Challenges in Mastering Microeconomics among Malaysian University Students: A Preliminary Study

Abstract

Currently, it is necessary for teaching and learning methods to be creative and complicated to produce competent graduates. Simply memorizing facts does not promote critical thinking skills in students, as it restricts their ability to process information. This is represented by the memorization method, which can result in students forgetting content when the memorization process is interrupted. One subject requiring attention in this regard is microeconomics. A preliminary investigation revealed the difficulties faced by students in understanding microeconomics. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the challenges faced by students taking a microeconomics course at a local university in Malaysia. The findings indicated that students struggled to master the course because of their lack of visualization skills. As a result, interpreting complex graphs and visualizing the data within them posed a significant challenge to these students.