Abstract:

The quantitative nature of microeconomics, or price theory, often represents a significant pedagogical challenge for university economics students. Abstract concepts such as utility maximization, cost curves, and market equilibria are traditionally taught using static diagrams and algebraic formulations, which can be difficult for students to internalize and apply dynamically. This article addresses this challenge by proposing and evaluating a novel visual methodology for teaching the basic principles of microeconomics through an interactive web application developed with R Shiny.

The main objective of this work is to design, develop, and implement a complete Shiny application that serves as a dynamic visual laboratory for students. The application goes beyond the static figures found in textbooks, allowing users to manipulate key parameters such as income, prices, and production technologies in real time to observe their immediate effects on economic models. The application is structured to cover fundamental topics such as consumer theory (indifference curves, budget constraints, income and substitution effects), firm theory (production functions, short- and long-run cost curves), and basic market structures.

Our methodology follows a work approach based on the acquisition of “key skills”, as this is mandatory within the academic program of the subject. specifically: “to learn and perfect user skills in the field of ICT” and “to understand economic and business institutions as a result and application of theoretical or formal representations of how the economy and business work”. First, we identified the main conceptual obstacles in a standard microeconomics curriculum. Second, we developed the interactive application using the R Shiny framework, taking advantage of its data visualization libraries, such as 'ggplot2' and 'plotly', to create clear, responsive, and informative graphics.

The integration of specially designed interactive applications, such as the one described here, represents an evolution in the teaching of economics subjects (micro- and macro- approaches). It transforms students from passive recipients of static information into active participants in the modeling process. The article provides a detailed description of the application’s functionality, its development process, and a framework for other educators to adopt and adapt this methodology, thus contributing to the ongoing modernization of pedagogy in the more quantitative aspects of the social sciences.

Keywords:

Economics, Microeconomics, Educational Technology, Data Visualization, R Shiny, Visual Learning, Pricing Theory, Higher Education.