August 27, 2025

Many university modules have traditionally adhered to a fixed lecture-tutorial format, culminating in written examinations. However, Associate Professor Ong Ee Cheng (NUS Economics) has reimagined this approach by uniquely designing a labour economics module centred on narrative inquiry for the final project. Narrative inquiry involves translating verbal information into stories that enhance understanding of a subject. In her module, students engaged in project-based assignments that required them to communicate with strangers about real-life shifts in labour market equilibrium over time. She details her key findings in ‘Learning Labour Economics through Narrative Interviews on the Work that People Do’ (International Review of Economics Education, 2023).

After learning the fundamental mechanisms of the labour market through economic theories, students in Assoc. Prof. Ong’s labour economics module embarked on a project that required them to research and analyse a local occupation in decline. These occupations, often highly specialised but diminishing due to digitalization, include roles such as cobblers, mom-and-pop provision shop owners, and newspaper vendors. Students are expected to complement economic concepts and models with narrative interviews, class discussions, and written reflections. The project aims to hone the 4Cs of 21st-century skills: critical thinking, communication, collaboration, and creativity, fostering cooperation with both peers and strangers.

Assoc. Prof. Ong’s innovative approach highlights the power of narrative inquiry in economic research and teaching. The insights gleaned from verbal interviews, interactions, and the concrete experience of observing practitioners at their trades and work environments help reconcile textbook models with real-world observations. For instance, students observed that markets do not exist in isolation. In Singapore, while there are few blade sharpeners (conferring them market power), consumers can avoid using their services by purchasing cheaper blades. This demonstrates the relationship between blade-sharpening services and blades, showing that the blade sharpener cannot substantially raise their prices due to the price-elastic demand for their service.

The project culminates in group presentations and the identification of common themes across different industries. Students appreciate the autonomy to direct their own learning and develop crucial analytical skills that extend beyond theoretical classroom learning. All in all, Assoc. Prof. Ong emphasises the tangible learning outcomes from these verbal educational deliverables, which contribute to the development of the 4Cs of 21st-century skills, essential in today’s ever-evolving world.

Read the article here.