Introduction to Sociology

Sociologists study the connection between society and the human individual. It aims to introduce the sociological imagination as a way to think about the world. The materials and assignments in this course can help educators, planners, lawmakers, administrators, developers, business leaders, and people interested in resolving social problems and formulating public policy. Topics will include culture, socialization, deviance, race/ethnicity, gender, social class, and age, among others. We will become familiar with the major theories, perspectives, methods, and current research topics pertinent to the study of society.

Introduction to Sociology Textbook

This is our textbook. It's not required but is a good supplement to the other class materials and the work we'll be doing.

The digital book is free online. A hard copy can be purchased at the college bookstore or online such as Amazon for under $35. Hard copies are also available for check out through the MiraCosta Library.

All other readings for the class are provided for free and will be in the Canvas website where our class will be located.

We will also watch short videos & documentary films and listen to podcasts that are free to access. I also post my own writings and lecture videos.

Topics that we cover will be generally linked to the textbook chapters, and I will provide specific context for those chapters so that we have topics of interest to make learning more applied to the real world. For example, in the chapter on deviance and crime, we will explore the war on drugs and the prison industrial complex. In the chapter on Groups, we will explore the theory of McDonaldization. In the chapter on Institutions, we will explore the institution of for profit colleges. I look forward to having you in class and diving into Sociology!

My online asynchronous class (no meeting times, fully remote work) is 6 weeks in the summer. In the fall and spring, I teach online asynchronous classes that are 8 weeks and 17 weeks. I cover the same amount of topics and workload so during the 6 and 8 week classes, multiple discussions and assignments are due each week. During the 17 week classes, the workload is spread out with approximately one discussion and one assignment a week.

My in person classes are 17 weeks long and meet twice a week (either Monday/Wednesday or Tuesday/Thursday) for 75 minutes each session. Discussions happen during class so there are no discussion boards. Assignments will be similar to the ones in the asynchronous online class.

We do not have quizzes or tests in my classes. My teaching philosophy for sociology is that quizzes, exams, tests and timed assessments are stressful for students and don't necessarily capture the process of learning. Therefore, our work will be writings, problem solving assignments, and project based learning. I know students often get nervous about writing; therefore, I not only teach Sociology, I will teach you how to write for Sociology. We also do reflection essays which are great for free flow writing without a lot of the "writing rules". There are also opportunities to submit work through artistic expression such as poetry, music, drawings, paintings, and digital content. In addition, there will be assignments that help you practice presentation skills, help you work in teams, and help you think critically about the world around you (by the way, these are three things that employers today rank highly in what they look for in potential hires).

If there are no exams, what do we do for finals? We will do a work-based learning project that is in partnership with the MiraCosta Service Learning Office. It's an opportunity to connect what is learned in class to the real world through community organizations. The way I design my service learning project, students can do it in person with an organization or fully remotely with me as the work supervisor.

Doing this project has many benefits including:

learn through applied experiences
explore career choices
earn hours that can be used towards service scholarships
learn skills that can be applied in their future career
become more actively involved in the community
qualify for scholarships
receive a certificate of volunteerism
gain work experience to put on a resume
network with others in the community

Learn more about my Service Learning Project!

Workforce Skills in the Classroom

What are employers looking for? I created this video for other departments in the college to consider making it clear to students what skills will be learned in the classroom. More importantly, what skills can we teach that employers are looking for.

By taking this course, my hope is that you'll learn sociology and gain the workforce skills that are in demand by employers today. Do an internet search of "what employers are looking for" and you'll see the similar top skills listed on almost every result. I aim to provide students an opportunity to take what we learn from sociology and do class work that reflects the skills that employers are looking for.