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The Great Escape: A Classroom Activity for Teaching OLS

Author

Listed:
  • James Horton

    (Methodist University, Charles M. Reeves School of Business and Economics)

Abstract

This paper describes a kinesthetic learning activity for teaching ordinary least squares in an undergraduate econometrics course. In my experience, students often grasp what to do without really understanding why OLS works the way it does. In this activity, students choose an escape path across a prison courtyard, minimizing the sum of squared distances from "guard towers" in the room. This simple, fun activity gets students involved in a physical scenario with meaningful minimization consequences. I describe the activity design and what instructors need to conduct it, in the hope that others find it useful in their own classrooms.

Suggested Citation

  • James Horton, 2026. "The Great Escape: A Classroom Activity for Teaching OLS," Reeves School of Business and Economics Working Papers 001, Methodist University, Charles M. Reeves School of Business and Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:mtd:wpaper:001
    as

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    File URL: https://professorjimothy.github.io/repec/wpaper/mtdwp001.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Oskar R. Harmon & James Lambrinos, 2012. "Active-Learning Exercises for Principles of Economics Courses," The Journal of Economic Education, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 43(2), pages 221-221, April.
    2. Joshua D. Angrist & Jörn-Steffen Pischke, 2017. "Undergraduate Econometrics Instruction: Through Our Classes, Darkly," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 31(2), pages 125-144, Spring.
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    6. Michael Watts & William E. Becker, 2008. "A Little More than Chalk and Talk: Results from a Third National Survey of Teaching Methods in Undergraduate Economics Courses," The Journal of Economic Education, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 39(3), pages 273-286, July.
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    12. Michael K. Salemi, 2002. "An Illustrated Case for Active Learning," Southern Economic Journal, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 68(3), pages 721-731, January.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

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    More about this item

    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • A11 - General Economics and Teaching - - General Economics - - - Role of Economics; Role of Economists
    • A22 - General Economics and Teaching - - Economic Education and Teaching of Economics - - - Undergraduate

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