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SYG 2000 SERVICE LEARNING
Introduction to Sociology Spring Term 2008
Dr. Hawkins
Office: DSSC 231 Phone: 253-7368
E-mail: chawkins@hccfl.edu
Office hours:
Monday, Wednesday: 9:55 a.m. - 10:55 a.m. and 1:50 p.m. - 3:20 p.m.
Tuesday, Thursday: 1:25 p.m. - 1:55 p.m. and 3:20 p.m. - 4:35 p.m.
I am also available between classes in DSSC 211.
Webpage: http://www.hccfl.edu/facultyinfo/chawkins
PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS IS A SERVICE LEARNING COURSE WHICH REQUIRES
APPROXIMATELY 10 EXTRA HOURS OUTSIDE OF REGULAR CLASS TIME.
SERVICE LEARNING IS LEARNING BY THINKING AND DOING. THROUGH
PARTICIPATION IN THIS COURSE, STUDENTS WORK WITH STUDENTS FROM
THE ENGLISH FOR ACADEMIC PURPOSES PROGRAM TO LEARN ABOUT A
CULTURE THAT IS DIFFERENT FROM THEIR OWN.
PREREQUISITE: College level reading and writing skills are required.
REQUIRED TEXT: Tischler, Henry L. 2007. Introduction to Sociology, Ninth Edition.
Belmont, California: Wadsworth/Thompson Learning.
COURSE DESCRIPTION: An introductory course which emphasizes the scientific method in
examining society. Topics of study include group structure, roles, social stratification,
socialization, deviance, collective behavior, and minority relations.
COURSE OBJECTIVES:
Upon completion of this course the student should be able to:
1. Define sociology and describe its origins.
2. Explain the three major paradigms used in sociology.
3. List and briefly describe the various steps in using the scientific method.
4. Identify and define the major elements of social structure, such as roles, status, groups,
and institutions.
5. Define a social group and describe the different types of groups in our society.
6. Identify and define the major components of culture.
7. Discuss the agents and importance of socialization.
8. Explain the social self and how it develops.
9. Define the concept of deviance and discuss the theories that have been used to explain
deviant behavior.
10. Define social stratification and contrast the basic characteristics of the structural-functional
and social-conflict explanations for its existence.
11. Describe the characteristics of the major classes in the United States and how these affect
your life.
12. Define minority group and distinguish between prejudice and discrimination.
13. Discuss how conceptions of gender develop.
14. Discuss problems related to aging in our society.
15. Define demography and discuss the demographic processes that account for population
growth, as well as change.
16. Compare past, present, and future urbanization trends in developed and less developed
nations.
17. Define collective behavior and give examples of types of crowd behavior.
18. Identify and explain the types of social movements that can occur and give examples of
each.
19. Discuss the sources, types, consequences, and theories of social change in our world
today.
20. Discuss the functions of at least one social institution.
GRADING:
Your grade for the course is the summation of the points earned on the quizzes and points earned
from the completion of a project on another culture and three reflection assignments.
1. There will be a quiz given after we have covered each chapter. The quiz will have
fifteen multiple choice items. The test material will be taken from both the reading
assignments and the lecture. A total of 12 quizzes will be given during the term. Two
optional quizzes are available at the end of the term. These quizzes will take the place of
any missed quiz or you may take it in order to replace a previous score(s).
2. The Gordon Rule requires that you must write in this course. If you do not complete
the assignments satisfactorily, you may not receive a final grade of A, B, or C for the
class. There are three reflections and one project that are due at various points
throughout the term. All assignments must be typed. I accept your papers during class
and under my office door until 3:00 p.m. on the due date. If you are unable to come to
campus, you may have a family member or friend deliver the paper. Please do not e-mail
your paper to me. The only exceptions to e-mails are if you are ill, out of town, or have
some personal crisis. The e-mailed paper must be copied and pasted directly onto the
message space on the e-mail and sent before 3:00 p.m. on the due date with an explanation
of your situation for my approval. Hard copy of your paper must be turned in on the day
you return to class. No assignments will be accepted late unless there is a documented
emergency. Please notify me as soon as possible if you are experiencing an
emergency. Consideration will be given to your past class performance and attendance in
determining if work will be accepted late. Don’t wait until the last minute; plan for
possible problems.
Project: Due April 9, 2008
When people experience another culture that is different from their own, culture shock is a
common reaction. Culture shock can be a source of stress and can cause problems in
adjusting to a new culture. Due to the increasing multicultural society and world in which
we are living, most of us will experience varying degrees of culture shock at one time or
another in our lives.
Hillsborough Community College has a number of international students that have
immigrated from other countries. Many of these students are enrolled in EAP courses in
order to develop the reading, writing, and speaking skills necessary to succeed in college.
In addition to learning new communication skills they are adjusting to a new culture which
is very different from what they have known. One of the ways in which culture shock can
be reduced is to prepare individuals ahead of time for what they will experience in a new
culture. Introduction to Sociology students will interview EAP Writing VI students and
then individually write a paper that will explain the differences between the non-English
speaking culture and American culture. Students will also give suggestions on adaptive
strategies that can be employed to resolve the cultural shock that would be experienced if
the sociology student visited the EAP student’s country. |
The students will be assigned to small groups which mix students from sociology and the
writing class. Each student will pick a culture(s) other than their own to learn about. The
information for the project will be gathered through meetings both inside and outside of
class. You are gathering data as a sociologist, through interviews. This is a collaborative
process, not a research process. Each group will be given suggested topics and some
questions for one topic to assist you in getting started. Students are not to gather
information for their project from the internet or other written resources. The paper
will not be assigned a passing grade if written sources are used as the basis of
information for the project. You may use the internet or written sources to obtain
information that may be useful in asking questions about other cultures in your group.
The paper must have an introduction, three topics, a paragraph on adaptation to the other
culture, and a conclusion. The final project should be typed and five or six pages in length
(approximately 1,000 words). The EAP students also have writing assignments based
upon these interviews.
Students from both classes will meet together on February 4, during class time, after the
quiz, in order to meet their group and brainstorm topics to be discussed. A week later,
your group will be meet a second time on Feb. 11, for a portion of class. The purpose of
the second meeting is set up a schedule and place for the interviews and begin your
interviews. On campus, there are study rooms available on the second floor in the Library,
a student lounge on the first floor of the DSSC building, and a cafeteria at the far end of
the Student Services building. In order to help you, classroom time on March 3, after the
quiz, will be given for you to meet with your group. In order to make sure that you are
progressing with the assignment and share some of what you are learning, on March 5,
both classes will be meeting together and presenting information from your interviews as
well as sharing something meaningful from your own culture and why it was important
(artifact or food from before you were 18 years old). Your individual paper is due on
April 9. On April 21, we will all meet together one last time to participate in a game
about other cultures.
The project is worth 30 points, two quiz scores. Participation in class through your
presence and sharing of your culture on March 5 is worth 10 points. The paper will be
evaluated on the depth of understanding of the culture and your writing ability, along with
your contribution to the group. In writing, I expect to see good organization and correct
sentence structure. It drives me crazy to see sentence fragments and comma splices! A
part of the grade will be from your group members. Each person in the group will grade
the other members of the group on the contributions that they have made to the project.
Specifically, attendance, cooperation, and quality of interaction will be assessed. The
professor will take the group grade into consideration when assigning the final grade for
the project.
Individual reflections:
Students will also have an opportunity to apply sociological concepts to the group process
that they are experiencing throughout the term. Once again, I expect to see good
organization and correct sentence structure. You should have a minimum of three
paragraphs: introduction, body which answers the question, and conclusion. All
assignments must be typed. Please use specific illustrations in your answers. There are
three writing assignments:
Assignment 1: Culture
Due Feb. 25, 2008
10 points
What culture is your group learning about? Have you experienced ethnocentrism, culture
shock, or cultural relativism in your interactions with them?
Assignment 2: Social Interaction & Social Groups and Deviant Behavior &
Social Control
Due March 19, 2008
10 points
You are part of a secondary group engaged in cooperative interaction. What norms have
developed in your group? Who are the leaders (type)? How have you dealt with members
who are not performing their roles?
Assignment 3: Overall experience
Due April 21, 2008
10 points
What has been the most challenging (difficult, frustrating) part of completing your project?
What has been the most rewarding (meaningful, interesting) part?
What beliefs, values, or behavior of the other culture do you think are the most difficult
for average Americans to understand or accept?
Please note that good writing is not just for English classes! Use your English grammar
handbook or obtain another basic reference book on writing. Go to the Writing Center located
on the third floor of the Library building and have them review your paper with you. This is an
excellent service that is FREE to you. The center is staffed by professionals and is open Monday
through Saturday! You may even e-mail your papers to them! This is not for failing students who
cannot write; it is a great way to improve your writing. The Writing Center is for writing
enhancement. As an HCC student, you may also use smarthinking.com to assist you in writing
your paper. You may obtain the password needed to log on from the Writing Center. This is
another free service available to you! I have found that the Writing Center is much better than
smarthinking.com in working with students on sentence structure.
ATTENDANCE POLICY:
Attendance is important for you to receive the full value of the course. Class attendance is not
counted as part of your grade unless you are borderline at the end of the term. If you are one or
two points from the next highest grade and have not missed more than one or two classes during
the term, then you will receive the higher grade. Students who miss class for any reason are
completely responsible for getting all notes and other material they may have missed.
I have built in an allowance of missing two class sessions during the term since there are two
optional quizzes on the last day of class. If you do not make up a quiz or miss more than two
quizzes, you will receive a deduction of 15 points for each one. Only in emergency situations
which are officially verified, will any make-ups be considered. Make-ups will be essay exams. If
you know ahead of time that you will miss a class where a quiz is scheduled, you may take a
multiple choice quiz before your departure.
On quiz days if you are late to class, you will not be able to take the quiz if at least one student
has already turned in their answer sheet. You will have to take one of the optional quizzes at the
end of the term. If you are tardy and are given the quiz because no one has completed it yet, you
will only be given the same time it takes the class to finish the quiz and the extra credit question
(if given) will be forfeited..
FINAL GRADE:
You will receive a course letter grade based on earning a total of 250 possible points. The
percentages at the end of the term which determine your letter grade are the following:
A = 90% to 100%
B = 80% to 89%
C = 70% to 79%
D = 60% to 69%
I find it much easier to keep track of the points you have missed during the term, rather than the
points you have earned. The end result is the same percentage scale:
A = 0 - 25 points
B = 26- 50 points
C = 51 - 75 points
D = 76 - 100 points
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EXTRA CREDIT:
There will also be a minimum of five opportunities during the term for extra credit. Some of these
will be in the form of an extra question from the lecture on your quiz. Others may be extra credit
assignments. You will only know about the assignments if you have attended class on that day.
These assignments will assist you in learning the material and applying concepts. They are due
the following class period. There are no make-ups for these opportunities. The purpose of the
extra credit is to encourage class attendance.
CHEATING:
Don't do it! You will receive a "0" for the assignment, or quiz, and it will not be dropped. In
addition, if you turn in an assignment where the authorship is questionable, the instructor reserves
the right to discuss this situation with the student, and if she is not satisfied that the assignment is
the work of that student, a grade of “0" will be assigned.
STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES:
Any student whose disability falls within the American Disabilities Act (ADA) and requires
accommodations should contact the Office of Services for Students with Disabilities. The office is
located in the Student Service Building Room 204. You may also reach the office by phone at
259-6035.
CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT:
NO EATING, DRINKING, SMOKING (INCLUDING USE OF OTHER TOBACCO
PRODUCTS), OR PROFANITY IS ALLOWED IN THE CLASSROOM.
TURN YOUR CELL PHONE OFF OR ON SILENT MODE WHEN YOU ARE IN CLASS.
CELL PHONES MUST BE OUT OF SIGHT AND OFF THE STUDENT TABLES DURING
CLASS. IF YOU MUST LEAVE YOUR CELL PHONE ON, PLEASE DISCUSS YOUR
SITUATION WITH THE INSTRUCTOR. REPEATED VIOLATORS WILL BE ASKED TO
LEAVE THE CLASS AND SEE THE DEAN BEFORE BEING ALLOWED TO RETURN.
REPEATED CLASSROOM DISRUPTION AFTER BEING WARNED BY THE
INSTRUCTOR WILL RESULT IN A GRADE PENALTY OF FIVE POINTS PER
OCCURRENCE.
GOOD ETIQUETTE IS EXPECTED OF ALL STUDENTS IN THE CLASSROOM.. THE
PENCIL SHARPENER DOESN’T WORK SO PLEASE DON’T TRY AND USE IT IN THE
MIDDLE OF CLASS. IF YOU NEED TO LEAVE EARLY, PLEASE NOTIFY THE
PROFESSOR AHEAD OF TIME AND SIT IN THE BACK OF THE CLASSROOM IF
POSSIBLE. IT IS ESPECIALLY DISTRACTING TO OTHER STUDENTS IF PEOPLE
LEAVE FIVE - TEN MINUTES BEFORE CLASS HAS ENDED. DON’T PACK UP YOUR
BELONGINGS UNTIL THE PROFESSOR IS DONE! THROW AWAY YOUR TRASH ON
THE WAY OUT THE DOOR.
Introduction to Sociology
Class Dates & Assignments
Spring Term, 2008
Monday/Wednesday
Jan. 7 Introduction
9 Chapter 1: The Sociological Perspective
14 Chapter 1 continued
16 Quiz 1
Complete time availability form
Chapter 2: Doing Sociology: Research Methods
21 Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday- no class
23 Chapter 2 continued
28 Quiz 2
Chapter 3: Culture
30 Chapter 3 continued
Feb. 4 Quiz 3
Service Learning kick-off
6 Chapter 4: Socialization and Development
11 Chapter 4 continued
Second Service Learning meeting with your group
13 Quiz 4
Chapter 5: Society and Social Interaction
18 Presidents’ Day-no class
20 Chapter 5 continued
25 Quiz 5
Chapter 6: Social Groups and Organizations
First reflection due: Culture
27 Chapter 6 continued
Mar. 3 Quiz 6
Group work
5 Advanced show and tell!
Bring something meaningful to you (culturally significant), from birth to
age 18, to share with the class. This is material culture such as food or
artifacts. Be prepared to explain why it was important. We will also
discuss some things that you have learned about other cultures in your
interviews.
10 points!
10 Chapter 7: Deviant Behavior and Social Control
12 Chapter 7 continued
17 Quiz 7
Chapter 8 Social Class in the U.S.
Last day to withdraw without grade consideration is March 13, 2008.
19 Chapter 8 continued
Second reflection due: Group process
24-26 SPRING BREAK- NO CLASSES
31 Quiz 8
Chapter 10: Racial and Ethnic Minorities
April 2 Chapter 10 continued
7 Quiz 10
Chapter 11: Gender Stratification
9 Chapter 11 continued
Individual projects due!
14 Quiz 11
Chapter 12: Marriage and Alternative Family Lifestyles
16 Chapter 12 continued
21 BaFa BaFa
Third reflection due: Overall experience
23 Quiz 12
Chapter 18: Collective Behavior and Social Change
28 Chapter 18 continued
FINAL EXAM SCHEDULE:
Mandatory- Quiz 18
OPTIONAL QUIZZES 14 AND /OR 17
Tues., Apr. 29 11:00 a.m. - 12:50 p.m. and 2:00 - 3:50 p.m.
Wed., Apr. 30 12:30 - 2:20 p.m.
Mon., May 5 11:00 a.m. - 12:50 p.m.
YOU MAY COME ANY OF THE ABOVE TIMES. YOU DROP IN, TAKE YOUR QUIZ
OR QUIZZES AND LEAVE.
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