(TEA4) Teaching Introduction to Sociology

Typically, introductory courses are large classes taught to sociology majors and non-majors at the beginning of students’ post-secondary educations. The unique characteristics of introductory courses present opportunities and challenges for teaching and learning. Join us for a panel discussion featuring 5 short (5-10 minute) presentations of pedagogical innovations, followed by an interactive discussion about the opportunities and challenges of teaching introduction to sociology. Presentations include examples and experiences with: integrating use of online census data, experiential learning in tutorials, pedagogical tools for decolonizing the discipline, reflection assignments to hone learning skills, and engaging with principles of Universal Design for Learning. Tags: Enseignement, Professional Développement

Organizers: Tonya Davidson, Carleton University, Amanda van Beinum, York University; Chairs: Tonya Davidson, Carleton University, Amanda van Beinum, York University

Presentations

Michael Follert, St Francis Xavier University

Localizing your learning: Using online census data in Introductory Sociology classes

Despite being a scholar who leans more toward theoretical and interpretive approaches in sociology, I’ve found the online databases for the Canadian Census to be incredibly successful tools for getting introductory sociology students to translate key concepts to social reality on a week-to-week basis. Census profiles (detailed demographic details of every municipality in the country), census boundary files, and census tables can help students to answer highly relevant questions like: What does income inequality look like in my hometown when compared to the rest of my province or territory? How many people practice various religious faiths where I come from and how has that changed in the past 20 years? How does the quality of housing in my city compared with that in the nearest Reserve or Indigenous community (or vice versa)? What does the gendered division of labour look like in a part of the country I may not know much about (say, as an international student) and how has that changed over time? In addition to the benefits of applied understanding (e.g., concepts like social inequality, secularization, colonialism, and gender roles, respectively) and the development of data literacy, this approach offers highly localized learning that students can feel meaningfully connected to. As a learning framework that can be implemented in weekly online discussion forums, but also in classroom activities, it ensures additionally (i) originality in student responses, and (ii) limitations placed upon use of AI interfaces, in the interest of preserving academic integrity. (i) Students each select a different census subdivision (municipality) to start, to ensure responses are unique from each other; results can then be compared and contrasted in discussion posts in relation to the weekly concepts and readings, allowing students to learn from each other in a low-stakes environment; knowledge about their selected place can be built upon week-to-week in a cumulative fashion. (ii) AI is notoriously flawed at combing data sets like the census to find and interpret specific numbers, so this framework provides one measure for by-passing unauthorized AI usage. There are however potential openings for productive uses of AI here, like performing moderately complex mathematical or statistical calculations that can assist for the purposes of comparison, but whereby knowing how to perform such calculations is not itself part of the expected learning outcomes for first year sociology. Overall, a learning framework that incorporates census data can help students meaningfully connect what they are learning and reading about with lived realities.

Melissa McLetchie, York University

Taking it to the streets: Experiential learning and community-building activities in Introduction to Sociology tutorials.

Rarely, if ever, are undergraduate sociology majors and non-majors given the opportunity to practice methods, apply theories, and share knowledge learned in the classroom in real-world environments. However, experiential learning is essential to students grasp of complex sociological theories, methods, and concepts while community-building activities can strengthen their ability to transfer this knowledge to non-academic audiences. Given that introductory courses are large classes, it is challenging for course directors to facilitate experiential learning and knowledge-mobilization opportunities. It becomes incumbent upon teaching assistants to create innovative learning and capacity-building opportunities for their students and the community. Using examples gathered through five years as a teaching assistant for an Introduction to Sociology course at York University, as well as my work facilitating social justice programs for youth in the community, my presentation will explore the challenges of teaching Introduction to Sociology and the solutions that experiential learning in tutorials and community-building activities can offer. 

Chris Tatham, University of Guelph

Learning How 'To Do' University: Reflection Assignments, Awareness, and Action

Too often students simply ‘get through’ assignments without considering how to develop, strengthen, and streamline their approach. This presentation discusses a reflection assignment designed to connect student experience, introspection, and future action. Instead of memorizing or applying course content, this assignment encourages students to reflect upon the process by which they ‘do’ assignments and tests. They are asked to consider the way they prepare for and complete class assignments, how they feel at different stages, and what they learned about themselves throughout the process. Students are then asked to strategize by contemplating changes they could make to how they approach similar tasks in a future class or workplace. This assignment encourages students to look inwards and forwards. By encouraging student awareness of their own processes and skill sets, students are able to develop awareness of their own individual strengths, and opportunities for growth, and to link these with future action both inside and outside of the academic context.