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Buffalo State College. Department of
Economics & Finance
A large lecture Gen Ed course, primarily for
non-majors; a hybrid course
Enrollments of 300+ per semester
Move from traditional lecture to one with
multi- learning styles: on-line materials,
including a text with embedded videos and
ULAs meetings once a week
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We do not use majors in Economics & Finance
Why? The course evolved into a history of
economic systems from cavemen to the
modern global economy and became popular
in that context.
Historically Econ-Finance students not big on
history.
The search for what students took the
course, did well and liked it?
Students who liked Social Studies
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Initially, hit and miss, but a student who had
served as tutor for a couple semesters
suggested recruitment in her major:
Education with a Social studies concentration
A cooperative faculty member in that
department helped send out a recruitment
email flyer during the summer prior to
implementation
Between that, & word of mouth students
began to apply to be a ULA- a fairly solid
initial group was rercuited
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ANGEL training was central
A specialized version of a faculty ANGEL
workshop designed and carried out
A parallel workshop on content & course
activities was developed and provided
All the ULAs had taken the course within the
past 3 semesters; all had experience with
ANGEL in most of their course
Most significant all had education methods
course completed
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Communication and coordination of the ULAs
Need for on-going faculty support
Recognition of the individuality of the ULAs
Emergence of ULA strengths and weaknesses
Trust in ULA initiatives and willing to
experiment new techniques and ideas
Discovery the ‘prof’ is not always ‘right’
Give and take between the instructor and the
ULAs
Informal meetings: coffee, lunch- scheduling
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Formal arrangements between the
department of Economics & Finance and both
the Education and History/ Social Studies
departments
Recognition of the ULA experience as part of
their practice teaching credit
More systematic recruitment
Greater recruitment within the course
Greater campus-wide information