Professor wins economics educator award

Dr. Michael Enz was recognized for his innovative "GradeIt" grading exercise.

Dr. Michael Enz, visiting assistant professor in business administration and economics at Roanoke College, has received the first-place 2014 Economist Educators Best in Class Teaching Award. 

The award is sponsored by Cengage Learning, a global education company, and the National Economics Teaching Association. 

The award was created as a way to recognize exceptional economics teachers. Current and past winners have demonstrated innovative ways to engage and inspire students in their economics coursework. This year's winners were chosen by NETA from numerous submissions. 

Enz's winning entry, titled "Self Grading," was about a grading exercise, called "GradeIt," that he has incorporated into his classes.

"Over the years, I have noticed that students have a difficult time adapting to my testing style and learning how to study for an exam," Enz said. "This year I decided to have the students work the grading process on their own, prior to receiving a graded exam. I knew that students would have to take the time to read the answer key, understand the correct answer, then identify how their answer measured up to the correct answer."

Enz, who first incorporated GradeIt this year, said it has given students a good idea of how he tests and grades; removed some of the anxiety students might feel when getting a test back, and has brought some students good feelings about getting their exams back "because they did better than they had thought."

"As for how it has helped me, any time students are better prepared for the next exam, I am better off," Enz said.

Enz and the second- and third-place winners each received cash awards - one for themselves and one for their department - in addition to a trip to the 2014 Economics Teaching Conference Nov. 6 and 7 in San Diego, Calif.