As you know we have received our exam timetable and the exam format can either be an online exam or a take home exam. ECON1140 (Macro & Micro In Context I) is currently an online exam. Many students have requested a change to a take home exam, like our other modules currently are. The email I will write to Jeff and Denise is below with the main reasons why.

Please add your name, student email and add any reasons/comment that you agree with the reasons listed to sign the petition as I will need to show that students want support this request.

This is the email I plan to send is below:

"Dear Jeff and Denise,

I hope this email finds you well.

My name is Majid and I am the programme representative for second year BSc Economics. After seeing our exam timetable on portal, many students contacted me concerning the exam format of ECON1140 (Macro & Micro In Context I). While ECON1142 (Quantitative Methods & Econometrics) and FINA1114 (Banking & Fin in a Global Context) are both take home exams, ECON1140 (Macro & Micro In Context I) is an online exam. My peers raised issues regarding this and many have requested a change of exam format to a take home exam if possible. I contacted the module leader (Mahkameh Ghanei) who suggested that I email the Programme leader and Head of department regarding this matter.

I have conducted a petition to collect signatures of students that request the change, where I also collected their reasons for wanting the change.

I have summarised the main reasons for requesting the change below:

• As you may have already noted in our programme rep meetings this year, my peers have particularly raised issues in the ECON1140 (Macro & Micro In Context I) module, more than any other module. In particular, they cited difficult learning from the online resources due to the layout, organisation and content of the online resources. The strike action and then the Coronavirus crisis exacerbated these issues with learning. Ultimately, this unprecedented situation has affected students ability to perform in a time constrained online exam in this module.
• Our current exam schedule allows for this change to be made as we have a take home exam beginning on the 28th of April (ECON1142) and another one beginning on the 12th of May (FINA1114). So we have one week available from the 5th of May until the 12th of May for the ECON1140 exam to take place. This prevents a burden of many assessments at the same time.
• Better support should be available (both technical, and for clarification in case of factual errors in questions etc.) for the duration of the take home exam, compared to only the first 2 hours in an online exam. For example, many students prefer to draw the graphs that required in Microeconomics by hand. But scanning and uploading in a timed online exam could raise the risk of technical issues.
• The time period, and the ability to access materials, may allow students to better demonstrate their knowledge, abilities and use of sources. This is appropriate for this module as students have had difficulties with the online materials in Moodle, particularly for the microeconomics half of the module.
• The modules learning outcomes (below) emphasise higher order cognitive skills. (argument, application, comparison, critique etc.) and the use of sources, so a take-home exam may allow for a more authentic assessment of these.
  • 1. Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of economic models / theories (macro and micro) from pluralistic and international perspectives
  • 2. Understand and apply methodology and tools of economic analysis
  • 3. Contextualise and apply economic theories to real world factual evidence and current policy issues – such as:
  • social, environmental, global, and sustainable.
  • 4. Use quantitative methods and computing techniques relevant to the study of economics
  • 5. Retrieve, handle and interpret data relevant to the study of economics in the context of international markets
  • 6. Identify the interaction of economics with other social sciences and micro and macro context business
• For Economics, take-home assessments more closely resemble the work activities where students’ knowledge and skills will ultimately be used
• Take home exams can require fewer adjustments for individual students. For instance, take-home assessments can accommodate students who would need additional time in a traditional exam, and students can use their own computer equipment with support software.

I look forward to hearing from you on whether this request is feasible.

All the best and stay safe,

Majid"