprised and excited me is the diversity among the students. I am always intrigued by the variance in our iClicker results and what they indicate about the different demographics present. I believe it is critical for the study of economics to include a range of opinions and representations in decision-making, especially when those decisions impact the general public. When we conduct iClicker quizzes on opinion-based matters, it feels like a miniature trial run of real economic valuation, with results that provoke deeper thought based on the varied responses.
In conclusion, this course has profoundly reshaped my understanding of economics, revealing its potential not only as a tool for efficiency and profit but also as a means to foster sustainable relationships with our environment and communities. By combining philosophy and economic analysis, I have gained insight into the ethical implications of our decisions and their far-reaching impacts on welfare and equity.
The ability to engage in meaningful conversations about real-world issues has been a highlight of my learning experience. Discussing these topics with others has not only deepened my understanding but has also demonstrated the relevance of economic concepts in everyday life. This direct application to current events, particularly through my interactions as a server, has made the material more tangible and impactful. Ultimately, this course has encouraged my passion for integrating sustainability into management practices, equipping me with the tools to advocate for a more equitable and environmentally conscious economy.
Reflection #2:
I want to begin by expressing just how much I have thoroughly enjoyed learning from you throughout this course. From the very first class, it was evident that your passion for the field of economics is both genuine and contagious. Your enthusiasm for the subject has not only deepened my understanding of the material but also sparked my own curiosity to engage with it more fully. I truly appreciate how you convey your extensive knowledge with such humility and approachability. It is rare to find an instructor who is so well-versed in their field but also able to communicate complex concepts in a way that feels accessible and relatable.
What I found particularly valuable was how you consistently connected the course material to real-life experiences, both from your own personal life and the broader media landscape. This storytelling approach made the class feel far more engaging and meaningful. You managed to take a subject that could have easily felt abstract or daunting and made it not only understandable but also genuinely interesting. By weaving in your own experiences, like the anecdotes you shared from your past work and the media examples you highlighted, you provided context that helped bring the course concepts to life. These connections made it easier for me to see the relevance of economics in the real world, which I truly appreciated.
In addition to the content, I also greatly enjoyed the manner in which you presented the material. Your teaching style was not only clear and organized, but it was also dynamic and engaging. One of the things I admired most was how you created an environment where students felt encouraged to participate without feeling pressured. You struck the perfect balance between inviting us to engage and giving us the space to contribute when we felt ready. This made it easier to stay involved without the fear of being put on the spot, which in turn fostered a sense of comfort and openness in the classroom. It was refreshing to have an instructor who valued the opportunity for students to speak up but never made anyone feel uncomfortable if they preferred to listen instead.
Furthermore, I want to acknowledge how much your willingness to show vulnerability in discussing your own personal experiences, such as your battle with breast cancer, impacted me. Sharing such a personal story in the context of the class helped me feel more connected to you, and by extension, to the class itself. Your openness allowed me to relate to you not only as a professor but as a person, and it made me feel that I could be more open and engaged in the class as well. It’s not every day that an instructor shares something so personal, and I believe that moment strengthened the overall dynamic of our learning environment, making it more human and relatable.
I want to thank you for the type of leadership you’ve demonstrated throughout this term. Your ability to combine expertise with empathy, and to teach in such an engaging and thoughtful manner, has made this course a truly enriching experience for me. It has been a pleasure to learn from you, and I will carry the insights I’ve gained from this class with me as I continue my studies.
One of the aspects of the course that I truly appreciated was the autonomy we were given in shaping the direction of our studies. Having the opportunity to choose the topics we would focus on during select weeks was a unique and valuable aspect of the class. I found it especially meaningful when we discussed local issues, as it allowed me to connect the course material to familiar experiences. For example, the stories you shared about your past jobs, like the pumpkin boat races in Ontario, or the discussions around calculating the value of your solar panels—which coincidentally, my family had just done as well—felt very personal and relevant. These real-life examples not only made the material more engaging, but also helped me see the practical applications of economic principles in the world around me.
After diving into these local and intimate topics, I really appreciated the shift toward a broader, global perspective. Discussions around poverty, pollution, politics, technology, and their interconnected impacts on the environment were fascinating and thought-provoking. These are areas I’m passionate about, and having the opportunity to explore them in depth, both from local and global angles, was something I valued deeply. I’ve always had a strong interest in how economic systems interact with environmental and societal issues, so this class felt like an excellent fit for my interests and for my management degree.
Regarding group work, my thoughts were a little conflicted. While I see the value in frequent group assignments, I found that the weekly expectations could sometimes be overwhelming. I understand the importance of collaboration and the benefits of working in teams, but I did find myself struggling to balance the amount of work required with what I felt was sustainable for me, especially given the other demands on my time. That being said, I did find great value in the group activities, particularly in the way they encouraged me to engage with current events. Analyzing and discussing contemporary issues in class helped me build my ability to understand and communicate complex topics. I can genuinely see how my skills in assessing current events have grown over the term, and that’s something I’m grateful for. So overall, my reflection on these group assignments would be that I liked them as a portion of this course but in order to be able to apply the time and attention I feel they deserved, I would’ve preferred to have the submission expectation be a little less frequent.
Finally, I want to acknowledge my initial frustration with the mandatory attendance policy. As a management student, I’ve grown accustomed to online classes, and I’m used to the flexibility of not having attendance as a graded component. However, I’ve come to realize how much the attendance policy enhanced my learning experience. Having grades attached to attendance was a motivating factor for me to stay engaged and attend class, especially when the weather turned colder and it became tempting to skip. Reflecting on it now, I can say that this expectation really helped me better absorb the material, engage more deeply with your lectures, and benefit from the insights of my peers. I don’t think I would have taken as much away from the course if it hadn’t been for this added motivation, so I want to thank you for that—it helped me push through moments when I would have otherwise stayed home.
In summary, this class has been both intellectually stimulating and personally meaningful. I’ve learned a great deal, not only about economics, but also about how I approach my learning and engagement in class. Thank you for creating such a dynamic and thought-provoking environment, and for encouraging us to think critically about the issues that matter most to us.
Prof: Thanks for sharing, particularly about the things you did find frustrating, the frequent wiki project assignments and the attendance requirement. In the past, I have been much more flexible on attendance. I have found that as a result, only a few people regularly attend class and only some of those regularly participate in the discussion. While many who attend for the attendance points don't participate much beyond showing up, I hope that at least sometimes they are paying attention. The news analysis assignments are frequent. In past I have had larger final projects and less work along the way. I know some students are glad to not have a large final project to work on in this course, so they can focus on the projects in other courses.