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============================================== Economics UPDATE The monthly Economics Network Email Newsletter ============================================== 4th October 2004 Welcome to UPDATE, the Economics Network Email Newsletter. This newsletter is intended to inform ECON-LTSN subscribers about our activities and to provide other information that may be of interest. Economics UPDATE will be distributed on the first Monday of each calendar month. ========== CONTENTS ========== 1. WHAT'S NEW The Internet For Business And Economics Email Address 2. NOTICEBOARD Economics Network Events PBL Directory 3. AND FINALLY..... Relationship Cycles =============== 1. WHAT'S NEW =============== THE INTERNET FOR BUSINESS AND ECONOMICS Thursday 9th December 2004, London School of Economics and Political Science This is a one-day national seminar on Internet research skills aimed at lecturers and researchers interested in improving their own use of the Internet for research, or in teaching Internet research skills to students. Internet research skills are now recognised as an essential part of the undergraduate curriculum (QAA Benchmark Statements 2004). The seminar will provide practical ideas and materials to help with teaching Internet research methods; Internet and database searching; and use of the Internet to find literature and numerical data. For those conducting their own research, the seminars will offer the chance to learn how to get the most from leading online databases and Internet research tools. Further details and an online booking form are available at: http://www.sosig.ac.uk/events/ EMAIL ADDRESS Please note our new email address: [log in to unmask] ================ 2. NOTICEBOARD ================ ECONOMICS NETWORK EVENTS National Workshop Programme We are currently developing a nationwide workshop programme for 2004/05. Provisional topics include: Personal Development Plans (PDP’s); Use of Virtual Learning Environments in Economics Teaching; Issues in Economics Teaching and Learning for Graduate Teaching Assistants and New Lecturers; Employability and Retention Issues in Economics Teaching. Further details will be available on our Web site shortly. Services To Departments We can offer your department a range of staff development services from half-day or full-day workshops on particular learning and teaching issues, joint departmental away days and regional events. Please visit our Web site for more information: http://www.economics.ltsn.ac.uk/services.htm PBL DIRECTORY The Problem-Based Learning (PBL) Directory at the University of Brighton is designed to be a central international database from which people/institutions can ascertain in a little more depth how PBL is actually being used. Users of PBL can also exchange information and share ideas by sharing contact details. To make it as worthwhile a resource as possible, the project relies on gathering as wide a range and number of participants in the Directory as possible. If you or any of your colleagues use or are interested in PBL as a way of learning, please register your details at: http://interact.bton.ac.uk/pbl/index.php You can also find resources about PBL in economics on our Web site at: http://www.economics.ltsn.ac.uk/showcase/approaches.htm =================== 3. AND FINALLY... =================== RELATIONSHIP CYCLES We continue our look at unusual applications of economics thinking. This month: relationship cycles. Glen Whitman at California State University considers when Marginal Utility of Relationship Time curves have different slopes. Consider phone calls frequency. If Chris wants to call Pat every other day and Pat wants to call Chris every three days, then Chris will end up making all the calls. http://agoraphilia.blogspot.com/2004/09/relationship-cycles.html Alex Tabarrok at George Mason University seizes on Whitman's point as an explanation for why his wife thinks he never wants to call her. http://www.marginalrevolution.com/marginalrevolution/2004/09/economics_of_re .html "Games and Information" author Eric Rasmusen disputes that a rational Chris will think Pat never wants to call, bringing in probability revision to make his point. http://www.rasmusen.org/x/archives/000225.html ============ CONTACT US ============ If you have any suggestions, feedback or comments please contact: Bhagesh Sachania, Information Officer, Economics Network Email: [log in to unmask] Tel.: (0117) 928 7071