The Economics of Education:
introduction and course overview
Seminar 1
Ilya Prakhov
Research fellow, Centre for Institutional Studies
Higher School of Economics , Moscow, 2012
www.hse.ru
Course outline: main topics
 Universities as organizations
 Teachers labor market: contracts and salaries in academia
 Models of admissions to universities: barriers, requirements,
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standardized exams
 Peer effects in education: theoretical reasoning and empirical
estimations
 Education and labor market: investment and returns from higher
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education, labor market signaling
 Student labor market: student employment and graduates’ job
placements
 Funding in higher education: premiums and penalties from
education, student support
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 Educational production function: does schooling really matter?
Higher School of Economics , Moscow, 2012
Course outline: main activities
Lectures
Seminars
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Discussions
Presentations on articles (orally)
Group research project (orally + in written form)
Final quiz (in written form)
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Final score = 0,2 · Presentation + 0,3 · Research project
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+ 0,2 · Class participation + 0,3 · Final quiz
Higher School of Economics , Moscow, 2012
Course outline: communication
Course materials are available online at:
http://economics.hse.ru/inecon/eduec/
Course program (to be updated)
Lectures presentations
Seminars presentations
Articles for presentations
Guidelines for presentations
Guidelines for research projects + topics (coming soon)
Current rating
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Questions can be asked:
During/after classes
During the office hours
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Via email: [email protected] (course email), [email protected] (personal email)
Higher School of Economics , Moscow, 2012
Format for presentations
The main task: to present an article as if it was your own paper, to defend it. Timing: 15 min.
 Title
 Brief, informative, attention-getting
 Research question
 What is the question? One question – 25 words or less (preferably less)
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 Motivation
 Who cares? What literature, theoretical perspective, empirical finding, or policy conclusion
do you challenge? Are there implications for theory and policy?
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 Methodology
 What theoretical perspectives are you using? What method (statistical test, lab experiment,
mathematical proof, counterexample, meta-analysis)? What evidence (cross-sectional data,
panel data, case study, experimental observations)? What are your sources?
 Results
 Based on your results, what conclusions will you draw? What is the link between
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evidence and your conclusions? What final point do you emphasize? What are the policy
implications for Russia?
Higher School of Economics , Moscow, 2012
Source: Alexandra Benham. The Ronald Coase Institute Workshop. Bratislava, 2009.
Presentations: evaluation criteria
Important question
Valid argument
Clear structure of presentation
Visuals (PPT)
Timing: no more than 15 minutes
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Higher School of Economics , Moscow, 2012
Source: Alexandra Benham. The Ronald Coase Institute Workshop. Bratislava, 2009.
For the next seminar…
Warren J.R., Grodsky E. State High School Exit Examinations and
Postsecondary Labor Market Outcomes // Sociology of Education,
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Vol. 87, 2008, pp. 77-107.
Juerges H., Buechel F., Schneider K. The Effect of Central Exit
Examinations on Student Achievement: Quasi-Experimental
Evidence from TIMSS Germany // Journal of the Europeanphoto
Economic
Association, Vol. 3, No. 5, 2005, pp. 1134-1155.
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Higher School of Economics , Moscow, 2012
Work in small groups: research projects
A group of 4-5 students should choose the topic (list of
topics will be available shortly at course webpage).
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Students prepare a written version of the project and
oral presentation (guidelines are available at course
webpage).
Deadlines: for written version (paper and word photo
document) – 18/05, students should present their
projects 22/05.
Mark for research project = 0,5 ∙ Written version + 0,5 ∙
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Presentation
Higher School of Economics , Moscow, 2012
Research project: Format for your paper
Abstract
Main idea and main results (0,5 pages)
Introduction and problem setting
What is the research question, the main idea, and why do youphoto
care about
it? (1-2 pages)
Brief literature overview
3 or more scientific articles in English (up to 6 pages)
Hypotheses
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They should be stated on the basis of your literature review (up
to 1 page)
Methodology and data
Description of sample and (econometric) methods you use (up to 3 pages)
The model and results (up to 5 pages)
Conclusion (1-2 pages)
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References
Higher School of Economics , Moscow, 2012
Final quiz
Open questions on the topics which were discussed during
the course (lectures and seminars)
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Higher School of Economics , Moscow, 2012
20, Myasnitskaya str., Moscow, Russia, 101000
Tel.: +7 (495) 628-8829, Fax: +7 (495) 628-7931
www.hse.ru