Educational Sociology Commons^™

Another Nibble At The Core: Student Learning In A Thematically-Focused Introductory Sociology Course, Jay R. Howard, Katherine B. Novak, Krista M.C. Cline, Marvin B. Scott

Scholarship and Professional Work - LAS

Identifying and assessing core knowledge has been and continues to be a challenge that vexes the discipline of sociology. With the adoption of a thematic approach to courses in the core curriculum at Butler University, faculty teaching Introductory Sociology were presented with the opportunity and challenge of defining the core knowledge and skills to be taught across course sections with a variety of themes. This study of students (N = 280) enrolled in 12 sections of a thematically-focused Introductory Sociology course presents our attempt to both define and assess a core set of concepts and skills through a pretest-posttest questionnaire …

2009 Hans O. Mauksch Address: Where Are We And How Did We Get Here? A Brief Examination Of The Past, Present, And Future Of The Teaching And Learning Movement In Sociology, Jay R. Howard

Scholarship and Professional Work - LAS

The teaching and learning movement in sociology in general and within the American Sociological Association specifically has a surprisingly long history. This history can be divided into three periods of activity: early efforts (1905 to 1960), innovation and implementation (1960 to 1980), and the institutionalization of gains (1980 to 2009). Beginning in the first period, sociologists interested in teaching and learning focused cycles of attention on the introductory sociology course in higher education, high school sociology courses, and the formation of sections within the American Sociological Association. Hans Mauksch led a period of significant innovation in the 1960s and 1970s. …

North Central Sociological Association Presidential Address: Teaching And Learning And The Culture Of The Regional Association In American Sociology, Jay R. Howard

Scholarship and Professional Work - LAS

In this essay, I examine the role of teaching and learning in the culture of the regional association in American sociology. I analyze the programs of (1) the 2007 joint meeting of the North Central Sociological Association (NCSA) and the Midwest Sociological Society (MSS); (2) the 2007 annual meeting preliminary programs of the Eastern Sociological Society (ESS), the Pacific Sociological Association (PSA), and the Southern Sociological Society (SSS) along with the 2006 annual meeting programs of the MSS and NCSA, as well as the American Sociological Association (ASA); and (3) the 1991 NCSA and 1992 ASA annual meeting programs. I …

The Role Of The Introductory Sociology Course On Students' Perceptions Of Achievement Of General Education Goals, Jay R. Howard, Aimee Zoeller

Scholarship and Professional Work - LAS

As higher education accreditation agencies emphasize achievement of general education learning goals for undergraduate students, departments are increasingly required to identify and assess the contributions of their disciplines to achievement of these goals. This exploratory study conducted at a large urban university and its satellite campus seeks to identify students' perceptions of the contributions of the Introduction to Sociology course to the general education goals specified by a single university. This study also seeks to identify the most frequently used pedagogies used by introductory sociology instructors. Results indicate students perceive that Introduction to Sociology facilitates achievement of critical thinking skills, …

Students’ Race And Participation In Classroom Discussion In Introductory Sociology: A Preliminary Investigation, Jay R. Howard, Aimee Zoeller, Yale Pratt

Scholarship and Professional Work - LAS

This study utilizes observation, survey and interview methodologies to investigate the impact of student race on participation in discussion in introductory sociology courses at a large Midwestern US university with a minority enrollment of approximately 15 percent. While results are mixed there is some evidence that white students participated at a higher rate than minority students. However, in certain circumstances (e.g., discussion of racism), minority students became the “experts” during particular class sessions and participated at a greater rate than did white students. Key Words: Discussion, College Students, Race, Learning, Interaction

What Does Research Tell Us About Classroom Discussion?, Jay R. Howard

Scholarship and Professional Work - LAS

Howard explains why sociologists should be concerned with discussion in the college classroom.

Do College Students Participate More In Discussion In Traditional Delivery Courses Or In Interactive Telecourses? A Preliminary Comparison, Jay R. Howard

Scholarship and Professional Work - LAS

This study research seeks to fill that void with a preliminary comparison of the nature of interaction in interactive telecourses versus traditional delivery college courses on a single campus in the same semester.

This study was conducted in the fall semester of 1999 at Indiana University Purdue University Columbus, a commuter satellite campus of Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis, a major state university with an enrollment of approximately 25,000 students.

The Consolidation Of Responsibility And Students' Definitions Of Situation In The Mixed-Age College Classroom, Jay R. Howard, Roberta Baird

Scholarship and Professional Work - LAS

This study tests for the norm of the consolidation of responsibility for participation in discussion in the mixed-age college classroom. Students who accept and reject this responsibility are identified through observation. The definitions of the college classroom employed by each group of students are contrasted through interviews and survey.

Student Participation And Instructor Gender In The Mixed Age College Classroom, Jay R. Howard, Amanda L. Henney

Scholarship and Professional Work - LAS

This study seeks to fill that void in the literature and contribute to the ongoing debate regarding the impact of student age, student gender, instructor gender, and course level on student participation.