SOC 201 WY
Spring2005
Office: Main 193 Office
Hours;Tu/Th: 11:45 -2:00
E-mail moayedir@trinitydc.edu Friday
by appointment 11:45-1:30
Telephone: 202/884-9266
SOCIOLOGY OF EDUCATION
FLC IV
Objectives:
The main objective of this
course is to introduce students to basic questions and issues in the field of
sociology of education. We will explore
the functions and processes of education as a social institution, the role of
the education system in social inequality, social relationship of the classroom
and school as organization. This course provides an opportunity to analyze
controversial topics from a systematic perspective.
Students enrolled in this
course will explore these issues while serving as tutors and mentor with DC Gear Up Program at one of the following schools: Ronald H.
As participant observers,
students will learn to reflect on their experience as tutor/ mentor and develop
skills necessary for critical evaluation of their experience and the working of
schools.
Required Text Book:
Teachers, Schools, and Society. Sadker and Sadkar
CIETY,
6e
I will distribute a series of
articles in the class.
Course Requirements:
Exam 1 20% March 10
Exam 2 20%
Exam 3 20%
CBL Portfolio and 30
% April 26
Presentations
Attendance and Folder 10%
Total: 100 %
Exams:
There will be 3 examinations
in this class; tentatively the date for first exam is March 10. The
date of the second exam will be announced in class and the final exam will be
scheduled by the Registrar’s office. Any adjustment to these dates will be
announced in the class. Only under
exceptional circumstances (verified illness or emergency) will exams be
rescheduled. You are responsible for
everything that occurs in class, WHETHER YOU ARE PRESENT OR NOT.
Student
Responsibilities:
You are required to complete
all the assigned readings before the lecture, attend classes and
participate in all discussions of the material.
Each student is responsible for her own learning. Therefore, a student who misses class consistently
(three or more classes) or fails to participate in classroom discussions will
have their final course grade lowered at the discretion of the instructor.
Community Based Learning
Portfolio
All students are required to complete a CBL paper. The CBL
paper should INTEGRATE the course materials, readings and class discussions
with what you are learning from your community service. More information
will be provided in the class. The paper must be typed, double spaced,
proofread, in complete sentences, with the correct spelling. You must cite properly all written sources
that you used for the paper on a references page. You should use the resources
in the campus
Students must receive
permission in advance if a deadline is to be extended. Missing your deadline will result in an F.
You will receive more details
on this project on Jan 27 when Ms. Gloria I. Mobley, the Director, Field
Operations of DC GEAR UP visit our class.
.
. FREQUENTLY ASKED
QUESTIONS by Students
1. What is “CBL” (Community-Based Learning)?
Community -based learning
combines community service with academic instruction. Students (a) provide
service (as defined by the community); and, (b) reflect on the service activity
as a means of gaining a better understanding of course content. It is a
teaching and learning method that allows students to test theories with real
life experiences.
2.
How many hours do I have to serve?
You have to complete a
minimum of 20 hours of service by
the end of the semester. You should schedule 6 to 8 hours per month over the
course of the semester. Your professor will be checking in with the host school
staff to follow your progress.
3.
How will I be graded for the CBL?
You are not graded for
performing community service but instead will be assessed on your ability to
reflect on and critically analyze your service experience as well as how well
you are able to apply your service experience to the course content and vice
versa. This will include relating the course lectures and materials to your
real-life experiences at your service site
4.
What skills do I need to do CBL?
The main skills you need are
the real life skills you may already possess, such as, sensitivity, good communication,
self-presentation and time management. For example, you might be supervised by
and work with people who are different from you in various ways. You should
always treat them with respect. The philosophy of CBL claims that members of
these communities have know-how and expertise that both you and your professors
respect and can learn from. In college, if you don’t show up to class or meet
your academic obligations, you only let yourself down. But in CBL, if you don’t
uphold your obligations to your host school there are other serious
consequences: you may disrupt their work or even create more work for the school.
If you know in advance that you will be missing your service hours (because of
an emergency or scheduling conflict) you should contact your site supervisor as
soon as possible to reschedule your hours. If you miss your hours unexpectedly,
it is up to YOU (not your host school) to reschedule your service hours as soon
as possible.
5.
Who should I contact if I have a problem at my service site?
You should contact your
professor.
6.
What are the benefits of CBL as experiential learning?
CBL as one form of
experiential learning differs from much of traditional education in suggesting
that information can be better learned if it is applied to real world situations. You well learn later in this course that experiential
education is an educational philosophy first developed in the late nineteenth
century by philosopher John Dewey (see page 335, Sadker& Sadker) Research
indicates that the use of this type of learning and teaching pedagogy has a
positive effect on your personal development; personal identity, spiritual
growth, and moral development and it gives you a sense of personal efficacy. It
increases your interpersonal skills and your ability to work with others. This
type of teaching and learning enhances leadership and communication skills. It
also reduces stereotypes, and facilitates cultural and racial understanding as
well as having a positive effect on your sense of social responsibility and
your citizenship skills. In an increasingly competitive job market, developing
real world experience and skills will make you more marketable. Interestingly,
service-learning improves students’ satisfaction with the college experience
and increases the probability that you will graduate.
Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate
Programs (GEAR UP) -- is a grant
program under the US Department of Education designed to increase the number of
students from low income communities who are prepared to enter and succeed in
postsecondary education. The five-year grants to states and partnership
programs enable grant recipients to offer services to middle and high schools.
The program serves an entire cohort of students beginning no later than the
seventh grade and follows them through high school. GEAR UP funds are
also used to provide college scholarships to its participants.
Established through a
five-year grant awarded to the State Education Office in the amount of $4.6
million dollars, the District’s GEAR UP program is designed to improve the
academic performance of approximately 1,000 middle/junior high school
students. The Program includes several components: academic preparation;
early college awareness information and education for students, parents,
teachers, and counselors; college financial assistance information; and student
and family support services, such as counseling, mentoring, and tutoring.
Free to all participants, in
the fall of 2003, DC GEAR UP Program began working directly with sixth graders
at
Each DC GEAR UP school is
partnered with a local college or university. These include: