Sociology as Pedagogy

2008 ◽  
Vol 36 (4) ◽  
pp. 301-317 ◽  
Author(s):  
Judith R. Halasz ◽  
Peter Kaufman
Keyword(s):  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Sociological Theory ◽  
Social Processes ◽  
Sociological Imagination ◽  
Social Thought ◽  
Classroom Experience ◽  
Sociological Knowledge ◽  
Broad Application

As a discipline, sociology has produced a rich understanding of social processes, and yet the pedagogical implications of this scholarship remain largely untapped. In this paper, we employ a framework of sociology as pedagogy to show how sociology can enhance and inform teaching and learning. We select examples from a range of classical and contemporary social thought to highlight the connection between sociological theory and the practices of teaching and learning. We use these theories to demonstrate a broad application of our notion of sociology as pedagogy; however, we believe that all sociological knowledge can be mined for its pedagogical significance. Furthermore, recognizing how sociological phenomena shape the classroom experience is conducive to a more reflexive pedagogy in line with the tenets of the sociological imagination.

Challenging Popularized Narratives of Immigrant Youth From West Africa: Examining Social Processes of Navigating Identities and Engaging Civically

2017 ◽  
Vol 41 (1) ◽  
pp. 279-310 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vaughn W. M. Watson ◽  
Michelle G. Knight-Manuel
Keyword(s):  
West Africa ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Immigrant Youth ◽  
The United States ◽  
Social Processes ◽  
Research Literature ◽  
West African ◽  
Learning Needs ◽  
African Countries ◽  
Media Narratives

Given polarizing popular-media narratives of immigrant youth from West African countries, we construct an interdisciplinary framework engaging a Sankofan approach to analyze education research literature on social processes of navigating identities and engaging civically across immigrant youth’s heritage practices and Indigenous knowledges. In examining social processes, we disrupt three areas of inequalities affecting educational experiences of immigrant youth: (a) homogenizing notions of a monolithic West Africa and immigrant youth’s West African countries, (b) deficit understandings of identities and the heterogeneity of Black immigrant youth from West African countries living in the United States, and (c) singular views of youth’s civic engagement. We provide implications for researchers, policymakers, and educators to better meet youth’s teaching and learning needs.

scholarly journals Disciplinary Differences in the Uptake of a Learning Management System: A Case of a South African Historically Disadvantaged Institution

2022 ◽  
Vol 41 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Phumla Hlengiwe Shamase
Keyword(s):  
Management System ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Sociological Theory ◽  
Learning Management System ◽  
Research Question ◽  
Management Tool ◽  
Disciplinary Differences ◽  
Activity Data ◽  
Standard Requirement ◽  
Learning Management

The provision of a Learning Management System (LMS) for use in distributed, blended or open distance e-learning as a management tool has become a basic standard requirement in higher learning institutions globally. Many students and lecturers use an LMS in support of innovative and engaged teaching and learning, both inside and outside the classroom—whether blended or open leaning. However, many academics choose not to make use of the institutional LMS. This is the specific issue that this study addresses, with a particular focus on the role played by disciplinary differences in the uptake of an LMS. The research question guiding the study is thus: To what extent do disciplinary differences affect the uptake of an LMS? The research study drew on Legitimation Code Theory, a sociological theory that explains the knowledge principles underpinning practices, in this case, the practice of the uptake (or non-uptake) of an institutional LMS. The study made use of quantitative data collection and data analysis methods, drawing on the institutional LMS activity data. The study found that there was a significant relationship between the disciplines and LMS uptake. However, the study also found a number of unexpected exceptions, where the nature of the discipline did not seem to impact uptake or non-uptake. The contribution that the study makes is to show the significant role that the academics’ home discipline plays in LMS uptake.

scholarly journals Robert Michels — zapoznany klasyk socjologii

2017 ◽  
Vol 61 (4) ◽  
pp. 169-188
Author(s):  
Radomir Miński
Keyword(s):  
Social Movements ◽  
Sociological Imagination ◽  
Social Thought ◽  
National Citizenship ◽  
History Of

Robert Michels (1876–1936) considered himself to be a disillusioned socialist, who, under the influence of elitism, rejected democracy and moved into the fascist camp. As a figure in sociology he is associated solely with the “iron law of oligarchy.” In Poland, it is a little-known fact that in Western social thought he is viewed as a socially engaged sociologist—a “genuine” researcher gifted with sociological imagination and a passion for scholarship. The aim of the author is to present Michels as a scholar in many areas: feminist issues, local patriotism in the context of national citizenship, phenomena of a general sociological nature, the history of Italy, and social movements. Furthermore, the author illustrates the German writer Timm Genett’s thesis that Michels should also be valued as a pioneer in the study of social movements, which he consistently examined in his analyses of organizations, systematically investigating the degeneration of social movements and the shifting of organizational aims.

Moving to the Worldvirtual

2011 ◽  
pp. 1-14
Author(s):  
Richard E. Riedl ◽  
Terry McClannon ◽  
Amelia W. Cheney
Keyword(s):  
Online Learning ◽  
Virtual Worlds ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Educational Experiences ◽  
Learning Experiences ◽  
Traditional Classroom ◽  
Classroom Experience ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Brick And Mortar ◽  
The Ideal

The traditional classroom has been considered the ‘ideal’ setting for teaching and learning, and innovations which challenge that structure are under a great deal of scrutiny. As the tools for online learning become more sophisticated, as in the case of 3D immersive worlds, it is time to stop using the brick-and-mortar classroom experience as the litmus by which all educational experiences are measured. This chapter will discuss some significant differences between face-to-face and online learning experiences, as well as some unique affordances provided by virtual worlds for constructivist learning experiences.

scholarly journals Formation of sociological imagination in students of technical institutions in education in the process of teaching sociology

2021 ◽  
pp. 17-22
Author(s):  
L. Lipich ◽  
O. Balagura
Keyword(s):  
Social Problems ◽  
Modern Society ◽  
Social World ◽  
Social Processes ◽  
Sociological Imagination ◽  
Educational Institutions ◽  
Teaching Sociology ◽  
Educational Role ◽  
The Social ◽  
The Status

The article is devoted to the problem of formation of sociological imagination in the process of teaching sociology to students studying in technical educational institutions. The concept of “sociological imagination”, introduced into scientific circulation by the American sociologist Wright Mills, is being clarified. It turns out that the concept of sociological imagination has acquired the status of one of the main in modern sociology and began to play an important educational role, and in sociological science, respectively, methodological and methodological. Attention is paid to the peculiarities of teaching sociology in technical educational institutions, and in view of this, the problem of forming the sociological imagination of students. The fact is that sociology in technical educational institutions is not professional, so it is taught exclusively as a general discipline of worldview. The purpose of teaching sociology in such higher education institutions is to promote the formation of students’ sociological imagination, ie to help future specialists in engineering to develop the ability to think socially, ie to adequately perceive, comprehend and interpret social processes and phenomena, analyze and be ready to solve complex social problems. The solution of this problem involves the use of such methods of teaching sociology, which would be related to the specific practices of modern society, taking into account the universal and professional interests of future professionals. The own experience of teaching sociology at the National Transport University is analyzed. There are examples of using different methods of teaching sociology, aimed at forming a sociological imagination that allow students to perceive the social world around them and relate their professional problems with general social problems, educate and shape their civic position and increase their general cultural level.

scholarly journals Las bases teóricas de las narraciones autobiográficas de los docentes

10.14201/2848 ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fernando Gil Cantero
Keyword(s):  
Oral Language ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Personal Narrative ◽  
Negative Consequences ◽  
Temporal Experience ◽  
Classroom Experience ◽  
Philosophical Perspective ◽  
Teacher Narrative ◽  
Future Events ◽  
Key Features

RESUMEN: En este artículo me centro en un apartado específico de la narrativa que tiene particular relevancia para los educadores de todos los niveles educativos: la narrativa personal de los profesores. Se subrayan así algunas características claves de la narrativa: A) proporcionar significado a la experiencia temporal y a las acciones personales, B) sintetizar las acciones y los sucesos cotidianos en unidades de episodios, C) estructurar los sucesos del pasado y planear los sucesos del futuro. Voy a usar los términos narrativa del profesor (o relatos de los profesores) para referirme a los sucesos o acontecimientos de las experiencias en el aula, compartidas bien a través del lenguaje oral o escrito, y usadas para ayudar a los profesores a pensar más profundamente sobre el significado de la enseñanza, el aprendizaje y ayudar a crecer personalmente y a cambiar, tanto profesional como personalmente. Este artículo discute las consecuencias positivas y negativas de los diferentes modos de desarrollar la identidad de los profesores desde una perspectiva filosófica.ABSTRACT: In this paper I focus on a subset of narrative that has particular relevance for educators at all levels: the teacher personal narrative. It highlights some key features of the narrative: A) ascribing meaning to temporal experience and personal actions, B) synthesizing everyday actions and events into episodic units, C) structuring past events and planning future events. I am using the terms teacher narrative (or teacher's story) to refer to acttual accounts of classroom experience, shared via written or oral language, and used to help teachers think more deeply about the meaning of teaching and learning and to grow and change, both personally and profesionally. This paper discuss the positive and negative consequences of the different ways to develop the teachers' identity from a philosophical perspective.

scholarly journals Techniques of futuring: On how imagined futures become socially performative

2021 ◽  
pp. 136843102098882
Author(s):  
Jeroen Oomen ◽  
Jesse Hoffman ◽  
Maarten A. Hajer
Keyword(s):  
Sociological Theory ◽  
Theoretical Work ◽  
Social Practices ◽  
Social Processes ◽  
The Social ◽  
The Future ◽  
Future 2 ◽  
Relationship Of ◽  
Images Of The Future ◽  
The Relationship

The concept of the future is re-emerging as an urgent topic on the academic agenda. In this article, we focus on the ‘politics of the future’: the social processes and practices that allow particular imagined futures to become socially performative. Acknowledging that the performativity of such imagined futures is well-understood, we argue that how particular visions come about and why they become performative is underexplained. Drawing on constructivist sociological theory, this article aims to fill (part of) this gap by exploring the question ‘how do imagined futures become socially performative’? In doing so, the article has three aims to (1) identify the leading social–theoretical work on the future; (2) conceptualize the relationship of the imagination of the future with social practices and the performance of reality; (3) provide a theoretical framework explaining how images of the future become performative, using the concepts ‘techniques of futuring’ and ‘dramaturgical regime’.

scholarly journals Effective Classroom Experience via Social Media: An Experience in UNITEN

2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (4.36) ◽  
pp. 484
Author(s):  
Md. Nabil Ahmad Zawawi ◽  
. .
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Classroom Experience ◽  
Participation Level ◽  
The Social ◽  
Use Of Social Media ◽  
The Masses ◽  
New Generation ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Social Media Tool

The impact of social media towards many industries mainly business and entertainment is very notable due to the availability of affordable smartphones to the masses. However, in contrast to that, this technology is not utilized extensively to extend the classroom experience for teaching and learning at a university level. While we have tools such as Moodle or other similar Learning Management System (LMS), it does not really provide the sense of presence that the social media tool is providing to its socially active new generation of learners. This paper identifies features in the social media tool (i.e, Facebook) and how it can be used to provide a better after class experience. These features are identified after implementation on different groups of students. The effectiveness is measured based on the students’ grades, their participation level in the class and the lecturer’s performance evaluation at the end of each semester. The paper also suggested proper guidelines for optimizing the use of social media as a tool to assist in teaching and managing classes with large group of students. 

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