EC203-5-SP-CO:
Technological change: past, present and future prospects
2021/22
Economics
Colchester Campus
Spring
Undergraduate: Level 5
Current
Monday 17 January 2022
Friday 25 March 2022
15
06 September 2021
Requisites for this module
EC111
(none)
(none)
(none)
(none)
The module focuses on the economic history of economic growth and technical change centred on the `second industrial revolution` and stemming from the advances in the latter part of the 19th century. Beginning with an overview of global patterns of growth to the early 21st century, EC203 introduces macroeconomic approaches to long-run growth, in particular accounting for technological change.
It continues with case studies of key sectors contributing to technical progress, including electricity, chemicals, in the late 19th century through to Information and Communications Technology in the late 20th and early 21st centuries.
This module seeks to explore the implications of technological change in advanced industrialised economies. It takes a historical perspective, aiming to show how key sectors of change in the economy contribute to the development of new technologies and, over time, to changes in aggregate output and economic well-being.
The module also aims to support the development of useful skills in the form of:
1. clear, concise and well-organised professional written work;
2. personal time management, target-setting to achieve a timely completion of essays and other reading assignments, and
3. reflection on, and response to feedback provided for essays.
Upon completion of this module, students will have an appreciation of the main patterns of technological advances from the mid-19th century to the present, in relation with economic growth in key sectors of the modern economy. Students will be able to show how aggregate technological changes are measured and interpreted in the context of modern theories of economic growth
The module is offered at two levels: 5(second year) and 6 (third year). The only difference is in the assessments: assignments and examinations have different questions to reflect the two levels.
Two lecture hours per week in the Spring Term. Some of the lecture hours may be used as seminars and additional class hours will be added as needed. Two hours in the Summer term are devoted to revision before the final examination.
Feedback for EC203 occurs: in classes, where the design and coverage of assignment essays is discussed; in lectures, parts of which are devoted to seminars discussing the topics being studied; and in academic support hours, which are available each week. Academic support hours are provided to allow individual students, or small groups, to raise specific issues of interest that occur during the module, or to discuss their planning of assignments.
In the weeks immediately before the final examination, revision sessions are provided to highlight themes of EC203, and to provide guidance on examination strategy. Students are encouraged to make use of academic support hours at this time to discuss their individual examination strategy and to obtain feedback from their drafts of answers to sample examination questions.
This module does not appear to have a published bibliography for this year.
Assessment items, weightings and deadlines
| Coursework / exam |
Description |
Deadline |
Coursework weighting |
| Coursework |
Assignment |
|
|
| Exam |
Main exam: 120 minutes during Summer (Main Period)
|
Additional coursework information
For the assignment students receive a detailed feedback sheet that comments on the strengths of the assignment and details the scope for improvements that could be made, as well as providing the mark. Students are then invited to come to academic support hours, when it is possible to explore their individual submission in the light of the issues identified on the feedback sheet.
Exam format definitions
- Remote, open book: Your exam will take place remotely via an online learning platform. You may refer to any physical or electronic materials during the exam.
- In-person, open book: Your exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer to any physical materials such as paper study notes or a textbook during the exam. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
- In-person, open book (restricted): The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer only to specific physical materials such as a named textbook during the exam. Permitted materials will be specified by your department. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
- In-person, closed book: The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may not refer to any physical materials or electronic devices during the exam. There may be times when a paper dictionary,
for example, may be permitted in an otherwise closed book exam. Any exceptions will be specified by your department.
Your department will provide further guidance before your exams.
Overall assessment
Reassessment
Module supervisor and teaching staff
Mr Roy Bailey, email: rbailey@essex.ac.uk.
Lectures and classes: Roy Bailey
For further information send an email message to ueco@essex.ac.uk.
Yes
Yes
No
Mr Pedro David Matos Serodio
Available via Moodle
Of 394 hours, 4 (1%) hours available to students:
390 hours not recorded due to service coverage or fault;
0 hours not recorded due to opt-out by lecturer(s).
Economics
Disclaimer: The University makes every effort to ensure that this information on its Module Directory is accurate and up-to-date. Exceptionally it can
be necessary to make changes, for example to programmes, modules, facilities or fees. Examples of such reasons might include a change of law or regulatory requirements,
industrial action, lack of demand, departure of key personnel, change in government policy, or withdrawal/reduction of funding. Changes to modules may for example consist
of variations to the content and method of delivery or assessment of modules and other services, to discontinue modules and other services and to merge or combine modules.
The University will endeavour to keep such changes to a minimum, and will also keep students informed appropriately by updating our programme specifications and module directory.
The full Procedures, Rules and Regulations of the University governing how it operates are set out in the Charter, Statutes and Ordinances and in the University Regulations, Policy and Procedures.