A few years back a respected colleague suggested that I participate in a series of trainings and workshops focused on project-case based learning. The pedagogy was a natural fit for my style of teaching. I have always had group work and team project components and the task of creating a course entirely with these ideas excited me. The very first sociologists had visions of using sociology to build a better world, and that’s a large part of what modern applied sociologists want to do. Sociologists tend to use their sociological tool kit to find answers to practical problems. I became convinced that this type of learning environment will work for an often under educated, low income and second language population and in turn help with retention and success for all students. Implementing this style of learning in Sociology 101, I hoped the skills gained would allow for further student success in other areas of their lives. In the process of teaching the principles of the discipline, students are getting real life experiences in which to frame the sociological concepts.
In fall of 2009, I began to implement some of the practices and in spring of 2010 I revised and adjusted the class to address some class management issues. The four week summer session in 2010 had two sections of sociology 101 and I was pleased with the results and had a clearer idea on my weak links and needed revisions.
Fall 2010, 300 Sociology 101 students (six sections) were involved in project based activities designed to meet the course objectives. I began to more clearly define my grading rubrics and apply the strategies that had worked in the past while “trying on” new ways of implementation of delivery and measurement. One of the challenges was course management. I turned to CSN Serves for focus and record keeping. CSN Serves is the Service Learning component of student life and several non-profit agencies are committed to guiding the students in their activities. Students were expected to document their project and hours of service. CSN Serves representatives gave me a final report on the students’ activities and hours. In the spring semester I had an even clearer focus on how to organize vast numbers of students.
240 students are registered in my classes this coming semester. By implementing the semester project early in the semester and by selecting agencies already partnered with CSN, I can better align the curricular objectives with the course. The projects will be generated in close alliance with the agency point business person.
My institution has been generous enough to allow my classes to meet in a computerized class room and the icing is that the room was formerly a drafting room and these tables serve as conference tables for my students. Also, a special project emerged out of this sociology lab. Last year and the month of June the classroom turns in to a study hall and workshops are provided to assist students in all kinds of skill building. On Monday through Thursday from 12:30 to 5:30 the lab is open. Snacks are provided courtesy of student government. Students come to study and to be a part of the S.H.I.N.E. Project. Work study students, CSN Serves volunteers, faculty and staff find a great space to collaborate and participate. The project sponsored more than 30 workshops last spring in partnership with the re-entry folks, the library staff, faculty and students. The fall schedule is under development and includes weekly faculty-student “Brown Bag” lunch discussions. The most exciting thing about the project is that the “Project Showcase”, the teams make final presentations of their semester projects at “Bring a Guest” to school. The guest can be the business partner, a parent, grandparent, friend or anyone interested in the student. Students will be responsible for developing advertising materials and scheduling of the showcases within the framework of the course work.
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