Using the FRED Excel-Based Application to Improve Learning Outcomes in Economic Courses: From Student to Practitioner

Authors

Abstract

This paper describes active learning strategies utilizing the recently developed FRED Excel-based application to bridge the gap between economic theory and empirics. The FRED Excel-based application permits students to collect, manipulate, and plot macroeconomic data within Excel. We propose using this application as a tool for students to test economic theories using real world data. We maintain that this learning-by-doing strategy is an effective way to improve learning outcomes in undergraduate economic classes. To illustrate the ease and benefits of using the FRED Excel-based application to support standard economic theories, we provide several sample assignments specific to an intermediate macroeconomics class.

Recommended Citation

(2026) "Using the FRED Excel-Based Application to Improve Learning Outcomes in Economic Courses: From Student to Practitioner," Journal of Economics and Finance Education: Vol. 15: Iss. 2, Article 4.
Available at: https://scholarship.rollins.edu/jefe/vol15/iss2/4