Teaching

I have taught Introduction to Sociology, Criminology, Analytical Approaches to Problem Solving, Sociological Research Methods, and Teaching Undergraduate Sociology. Below you will find course descriptions for each.

Introduction to Sociology:

The purpose of this course is to provide a broad overview of major theories, concepts, and research methodologies in sociology—the scientific study of society. From a sociological perspective, we will discuss class inequality, race and ethnicity, gender, education, medicine, and culture. Students will be encouraged to develop critical thinking skills as we draw connections from sociology to the everyday and cultivate a deeper understanding of the world around us.

Criminology:

This course explores the social construction of crime, deviance, and sanctioned punishments in the United States. In doing so, we will address important issues in law, public policy, and the criminal justice system at large. Theoretically, we will investigate understandings of crime from across the social sciences, including sociology and criminology. We will also examine the prevalence of crime in American society as well as the research methods criminologists use to study crime. Lastly, we will explore the cultural foundations and implications of the American criminal justice system, specifically with how beliefs about deviance shape responses to crime and those labeled criminals across history. Throughout the course, we will utilize a critical perspective to study how the intersections of race, ethnicity, social class, gender, sexuality, disability, immigration status, and other constructions of social difference might influence experiences with crime and punishment.

Analytical Approaches to Problem Solving:

The purpose of this course is to introduce techniques, concepts, and reasoning necessary for analyzing broad sets of quantitative data. We will start with an overview of basic statistical principles and descriptive techniques then move on to inferential statistics. We will use inferential statistics to produce estimates about a large population based on a sample of units. Population units are often individual people, but they may also include entities such as businesses, states, or other organizations. We will use Microsoft Office and a free software named R to assist our analyses.

The skills you will acquire in this course are highly relevant to fields ranging from market analysis to nonprofit management to policy work to academia. As you learn about survey design and data analysis, you will also become a more sophisticated consumer of information presented by the media. Most importantly, the course is a service-learning course in which you will gain experience conducting real-world analysis with the potential to have practical impact.

As a class, we will be working with a community partner to analyze data and ultimately provide quantitative solutions to real-world issues. You will be expected to produce high-quality work worthy of the mission and vision of our community partner. However, this class will be collaborative. I will provide direct assistance, especially during weekly labs. You will also be encouraged to help your classmates solve problems and create solutions. In addition to our service-learning project, you will also be responsible for conventional quizzes and lab assignments.

This course is not math-intensive, nor does it require any previous knowledge of statistics. Nonetheless, you will be expected to do some computation work by hand (with the aid of a basic calculator). We will also deal with some very basic algebra and statistical formulas, but for those who need more time or help, ample opportunities will be provided. You will not be expected to become a statistician – only to develop competencies in understanding and executing the basics of quantitative data analysis and presentation.

Sociological Research Methods:

The purpose of this course is to provide a broad overview of the primary research methods and methodological concerns in sociology—the scientific study of society. From a sociological perspective, we will discuss the most effective ways to research topics such as class inequality, race and ethnicity, gender, education, medicine, and politics. Students will be encouraged to develop critical thinking skills by reading, discussing, and practicing social science research. Because sociologists use a range of methodological tools, each week we will focus on a different method or research consideration. A major component of the course will be practicing research methods with hands-on assignments.

Teaching Undergraduate Sociology

(with co-instructor Dr. Brian Powell)

The primary goal of this class is to assist you in becoming a first-rate undergraduate sociology instructor. More specifically, this course aims to help you: improve your skill at various teaching activities (e.g., lecturing, leading discussions, and evaluating and motivating students); become sensitive to sociological/social psychological phenomena that appear in college classrooms; formulate a teaching style and philosophy that you can expand and refine with experience; and learn about the policies and politics of higher education. Perhaps most importantly, this course is intended to provide you,

as a new instructor, with a forum for sharing your experiences with and obtaining support from your peers. Class sessions will be organized around mini-lectures, group or guest presentations, and discussions of experiences relevant to the topic of the day. In addition, we will leave time each class period to discuss questions and problems that come up during the course of your teaching that are not

directly related to the topic of the day.