Matt and Jadrian are joined by Abdullah Al Bahrani, the Executive Director of JET and a Professor of Economics at Northern Kentucky University. This episode was also recorded at JET SET 2024 in Blacksburg. Abdullah shares his journey from classroom educator to public educator. He shares how his social media presence, "Econ with Dr. A," emerged during the pandemic while teaching online from Oman.
In this episode, we discuss:
How The Econ Games can help students realize their potential
Being a YouTube and Instagram celebrity
Tradeoffs of moving from teaching to administration
How to think about the impact we have as educators
And a whole lot more!
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Some show notes:
While JET SET 2024 has wrapped up, we’re excited to bring you one final interview from the conference. Matt and Jadrian sit down with , the Executive Director of JET and Professor of Economics at Northern Kentucky University. Known to many as “Economics with Dr. A” on social media, Abdullah joined us in the morning for a conversation fueled by Matt’s vice of Diet Coke and some hot coffee. Abdullah might have had a hotel cup of coffee, but Jadrian brought his favorite brew from Idou Coffee in State College.
A graduate of the University of Kentucky, Abdullah stands out in the field of economics education for his innovative and inclusive teaching methods. In this episode, we explore his journey from classroom educator to a leading figure in economics pedagogy, discussing how he has made economics more accessible and relevant to students worldwide. We started our chat with The Econ Games, where students learn real-world skills in data cleaning, analytics, and presentation.
Abdullah’s evolution as an educator over the past few years was largely shaped by the pandemic. Originally on a sabbatical in Ireland, he took a short trip to visit family in Oman, only to find himself stranded when global travel restrictions were imposed. Faced with the challenge of teaching remotely from Oman to his students in Kentucky, Abdullah confronted the widespread criticism of online education and the calls for tuition refunds.
Determined to provide value for his students, Abdullah adapted his teaching methods to excel in a digital world where platforms like YouTube were already thriving. This period of adaptation enhanced his approach to both online and in-person teaching. Today, Abdullah's focus has shifted to professional development, aiming to shed light on the often-overlooked aspects of academic life and support his peers in navigating the challenges of the profession.
One of the key insights Abdullah has gained from his journey with social media is a deeper understanding of his impact. His expanded reach has allowed him to share economics with a broader audience beyond Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky. This growth contributed to his promotion to Associate Dean at NKU, amplifying his influence on students and alumni.
This expanded role also brings challenges. While the Deanship has improved his work-life balance compared to his previous role as a professor—where he often worked around the clock and on weekends—it has introduced new dynamics. Abdullah's work is now confined to typical hours, but this change has also led to less control over his time. He now must address issues and be accountable to others during the day, adding a new layer of responsibility to his role.
At the end of the episode, we talked about Abdullah’s significant impact on the economics education community, from his engaging videos and published research to his contributions as the Director of the KNU Center for Economics Education. If Abdullah’s work has positively influenced you, we encourage you to leave a comment and share your experience with him. Your feedback not only acknowledges his efforts but also helps him understand the broader reach of his impact.
This week’s pop culture references:
Abdullah recently published a paper in the Southern Economic Journal on leveraging ESPN’s 30 for 30 documentaries to teach economic concepts. His favorite episode is Once Brothers, which is particularly poignant. This documentary explores themes of life, brotherhood, friendship, loss, and war, making it a powerful tool for discussing complex economic and social issues compellingly.
Although Abdullah isn’t presenting at JET SET this year, Jadrian is showcasing his work alongside Derek D’Angelo from the Foundation for Economic Education (FEE). FEE offers free teaching resources that complement the articles Jadrian writes for his Monday Morning Economist newsletter. During their presentation, Derek and Jadrian highlighted a viral TikTok clip that illustrates the behavioral economics concept of anchoring.
Matt drew inspiration from our discussion on launching new platforms and chose a song from the Tony Award-winning musical Suffs, which won Best Original Score. The song captures the challenges of getting a platform recognized, making it a fitting example of entrepreneurial spirit. Additionally, it serves as a practical illustration of sequential games in game theory, where the characters use backward induction to strategize their actions to achieve long-term goals.
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