Edvolution: The Economics of Education and Innovation

Catalog description

This course examines the dynamic relationship between education, innovation, and economic opportunity in the U.S. and global contexts. We'll explore how education builds human capital driving economic growth, how this capital generates transformative innovations, and how these innovations demand new educational approaches—creating a continuous 'race' between education and technology. We'll analyze educational innovation models from school-based reforms and teaching methods to edtech tools. We'll examine who becomes an innovator and how these dynamics affect different populations, with a focus on equity implications. Topics include the economics of funding innovation, why promising ideas in education fail to scale, and emerging trends shaping education's future. Students will complete reflections, case analyses, team presentations, and a final project applying course concepts to real-world educational innovations.