John List: Inspiring Student Curiosity through Real-World Economics

In this episode, University of Chicago professor John List shares his unique approach to teaching economics. Unlike traditional methods, List begins by exploring real-world questions that intrigue his students, using their interests to frame lessons on economic principles. He talks with St. Louis Fed Economic Education Officer Scott Wolla about how his own curiosity and experiences as a baseball card collector led him to economics. List also explains how he aims to inspire the same curiosity in his students, using field experiments and behavioral economics to help them better understand and apply complex economic concepts in their lives. His innovative teaching methods have made his course a hit at the University of Chicago, demonstrating the power of economic thinking in everyday life.