Robert and others, Thanks! I agree that diversity of institutional context and the impact on teaching and learning is a critical component of a course on teaching sociology. It also allows students to use their sociological imagination in thinking about context and teaching. I have a small section on this and some ideas for readings. I also have some preliminary contacts with faculty at a nearby community college so that students can be exposed to at least two institutional settings. I will think more on this, however!!! Kathleen
At 12:43 PM 3/2/2006, Robert Hironimus-Wendt wrote: >Hi Kathleen et al. > >I think one aspect of such a course should focus on the diversity of >teaching environments out there. For example, I have taught at a small >liberal arts, a small religious open admissions school, an HBCU, a >community college, and three state universities. > >I would suggest your students would benefit immensely simply by >meetingfaculty from different settings, and having them talk about how >they teach, given the physical structure of their learning environments. > >At the liberal arts school, where classes were limited to 20 or 30 >students, it was considered a sin if I were to use a textbook. I was >supposed to use primary readings, know my students. I was implicitly >expected to use the Socratic method and create small groups during class. > >In the state universities, I have taught from 30 to 200 in an intro. >Section. The large lecture hall at NC State (while earning my Ph.D.) was >in the science building, and had every piece of technology I could have >imagined. It also was a long lecture hall. Currently, I am teaching a >course of 100 in a room that is very flat, but very wide. As a result, I >have to rethink how to deliver the course content, since people on the left and >right cannot see the opposite ends of the board... > >I taught one summer at a community college, and was shocked to find that >these folks have all the right equipment, and actually expect new hires to >be proficient in using PowerPoint, and other technologies. On line classes >were encouraged. > >Thus, if I were teaching the course, one objective I would have would be >familiarity with the diversity of teaching environments. And through guest >lectures, I would have my students learn to appreciate that different >techniques work best in different settings. > >((Of course, this ignores the related issue about teaching to diverse type >so students...)) > >Robert > > Robert J. Hironimus-Wendt, Ph.D. >Sociology and Anthropology >Western Illinois University >1 University Circle >Macomb, IL 61455-1390 >phone: (309) 298-1081 >fax: (309) 298-1857 >email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > >"It doesn't matter how strong your opinions are. If > you don't use your power for positive change, you > are indeed part of the problem, helping to keep > things the way they are." -Coretta Scott King > --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Teaching Sociology" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/teachsoc -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
