TEACHSOC: Re: grad sem in teaching sociology

[Del Thomas Ph. D.]

We should preparing students for a future that we know will require they adapt in order to solve problems and perform tasks that do not yet  exist. That in mind there is not really much diversity in academic sectors... most focus on teaching/preaching content that will be obsolete when the student enters the job market.  Most of the focus is on adoptive learning that leads to learned ignorance. I would suggest that you prepare your students to promote adaptive learning, promote student ownership of their classes and their learning.  Avoid lecturing.  And try and find contributions made by sociologists to the betterment of the planet or city.... Present sociology as a science.  Del kathleen mckinney wrote: 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 teachsoc@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/teachsoc -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---