Department of Sociology                                                                         Professor Caroline H. Persell
New York University                                                                                Fall 1999
 
 

Practicum on Teaching Sociology, G93.2000

Readings, Revised 12/14/99

Items with an * will be in Department Lounge




TOPIC OR ISSUE                                                                                                                                                DATE

Philosophies of Teaching                                                                                                                                       Tu. Sept. 14

Readings:

*Look at Elaine Showalter, "The Risks of Good Teaching: How 1 Professor and 9 T.A.'s Plunged into Pedagogy," Chronicle of Higher Education, July 9, 1999: B4-B6.

*"Teaching Philosophy" pp. 82-94 in Training Teaching Assistants: Materials for the Selection and Training of Teaching Assistant in Sociology Courses, Second Edition. 1997. Kenneth Allan and Melinda Messineo (Eds.). 1997. Washington, DC: ASA Teaching Resources Center, 1722 N Street NW, Washington, DC 20036. (Hereafter Allan and Messineo.)

*Ch. 3, "Our Persuasions," from Charles A. Goldsmid and Everett K. Wilson, 1980. Passing on Sociology: The Teaching of a Discipline. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth. (Hereafter Goldsmid and Wilson.)

*Kenneth Ebel, "The Mythology of Teaching,"from the Field Guide for Teaching in a New Century: Ideas from Fellow Travelers. 1999. J.H. Shin, D. Pike, D. Rome, and B.A. Pescosolido (Eds.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Pine Forge Press. (Hereafter Field Guide.)

*Thomas A. Angelo, "A 'Teacher's Dozen'" Fourteen General, Research-Based Principles for Improving Higher Learning in Our Classrooms," from the Field Guide for Teaching in a New Century: Ideas from Fellow Travelers.

Read Chs. 47-49 (Chs. 50-51 are optional) in Bernice A. Pescosolido and Ronald Aminzade (eds.) 1999. The Social Worlds of Higher Education: Handbook for Teaching in a New Century. Thousand Oaks, CA: Pine Forge Press. (Hereafter Social Worlds.) This book has been ordered for the NYU Bookstore under our course number. The Field Guide is on a CD in the book. This is the single best book you can buy.

*Dip into Parker J. Palmer's The Courage to Teach (excerpted as Ch. 47 in Social Worlds).
 

TOPIC OR ISSUE                                                                                                                                        DATE

Developing a Course, Designing a Syllabus,                                                                                                 Tu. Sept. 21
Selecting Readings, Developing Student Projects,
Fostering Student Writing

Readings:

*"Ten Tips on Course Preparation" by Greg Conderman, in Field Guide for Teaching in a New Century: Ideas from Fellow Travelers. 1999. J.H. Shin, D. Pike, D. Rome, and B.A. Pescosolido (Eds.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Pine Forge Press. (Hereafter Field Guide.)

*"Professors, Students and the Syllabus" by Sharon Rubin in Field Guide.

*"Preparing for a Course," Ch. 2 of Wilbert J. McKeachie, Teaching Tips: A Guidebook for the beginning college teacher." 1969. Lexington, MA: D.C. Heath. (Hereafter McKeachie.)

*"The Uses of Two Common Tools: Syllabi and Texts," Ch. 9 of Charles A. Goldsmid and Everett K. Wilson, 1980. Passing on Sociology: The Teaching of a Discipline. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth. (Hereafter Goldsmid and Wilson.) Also see Ch. 4, "Field Related Goals."

*Academic, Teaching, and Career Resources 1998 Catalogue of Teaching and other Resources in Sociology. Washington, DC: American Sociological Association, 1722 N Street NW, Washington, DC: 20036. (202) 833-3410, ext. 389 (to place an order). Lists the syllabi sets and other materials for curricular development available through the ASA

*Lowther, Malcolm A., Joan S. Stark, and Gretchen G. Martens. 1989. Preparing Course Syllabi for Improved Communication. Ann Arbor, MI: National Center for Research to Improve Postsecondary Teaching and Learning.

*Bidwell, L.D.M. 1995. "Helping Students Develop a Sociological Imagination
through Innovative Writing Assignments." Teaching Sociology 23: 401-406.

*"Teaching Essay-Writing in a Liberal Arts Curriculum," Ch. 7 in Gullette.

*"Seventeen Suggestions for Making and Presenting Writing Assignments,"
by Andrew Moss and Carol Holder, pp. 278-280 in Field Guide.

"Research Papers Revisited," by John Sheirer, pp. 281-282.

See Robert Jackson’s Web Site for Writing Guides: www.nyu.edu/classes/jackson/writing.html

See Robert Jackson's Web Site for Writing Guides: www.nyu.edu/classes/jackson/writing.html

Strunk, W. and E.B. White, Elements of Style.

Zinsser, W. 1985. On Writing Well. NewYork: Harper, 3rd Edition.
 

Conducting Focused Discussions                                                                                                                                 9/28

Readings:

*"Organizing Effective Discussion," Ch. 6 in McKeachie.

*"Discussion," pp. 218-226 in Wilson and Goldsmid.

*"Choosing the Best Teaching Method," in Allan & Messineo.

*"Bloom's Hierarchy and Teaching Methods," in Allan & Messineo.

*"Making the Case for Discussion," in Allan & Messineo.

*"Tips for Promoting Active Learning in Your Classrooms," in Allan & Messineo.

*"Three Basic Types of Discussion Sections," in Allan & Messineo.

*"The Dreaded Discussion: Ten Ways to Start," by Peter Frederick, in Allan & Messineo..

*"Tips for Leading an Effective Discussion," in Allan & Messineo.

*"Improving Discussions," by W.E. Cashin & Philip McKnight, in Allan & Messineo.

*"Frequently Asked Questions about Discussion," by Joan Middendorf and Alan Kalish, in Field Guide.

*"Eleven Elements of Effective Discussion," by Cliff Davidson and Susan Ambrose, in Field Guide.

*"Ten Guidelines for Posing Questions to Students," by William Wilen and Ambrose Clegg, in Field Guide.

*"Debates: Techniques for Improving Student Thinking," by Patrick Malcolmson and Richard Myers, in Field Guide..

*"Questioning," by T.P. Kasulis, pp. 38-48 in M.M. Gullette (Ed.), The Art and Craft of Teaching, 1984. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press. (Hereafter Gullette)

*"Teaching Critical Thinking," in Allan & Messineo.

*"Bloom's Taxonomy of Questions," in Allan & Messineo.

4. Using Field Work Projects in Courses                                                                                                                     10/5

Readings:

*"Teaching Stratification: Stimulating Interest and Critical Thinking through Research
Projects," by Joya Misra. 1997. Teaching Sociology 25: 278-291.

Norman Greenberg. 1989. "An Experiential Approach to the Teaching of Sociology."
Teaching Sociology 17: 330-36.

Walter R. Jacobs. 1998. "The Teacher as Text: Using Personal Experience to Stimulate the
Sociological Imagination." Teaching Sociology 26: 222-228.

Research Project Handout from Stephanie Byrd's Family course.

Two sample projects from Dorothy Miell and Margaret Wetherell (Eds.). 1998. Doing Social
Psychology. London: Sage. These include Ch. 3, "Structured Observation and Investigation of
Group Interaction" and Ch. 8, "Discovering Subjective Meanings: Depth Interviewing."

5. Using Cooperative Learning Groups                                                                                                                         10/12

Readings:

*"Using Learning Groups in Your Classroom: A Few How-To's" by Delivee Wright, in Field
Guide.

*"The Use of Collaborative Learning Groups in the Large Class: Is it possible?" by Kathleen
McKinney and Mary Graham-Buxton in Field Guide.

*"Making Student Groups Work" by Linda D. Lerner, in Field Guide.

*"Turning Theory into Theorizing: Collaborative Learning in a Sociological Theory Course" by
Jane A. Rinehart. 1999. Teaching Sociology 27: 216-232.

*"Using a Collaborative Problem-Solving Approach in Teaching Social Stratification." by Scott
Sernau. 1995. Teaching Sociology 23:364-373.

"Humanizing the College Classroom: Collaborative Learning and Social Organization among
Students." Teaching Sociology 18: 141-55.

*"Collaboration and its Discontents: Steps toward Overcoming Barriers to Successful Group
Projects." by David Yamane. 1996. Teaching Sociology 24: 378-383.

David W. Johnson, Roger T. Johnson, & Karl A. Smith. 1991. Cooperation in the
College Classroom. (1991). MN: Interaction Book Company. Available from the EQUAL
Commission which describes this as:

Part handbook, part workbook, this densely packed manuscript gives very detailed and specific
instructions for creating a cooperative college classroom. Includes examples of syllabi, course
activities, and templates for specific types of in-class exercises.

6. Using Technology in Teaching: Films                                                                                                                     10/19
and Videos, PCs and the World Wide Web

*"WebSite Review Essay: Targeting Sociology on the Internet using Gateway Directories," by
Annette Haines. 1999. Teaching Sociology 27: 296-299.

*"Using Computer Assignments to Promote Active Learning in the Undergraduate Social
Problems Course," by Theodore D. Fuller. 1998. Teaching Sociology 26: 215-221.

*"Using Popular Music to Teach Sociology: an Evaluation by Students," by David Walczak and
Monika Reuter. 1994. Teaching Sociology 22: 266-269.

*"Software Reviews: SimCity 2000 Software," by Michael Manocchia. 1999. Teaching
Sociology 27: 212-215.

"Seductions of Sim: Policy as a Simulation Game," by Paul Starr. 1994. The American
Prospect 17 (Spring):19-29. Available at: http://epn.,org/prospect/17/17star.html

*"Film and Video Reviews: Hoop Dreams," by Margaret Walsh. 1997. Teaching Sociology 25:
100-106.

*"Implementing the Seven Principles: Technology as Lever," by Arthur W. Chickering and
Stephen C. Ehrmann. 1999, in Field Guide.

*"How to Use Media." 1999, in Field Guide.

*"Using Computer Conferencing in Courses: Some Suggestions for Faculty," by James H.
Rawson, 1999, in Field Guide.

*"Preparing to Teach a Class by Internet," by Lorna J. Lacina-Gifford and Neelam Kher-
Durlabhji, 1999, in Field Guide.

Paula Hammett, 1999. "Teaching Tools for Evaluating World Wide Web Resources." Teaching
Sociology 27 (Jaunary:31-37).

Anne B. Keating and Joseph Hargitai. 1999. The Wired Professor. New York: New York
University Press. Available from the EQUAL Commission, which indicates that the book:

Discusses ways of incorporating the World Wide Web into one's college
classroom. Includes a short history on communication networks
and the Internet; definitions of parts of the Internet: e.g., UNIX,
FTP, Archie, Gopher, etc. Includes faculty experiences at New York
University, with web pages from their courses, including web
addresses (urls); basic information for putting together a website;
more advanced website ideas; a discussion of distance learning
and some distance learning colleges.

Examples of websites for various classes:

For Caroline Persell's Introduction to Sociology webpage see:

http://www.nyu.edu/classes/persell/introsocspring99.html

For Robert Jackson's MAP Course see: http://www.nyu.edu/classes/jackson/

For Tina Fetner's Course on Sexual Diversity see: http://www.nettmedia.com/fetner/diversity/

For a list of NYU classes on the web try: http:www.nyu.edu.classes

For a very interesting example of a class website by one of our former students, Eszter Hargittai,

see: http://www.princeton.edu/~mexicuba

An example of a project presented as a website by a student is at:

http://www.princeton.edu/~eszter/edu .

For references on how to evaluate material on the web, see:

http://crab.rutgers.edu/~scholzcr/eval.html

http://www2.widener.edu/Wolfgram-Memorial-Library/inform.htm

http://thorplus.lib.purdue.edu/~techman/eval.html

http://www.lib.vt.edu/research/libinst/evaluating.html

http://www.lib.vt.edu/research/libinst/evalbiblio.html

http://www.tiac.net/users/hope/findqual.html
 

7. Evaluating Students                                                                                                                                             10/26
 

*"Evaluating Student Achievement," Ch. 13 in Goldsmid and Wilson.

*"Examinations," Ch. 13 of McKeachie.

*"ABCs of Assigning Grades," Ch. 14 of McKeachie.

*"Grading and Evaluation," by C.M. Jedrey, Ch. 8 in Gullette (Ed.).

*"How to Succeed: A Handout for Students," by Jay Hull. 1999, in Field Guide.

*"A Grade is Not a Gift," by Donna Clack and Alice Poledink. 1999, in Field Guide.

*"Improving Multiple-Choice Tests," by Victorial L. Clegg and William E. Cashin. 1999, in
Field Guide.

*"Improving Essay Tests," by William E. Cashin. 1999, in Field Guide.

*"A Guide to Evaluating Essays." 1999, in Field Guide. 1999, in Field Guide.

*"How the Guided Essay Works," by Susan R. Takata. 1999, in Field Guide.

*"Collaborative Exams as Learning Tools," by Susan A. Stearns. 1999, in Field Guide.

*"A List of 'Never's' in Testing and Grading," by Wilbert McKeachie. 1999, in Field Guide.

Barbara E. Walvoord & Virginia Johnson Anderson. 1998. Effective Grading: A Tool for
Learning and Assessment. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Available from the EQUALCommission
which describes it thus:

These authors have developed a highly useful system for faculty
to incorporate grading into their course planning process. One
can use as much or as little of the system as one wants. The book
helps instructors rethink their assignments and their grading
practices to ensure they grade what they actually want students to
learn. A substantial portion of the book concerns how grading
can serve broader assessment purposes, e.g., departmental and
institutional assessment.

Classroom Assessment Techniques (http://ss.uno.edu/ss/teachdevel/Asses/AssemTech.html)

8. Obtaining Feedback on your Teaching                                                                                                                     11/2

*"Evaluating Instructor Achievement," Ch. 14 in Goldsmid and Wilson.

*"Student Ratings of Faculty," Ch. 23 in McKeachie.

*"Improving Your Teaching," Ch. 24 in McKeachie.

*Richard L. Dukes and Gay Francis. 1989. "The Effects of Gender, Status, and Effective
Teaching on the Evaluation of College Instruction." Teaching Sociology 17:447-457.

*Richard M. Felder. 1992. "What Do They Know, Anyway?" in Field Guide.

*Mary Deane Sorcinelli. "Self-Evaluation of Teaching," in Field Guide.

*Mary Deane Sorcinelli, "Faculty Evaluation by Colleagues," in Field Guide.
 

9. Developing Teaching and Course Portfolios                                                                                                             11/9

*"A List of What Teaching Portfolios Are and What They Are Not" by Pat Hutchings in Field
Guide.

*"The Teaching Portfolio: Possible Models" by Pat Hutchings, in Field Guide.

*"Teaching as Modeling Inquiry," by Christopher Wellin. 1997, in Training Teaching Assistants:
Materials for the Selection and Training of Teaching Assistant in Sociology Courses, Second
Edition. 1997. Kenneth Allan and Melinda Messineo (Eds.). 1997. Washington, DC: ASA
Teaching Resources Center, 1722 N Street NW, Washington, DC 20036. (Hereafter Allan and
Messineo.)

*"Teaching Portfolios" in Allan and Messineo.

*Sandra Barnes, Nandi Crosby, and Jacqueline Boles. 1999. "How to Create a Terrific
Teaching Portfolio," Handbook presented at the 94th Annual Meeting of the American
Sociological Association, Chicago, IL.

*Heather Sullivan-Catlin and Jennifer Keys. 1999. "The Job Market Teaching Portfolio,"
presented at the Eastern Sociological Society annual meeting, Boston, March 4-7.

Goldsmid and Wilson, Parts I, II, and III. (on library reserve)

Peter Seldin. 1997. The Teaching Portfolio. (2nd ed.). Bolton, MA: Anker Publishing.

Randy Bass, "About Course Portfolios and Monographs".
(http://www.georgetown.edu/bassr/portfolio/about.html)

Teaching Portfolio (http://www1.umn.edu/ohr/pff/portfolio.html).

Introduction to Teaching Portfolios (http://www.utep.edu/cetal/portfoli/index.htm)
 

10. Learning about your students, different                                                                                                                 11/16
      student learning styles

*Blythe McVicker Clinchy. "Diversity in Students' Ways of Knowing: Implications for College
Teaching," in Field Guide.

*Lisa D. Delpit. "The Silenced Dialogue: Power and Pedagogy in Educating Other People's
Children," in Field Guide.

*Association on Higher Education and Disability. "College Students with Learning Disabilities,"
in Field Guide.

*Murray C. Adams and W. Bee Crews. "Teaching Strategies in Introductory Sociology for
College Students with Learning Disabilities," in Field Guide.

11. Issues of gender, race and other forms of diversity                                                                                             11/23

General:

*Marilyn Lutzker. "Reasons for Not Doing Diversity- and Responses to Them," in Field Guide.

*Elizabeth Grauerholz and Gina M. Scuteri. "Learning to Role-Take: A Teaching Technique to
Enhance Awareness of the 'Other,'" in Field Guide.

*Peter Frederick. "Walking on Eggs: Mastering the Dreaded Diversity Discussion," in Field
Guide.

Susanne Bohmer and Joyce L. Briggs. 1991. "Teaching Privileged Students about Gender,
Race, and Class Oppression." Teaching Sociology 19: 154-63.

Nancy Davis. 1992. "Teaching about Inequality, Student Resistance, Paralysis, and Rage."
Teaching Sociology 20: 232-38.

Elaine Martin. 1984. "Power and Authority in the Classroom." Signs 9:482-92.

Gender/Sexuality:

*Mark Beeman and Robert Volk. "Challenging Ethnic Stereotypes: A Classroom Exercise," in
Field Guide.

Mary Jo Neitz. 1985. "Resistance to Feminist Analysis." Teaching Sociology 12:339-53.

*Jennifer L. Eichstedt. 1996. "Heterosexism and Gay/Lesbian/Bisexual Experiences: Teaching
Strategies and Exercises." Teaching Sociology 24: 384-388.

*Phyllis Baker and Martha Copp. 1997. "Gender Matters Most: The Interaction of Gendered
Expectations, Feminist Course Content, and Pregnancy in Student Course Evaluations."
Teaching Sociology 25: 29-43.

*Betty D. Robinson and Robert Schaible. 1993. "Women and Men Teaching 'Men, Women,
and Work.'" Teaching Sociology 21: 363-370.

Race/Ethnicity:

*Alicia Kae Koger. "Dismantling the Wall: A White Professor and African American Students,"
in Field Guide.

*Joyce E. Williams et al. 1999. "The Color of Teachers, the Color of Students: The
Multicultural Classroom Experience." Teaching Sociology 27:233-251.

*Claude M. Steele. 1999. "Thin Ice: 'Stereotype Threat' and Black College Students," The
Atlantic Monthly (August):44-54.

*Dennis Rome. "Black Knowledge Quiz," in Field Guide.

*Brian K. Obach. 1999. "Demonstrating the Social Construction of Race." Teaching Sociology
27: 252-257.

*Dennis J. Downey and Ramon S. Torrecilha. 1994. "Sociology of Race and Ethnicity:
Strategies for Comparative Multicultural Courses." Teaching Sociology22:237-247.

*Adalberto Aguirre, Jr. 1999. "Teaching Chicano Sociology: A Response to the Academic
Stock-Story about Ethnic Studies Classes." Teaching Sociology 27: 264-273.

*Pinar Batur-VanderLippe. 1999. "On the Necessity of Antiracist Praxis: An Experience in
Teaching and Learning." Teaching Sociology 27: 274-285.

*Avelardo Valdez and Jeffrey A. Halley. 1999. "Teaching Mexican American Experiences
through Film: Private Issues and Public Problems." Teaching Sociology 27: 286-295.

*Marisa Alicea and Barbara Kessel. 1997. "The Socially Awkward Question: A Simulation
Exercise for Exploring Ethnic and Racial Labels." Teaching Sociology 25: 65-71.

*Dan J. Pence and J. Arthur Fields. 1999. "Teaching about Race and Ethnicity: Trying to
Uncover White Privilege for a White Audience." Teaching Sociology27: 150-158.

Feagin, Joe R., Hernan Vera, and Nikitah Imani. 1996. The Agony of Education: Black
Students at White Colleges and Universities. New York: Routledge, especially Ch. 4,
"Contending with White Instructors: You can feel when someone wants you somewhere."

Making a Difference: Teaching for Black Student Retention. Ohio
State University, 1990, 30 minutes. Videotape available from the Equal Commission.

Raymond J. Wlodkowski & Margery B. Ginsberg. 1995. Diversity and Motivation: Culturally
Responsive Teaching. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Available from the Equal Commission which
describes this as:

A wide-ranging book--reflective and practical--on teaching in
diverse settings. Not a quick read, but worth the effort. Table of
Contents:
1. Understanding Relationships Between Culture and Motivation
to Learn
2. Establishing Inclusion
3. Developing Attitude
4. Enhancing Meaning
5. Engendering Competence
6. Implementing a Culturally Responsive Pedagogy

International Diversity:

*Elisabeth Kuhn. "Cross-Cultural Stumbling Blocks for International Teachers," in Field Guide.

*Amy R. Neeman. "Helping International Students Succeed," in Field Guide.
 

12. Presentations and Discussions of Teaching                                                                                                     11/30
      Portfolios or Course Syllabi You've Developed                                                                                               12/7