|
|
A Quarterly Publication of
The American Sociological Association
ABSTRACTS
Volume 37, Number 2, April 2009ARTICLES
- Whom Does Service Learning Really Serve? Community-Based Organizations' Perspectives on Service Learning . . . . . David D. Blouin and Evelyn M. Perry
- Beyond the Field Trip: Teaching Tourism through Tours . . . . . Shaul Kelner and George Sanders
- Responding to the Quantitative Literacy Gap among Students in Sociology . . . . . Esther Isabelle Wilder
NOTES
- "I'll Take Ideology for $200, Alex": Using the Game Show Jeopardy! to Facilitate Sociological and Critical Thinking . . . . . Dan Pence
- Politicizing Sociology through a Bill of Rights Learning Module . . . . . Stephen Sweet
- Driving a Car in Saudi: An Illustration of the Power of Norms and Values Using Multicultural Data . . . . . Kathleen A. Tiemann, Abdallah M. Badahdah, and Daphne E. Pedersen
- Innovations in Teaching Race and Class Inequality: Bittersweet Candy and The Vanishing Dollar . . . . . Roxanna Harlow
- Shaped Goals: Teaching Undergraduates the Effects of Social Stratification on the Formulation of Goals . . . . . Giselle Touzard
WHOM DOES SERVICE LEARNING REALLY SERVE? COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS' PERSPECTIVES ON SERVICE LEARNING
One of the major selling points of service-learning courses is their potential to mutually benefit communities, universities, and students. Although a great deal of research reports numerous pedagogical and personal benefits for students-from improved grades and increased civic engagement to increased understanding and appreciation of diversity-there is relatively little research on the impact of service learning on the community. To understand when and how service-learning courses benefit the community, we conducted in-depth interviews with representatives of local community-based organizations that have worked with service learners. We report on the primary benefits and costs associated with service-learning courses. We identify three types of obstacles to successful service-learning courses: issues related to student conduct, poor fit between course and organizational objectives, and lack of communication between instructors and organizations. We develop practical guidelines for addressing these obstacles and for ensuring that service learning fulfills teaching and learning goals and provides valuable service to community-based organizations.
Return to top of page.
BEYOND THE FIELD TRIP: TEACHING TOURISM THROUGH TOURS
A course in the sociology of tourism offers an opportunity to examine a world-transforming force that is penetrating more and more aspects of social life. It also offers an opportunity to create a learning environment that uses the object of study as the medium of study. This article examines how instructors can use tourism to teach the sociology of tourism, and thereby help students develop an understanding of the subject matter through reflexive examination of classroom practice. Drawing on research in the sociology of tourism, it outlines a conceptual framework for thinking about tourism as a spatial practice that includes semiotic, interpersonal and cultural dimensions. Through examples, it shows how these dimensions can be synthesized into a pedagogical strategy that uses field trips and classroom learning to teach the sociology of tourism. The article addresses logistical and conceptual issues involved in course planning and implementation.
RESPONDING TO THE QUANTITATIVE LITERACY GAP AMONG STUDENTS IN SOCIOLOGY COURSES
The Integrating Data Analysis (IDA) approach to undergraduate education developed by the American Sociological Association (ASA) and the Social Science Data Analysis Network (SSDAN) has been embedded in the undergraduate sociology curriculum at Lehman College, The City University of New York (CUNY), since 2003. This study draws on student and faculty assessment data from the fall 2004 and spring 2006 semesters to evaluate the effectiveness of this initiative. The results show that students in courses with an IDA component significantly improved their performance on quantitative skills tests. Efforts to engage students in active learning through the use of computers were associated with increased student comfort and greater interest in working with data. In turn, students who were comfortable working with data exhibited especially high levels of quantitative skill. Although students who were taught a wide variety of data analysis skills reported greater interest in working with data, those who were taught a more limited range of skills achieved higher performance scores. Likewise, students who were required to complete assignments and undertake graded examinations that tested a wide range of quantitative skills had less interest in working with data but achieved greater improvements in their test scores.
"I'LL TAKE IDEOLOGY FOR $200, ALEX": USING THE GAME SHOW JEOPARDY! TO FACILITATE SOCIOLOGICAL AND CRITICAL THINKING
This note discusses a teaching technique aimed at helping instructors of introductory-level sociology courses present two abstract concepts that are foreign to most first-year students--the sociological imagination and critical thinking. Because helping students make abstract concepts relevant can be especially challenging, this classroom assignment relies on students' own experiences to help them understand and apply these concepts in their daily lives. Specifically, students begin to see these concepts in their lived experiences by uncovering and connecting hidden assumptions that are common both to school and the television game show, Jeopardy!.
POLITICIZING SOCIOLOGY THROUGH A BILL OF RIGHTS LEARNING MODULE
This article describes a learning module, spread over three classes, that guides students to collectively consider and identify fundamental rights in the form of a ratified Family Bill of Rights. By removing the professor from the role of "moral authority," the activities helped fostered serious consideration of what a family responsive society might provide. Assessment of this activity supports a conclusion that it helps shape political beliefs. This exercise can be modified for application in a wide range of courses such as sociology of families, social change, global sociology, sociology of technology, sociology of health, and criminal justice studies.
DRIVING A CAR IN SAUDI: AN ILLUSTRATION OF THE POWER OF NORMS AND VALUES USING MULTICULTURAL DATA
This activity is designed to vivify the classroom through an exercise that features multicultural data. We collected data from 79 university students in Saudi Arabia. We gave them four scenarios in which they were asked to transport various family members in the family's car and decide where each person should sit. The same scenarios were given to students at a medium sized Midwestern American university in introduction to sociology classes. After the American students completed the exercise, we showed them how the Saudi students resolved the seating issue, and that there was nearly perfect agreement among them on where particular family members must sit. This stands in contrast to responses from the American students who show less agreement about where women and men-mothers, fathers, sisters, and brothers-should sit. The ensuing discussion clarifies the power of cultural norms and values as illustrated by seat assignments and the interaction between age and gender and the importance of the sex segregation norm in Saudi Arabia.
INNOVATIONS IN TEACHING RACE AND CLASS INEQUALITY: BITTERSWEET CANDY AND THE VANISHING DOLLAR
While it is fairly easy for professors to illustrate cases of blatant discrimination, students have a more difficult time understanding how inequality is structured institutionally and can be perpetuated even without malice or conscious intent. This paper describes two exercises used to demonstrate systemic race and class inequality, along with suggestions for discussion linking the lessons learned to real life examples. These activities raise students' awareness of how inequality can be perpetuated in ways unrelated to merit, and can become routinized and normalized within the social system.
SHAPED GOALS: TEACHING UNDERGRADUATES THE EFFECTS OF SOCIAL STRATIFICATION ON THE FORMATION OF GOALS
This article describes an in-class activity that helps undergraduate students to understand the effects of their socio-economic position on the formulation, pursuit, and achievement of goals. This activity recreates a real-life situation where goals are examined as socially constructed, bringing forth the impact of social stratification and inequality on the formulation of goals. Through this simulation, students will perceive the effects of having a restraint in the pursuit of their goals reflecting upon their given socio-economic status. By participating and/or observing the activity, students are provided with the experience needed to evaluate their own personal situation.
The Editor of Teaching Sociology is Liz Grauerholz.
For articles, notes, and conversations, send manuscripts to: Liz Grauerholz, Department of Sociology and Anthropology, University of Central Florida, Howard Phillips Hall 403, Orlando, FL 32816-1360. Phone: 407-823-2227, Fax: 407-823-3026.
For book, video, and software reviews, send manuscripts to: Jay Howard, Department of Sociology, Indiana University Columbus, 4601 Central Avenue, Columbus, IN 47203-1769.
For questions about manuscript processing, contact Deborah Barr, Department of Sociology and Anthropology, University of Central Florida, Howard Phillips Hall 403, Orlando, FL 32816-1360. Phone: 407-823-2227, Fax: 407-823-3026.
The Webmaster is Pauline H. Pavlakos. Observations on form and egregious spelling may be directed to Ms. Pavlakos.
The Teaching Sociology Web Page is located at the Department of Sociology and Anthropology at Le Moyne College, the Jesuit College of Central New York.
Page last updated: April 8, 2009
