GTAP Online

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GTAP Online
Fifth Annual GTAP Board Meeting April 14-17th,
1999

• Web-based Introduction to
• Applied General
• Equilibrium Analysis

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What is GTAP Online?

• 1-year-old initiative aimed at providing policy
  modelers around the world with easy-access
  training on state-of-the-art general equilibrium
  tools and theories
• Interactive walk-through introduction to a simple
  GTAP one-region model, database, and software
• First GE course entirely offered at a distance
  via the WWW
• First online database of GE-related FAQs, terms
  and equations

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Our Motivation

• Increase demand for applied GE work fueled by
  todays global economic issues
• Small number of AGE specialists instructors
• Demonstrated success of the GTAP Short Course
  formula
• Possibility to expand Short Course audience using
  widely available technologies
• Increase Short Course efficiency by providing
  participants with background preparation
• Positive feedback from on-site students

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Benefits to Participants (1)

• Accessibility convenience
• Opportunity to learn independent of time and
  distance
• Alignment of AGE education to meet professional
  and personal goals
• Accommodation of various learning styles
• Competitive pricing

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Benefits to Participants (2)

• Increased efficiency
• Engaging and challenging course format
• Pull vs. push approach targeted to meet the
  specific needs of AGE learners
• Modularized approach which is logically bundled
  and customizable
• Collaborative learning favorable to exchange of
  ideas
• Solid advising and support services

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Benefits to Participants

• Spillovers
• Familiarity with GTAP notations, software
  (OneGTAP, Decomp, GTAPAgg, etc.), and
  applications
• Permanent access to up-to-date GTAP information
  and resources (GTAP Guest)
• Participation in GE learning community through
  interaction with instructors and peers

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GTAP Preparatory Course When?

• 7 weeks (May 17th - July 2nd) covering 6 modules
• Online pre-registration closing April 30th
• One-week technical check-up before start

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GTAP Preparatory Course Who?

• Teaching team
• Instructor Tom Hertel
• 2 teaching assistants
• Mustafa Acar, PhD candidate (theory)
• Melanie Bacou, MSc candidate (applications)
• Interactions via
• Web-based email
• Bulletin board
• Online Chat
• Live conferencing (??)

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GTAP Preparatory Course What?

• Module 1 Getting started
• Module 2 Overview of closed economy model
• Module 3 Producer behavior
• Module 4 Household behavior
• Module 5 Markets
• 5A Supply response
• 5B Equilibrium demand elasticities
• Module 6 Welfare analysis in a second-best
  setting

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GTAP Preparatory Course How?

• Teaching tools resources
• Voiced-over lectures, complementary readings,
  glossary, and FAQs
• Hands-on simulations using OneGTAP
• Study guides
• Weekly assignments and feedback

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Typical Module Structure
1. Watch it
2. Read it
4. Test it
Talk about it
3. Try it
4. Do it
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1. Watch it

• Demo Module 3 - Producer behavior
• Agec 618 url www.agecon.purdue.edu/academic/agec61
  8/
• log in as Id board, Passworddemo
• go to Week 3, Lecture 3.3, click the icon
• Dr Hertel introduces the nested CES functional
  form
• Turn it on
• Dr Arndt presents SSA application
• Turn it on

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2. Read it

• Demo Module 3 - Producer behavior
• use drop-down menu to go back to main week 3 menu
• select Lecture 3.3.1 Notations
• use drop-down menu to go to week 3 workplan
• open required readings
• GTAP Book
• Keller
• Additionally check in Useful Links section

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3. Try it

• Demo Module 1 - Getting started
• use left drop-down menu to go to week 1
• use top drop-down menu to go to week 1 simulation
• use Back and Next links to navigate through
  OneGTAP tutorial

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4. Do it

• Demo Module 3 - Producer behavior
• use left drop-down menu and go back to week 3
• use top drop-down menu to view week 3 assignment
• use glossary to look up variable names and list
  of model equations
• click submit

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5. Test it

• Demo Module 3 - Producer behavior
• use top drop-down menu to view week 3 study guide
• try to answer a few questions
• use list of FAQs for help

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Talk about it

• Interactive collaborative tools
• click Interactions and try a web-based email
• Check out WebBoard and Chat
• Netmeeting (??)

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Future Developments

• GTAP Follow-Up Course
• Introduces advanced GE special topics based on a
  multi-region environment
• Aimed at offering participants with additional
  guidance and motivation to successfully apply
  newly acquired GTAP know-how back in their home
  institution