GENERAL INFORMATION FOR STUDENTS
Student Projects and Presentations:
Course completion requires students to write a policy paper (15 pages maximum) on a topic of their chance and make a 20-30-minute presentation in-person or online.
Students—both in person and online—can make their presentations in person in the afternoons or evenings on Monday, December 9 to Thursday, December 12. Scheduling of in-person presentations will take place in November based on student availability. All students are welcome and encouraged to be present when other students present in person.
Students who are unable to make their presentations in person can schedule a presentation via video conferencing with the instructor at a mutually convenient time in December.
Reading Materials:
Students are encouraged to purchase & read Kate Raworth’s book, Doughnut Economics: Seven Ways to Think Like a 21st Century Economist (White River Junction, VT, Chelsea Green Publishing), which provides an accessible summary of many of the limitations of mainstream “neoclassical” economics, informed by contemporary understandings of how people think/make decisions and the current challenges of inequality & climate change. You can order the book from your local bookstore or purchase it from an online retailer, such as Powell’s.
Other reading materials are available online and/or will be uploaded to the webpage for the course.
Telephone Office Hours:
Steve will be holding “telephone office hours” on Mondays from 4:00 to 6:00 PM, so students – particularly those participating online – can call him to ask questions or to discuss anything he’s talked about during previous sessions or included in assigned & suggested readings. He can be reached at either his cellphone (717-805-2318) or office phone (717-255-7145). Of course, all are welcome to submit questions to Steve anytime via email, along with calling him outside of “telephone office hours” – if he’s available, he’ll be happy to talk; if not, please leave a message, he’ll respond promptly.
Tuition, Scholarships, & Payment Options:
Tuition for the course is $65. We are committed to including anyone who would like to participate, so full and partial scholarships are available upon request. Please email Stephanie Frank (frank@keystoneresearch.org) for information about scholarships.
Invoices will be send via email by Friday, September 20th, and payment can be made on PayPal using a credit card or bank account. Payment can also be made in person on Tuesday night (9/24), via check or credit card.
Active Participation – In-Person & Online:
This is a participatory, discussion-oriented course, so please come to class prepared to ask questions, offer thoughts about the subject matter, and engage in occasional debate. Online students are encouraged to email questions & comments to Steve in advance of the Tuesday night sessions, reflecting on information that was presented in the previous week’s class or ideas that were raised in the current week’s assigned readings; he will share & respond to these questions & comments during the in-person session, inviting classroom discussion as well. We are also planning to attempt at least one online video-conferencing “chat room” so that online students can participate in a live discussion with Steve and others taking the course (date, time, & platform TBD).
Networking:
One of the goals for the class is to create an environment where participants can interact and network with other people taking the course. Steve would like to set up a shared spreadsheet that will only be accessible to students participating in the class. Information to be shared will be name, email address, town/city, and the organization with which the participant is involved (if any). If you do NOT want to have your info included, please email Jeff Garis (garis@pennbpc.org) by Friday, September 27. Participants are welcome to revise, update, or remove their information at any time.