In-Class Think Pieces: Course Pack

In this activity, students respond to a series of personal prompts related to the lecture/topics discussed in the course. This is done in order to have students familiarize themselves with the topics and apply technical language by writing a one page response to questions or by working in groups on a short assignment. Related to each topic, there is a reading from a textbook and a quiz that accompanies it. Students are able to take the quiz at any time before the end of the semester.

In class, one of the thinkpieces relates to exchange rates where students are split into groups of 2-3 and they are given the prompt of the exchange rate between Canada and Mexico over the past 10 years (relating to subjects of international trade, trade policy, protectionism, Quebec economy, exchange rate…). Students role play in their groups as the CEO of Bombardier in Mirabel and use the information on the graph to decide whether or not to buy more plane parts from Mexico and build a plant there. In order to make this decision they ask themselves a series of questions to understand the effect of trade imbalances on the exchange rate. The answers to these questions are used to broaden the discussion and written component to a more personal level: have you ever been to Mexico, what was the exchange rate, how did that affect what you bought, how would these effects outlined in your answers and in the graph effect tourism?

Finally, the students submit their assignments to the teacher, who assigns a grade based on participation in the assignment. The instructor gives feedback orally in the next class or in a brief discussion as a class in order to highlight good answers and address any errors.

• These writing assignments aim to make the material, which is often removed and theoretical from the students, to a level at which they can relate to more, thus giving them an intrinsic motivator to engage with the content.