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Joab Corey, senior lecturer at Sanford, has been awarded a grant from Duke’s Undergraduate Program Enhancement Fund (UPEF) to expand innovative teaching strategies in core economics courses. Backed by Duke’s Provost’s Office, the UPEF supports faculty-driven initiatives that enhance undergraduate experiential learning.
Corey’s project, titled "Active Learning Training and Implementation," aims to transform how economics is taught within the Sanford School and beyond. Traditionally, economics instruction has relied heavily on lecture-based methods, often referred to as “Chalk and Talk.” However, recent advancements in pedagogy emphasize dynamic, interactive learning strategies that improve student engagement and comprehension. This project seeks to build on that momentum by providing faculty with the tools, training, and confidence to integrate active learning strategies into their classrooms.
The initiative will unfold in three phases. The first phase will create a digital repository of active learning activities, such as trading simulations, policy-based case studies, and interactive classroom experiments. Faculty will also be encouraged to contribute new strategies tailored to their courses. The second phase will focus on training sessions where instructors can practice these techniques in a low-stakes environment before implementing them in the classroom. These sessions will allow faculty to refine their approach and collaborate on innovations. The final phase will expand the reach of the repository to faculty outside Sanford and Duke through workshops and conferences, establishing the university as a leader in active learning pedagogy.
The project has direct implications for core public policy courses such as PUBPOL 303 and PUBPOL 304, where students explore market processes and government interventions. By incorporating interactive learning strategies, these courses will become more engaging, fostering a deeper understanding of economic principles and their application to real-world policy challenges. Beyond economics, many of these active learning strategies—such as digital escape rooms, think-pair-share discussions, and reflective writing exercises—can be applied across disciplines, making the initiative a model for experiential learning at Duke and beyond.
“I was very excited to learn that we had received this award as it demonstrates Duke’s commitment to innovative teaching pedagogies and quality instruction in the classroom,” Corey said. “I also felt very appreciative of how much my colleagues in the Sanford School of Public Policy care about high-quality teaching. This was a collaborative effort that I found to be very inspiring in my first year at Duke University!”
Sanford’s Interim Dean, Manoj Mohanan, congratulated Corey on the award, emphasizing its significance for both faculty and students. “Joab’s leadership in active learning is a testament to Sanford’s commitment to excellence in teaching. This initiative will not only empower our faculty with innovative tools but will also enrich the learning experience for our students. We are proud to support this kind of forward-thinking pedagogy.”
The project is supported by a team of Sanford faculty dedicated to advancing instructional innovation, including Vicki Bogan, Lisa Gennetian, Matthew Johnson, Cory Krupp, Alex Pfaff, and Jonathan Zhang. With this grant, Corey and the Sanford community continue to advance the school’s mission of fostering engaging, effective, and impactful education in public policy. The digital repository and training model developed through this initiative will serve as a lasting resource, ensuring that Duke remains at the forefront of pedagogical innovation in higher education.