Question 1

What is the Uncommon Econ project?

Accepted Answer

The Uncommon Econ project is a series of modules instructors can easily plug into introductory economics courses. The videos are designed to expose students to diverse role models and a range of exciting and relevant topics through professionally produced videos. There are also accompanying curricular materials, grounded in evidence-based active learning principles, which are designed to deepen student engagement and learning. The project hypothesizes that this classroom intervention will positively influence students' perceptions about economics, strengthen their sense of belonging in economics and their belief in their own abilities, and improve learning, persistence, and retention, particularly among diverse students. The modules also provide professional development opportunities for economics instructors, enabling them to implement best practices in their classrooms.

Read more about what we do and why it matters.

Question 2

What are the Uncommon Econ videos be about?

Accepted Answer

Our first season covers common topics in Principles of Microeconomics, include five videos on the following topics: supply and demand, production and costs, market structure, price controls, and externalities.

Our second season, currently in production, will include five episodes related to Principles of Macroeconomics.

Question 3

What curricular materials are provided along with the videos?

Accepted Answer

The teaching materials for each episode include a research brief that provides a brief bio and showcases the work of the research scholars, a lesson plan with discussion and extension questions, a graph visualizing the key economics concept of the episode, an accompanying podcast, and a list of references on which the episode is based.

The lesson plan will provide brief background information on the topic to help prepare instructors before showing the video and connect it to their principles course. The activities included are scalable to classes of any size.

Question 4

When will the videos and curricular materials be ready to review?

Accepted Answer

The Season 1 videos and all instructional materials, including research briefs, are available for free download on our website.  Access these resources on our Curriculum page now.

Our second season is currently in production, and will be available in the Fall of 2026.

Question 5

Who are the research scholars featured in the Uncommon Econ videos?

Accepted Answer

The scholars who are featured in these videos are PhD economists whose rank ranges from doctoral candidate to full, tenured professors. They are from universities and policy institutions all over the world and are experts in their field. Our episodes draw from their recently published papers, and the experts explain their work in their own words.

Question 6

How will the impact of the project on student engagement and understanding be measured?

Accepted Answer

We will use pre- and post-surveys that the selected faculty adopters distribute to their classes to measure student engagement impacts as well as other outcomes. We will also measure overall class performance (final grades) and persistence (taking more classes, majoring/minoring in economics) using institutional research data collected from our adopter's home institutions.

Question 7

What if I have more questions?

Accepted Answer

Please email us at uncommonecon@gmail.com.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Uncommon Econ project?

What are the Uncommon Econ videos be about?

What curricular materials are provided along with the videos?

When will the videos and curricular materials be ready to review?

Who are the research scholars featured in the Uncommon Econ videos?

How will the impact of the project on student engagement and understanding be measured?

What if I have more questions?

(c) 2026 Uncommon Econ
Questions? Contact Us!

This work is funded by the National Science Foundation, Division of Undergraduate Education under grant DUE-2315696 and the CSWEP-SSRC Women in Economics and Mathematics Research Consortium.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Uncommon Econ project?

What are the Uncommon Econ videos be about?

What curricular materials are provided along with the videos?

When will the videos and curricular materials be ready to review?

Who are the research scholars featured in the Uncommon Econ videos?

How will the impact of the project on student engagement and understanding be measured?

What if I have more questions?

(c) 2026 Uncommon Econ Questions? Contact Us! This work is funded by the National Science Foundation, Division of Undergraduate Education under grant DUE-2315696 and the CSWEP-SSRC Women in Economics and Mathematics Research Consortium.

(c) 2026 Uncommon Econ
Questions? Contact Us!

This work is funded by the National Science Foundation, Division of Undergraduate Education under grant DUE-2315696 and the CSWEP-SSRC Women in Economics and Mathematics Research Consortium.