Re: service-learning in sociology

At 10:31 AM 10/17/2000 -0500, you wrote:
>Syllabus of sociology service-learning classes
>
>I am interested in examples of service-learning in sociology 
>courses. I taught a service-learning class last spring. I want to 
>get ideas on how to improve my class this spring.
>
>Thanks,
>Everette B. Penn
>Prairie View A&M University



SOCY 321: CLASS, STATUS, AND POWER (A Service Learning Course)
Fall 1999
Instructor: David Croteau
E-mail: dcroteau@saturn.vcu.edu 
Home page: http://saturn.vcu.edu/~dcroteau/
Telephone: 828-6464
Office: 307 Lafayette Hall 
Office Hours: Thursday 9:00-10:30 & by appointment      Teaching Assistant: Dawn
Adams
E-mail: s0dmadam8@hotmail.com
Office: 114 Lafayette Hall
Office Hours: Thursday 3:00-4:00

COURSE DESCRIPTION
        People in societies are grouped into layers (or "strata") with those
towards the "top" holding more power and resources than those towards the
"bottom." This structured social inequality is what sociologists call
"stratification" and it is the topic of this course. We will focus on
class-based inequality, while also considering the role of race and gender.
        We will do three types of analysis regarding class and inequality.  Each
type addresses many questions, including those suggested below. 
1. Descriptive: the past and current conditions in the United States.
§ How have jobs in the US changed in the last 30 years? (And whatever
happened to labor unions?)
§ What do changes in class and inequality have to do with a "global economy"?
§ How great is inequality in the US today, and how does that compare with
other countries?  
§ How does my family's income compare to most Americans?
§ Are the "rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer," or is that
just a popular myth?
§ How are lifestyles, attitudes, and political beliefs of individuals
influenced by their class location? etc.
2. Explanatory: theories about class and competing ways of explaining why
inequality exists.
§ What are "classes" and how many classes are there? Does the US have
classes? Am I "middle class"?
§ How and why is inequality produced and reproduced?  Is inequality
inevitable?
§ How does inequality based on race and gender intersect with class-based
inequality?
§ How does the education system relate to social classes?
§ What is government's role in maintaining or reducing economic inequality?  
§ How do elements of different classes try to influence the political process?
3. Prescriptive: basic questions about social justice and policy.
§ What, if anything, should be done to address issues of economic inequality? 
§ How have other countries addressed economic inequality and what policy
options does the US have?
§ How are people in our own community addressing issues related to economic
inequality?
Ultimately, this course is about work, school, families, the economy, the
political system, and much more.  That's because economic forces have an
impact on all of those areas.  If you want to understand what is happening
in our society and the world, you must have a basic understanding of
economic inequality.  That's what you'll learn about in this course.

On Service-Learning
        This is a service-learning course. Service-learning is an approach to
education that links service outside of the classroom with learning in the
class.  The goal is to combine the academic study of a particular topic
with some "real world" experiences related to that issue area.  
        As part of your study for this course, you will spend 20 hours this
semester working with a local organization that addresses-directly or
indirectly- issues of economic inequality.  Some of the required
assignments in this class are based on your experiences in this service
work.   You will receive a separate detailed handout explaining
service-learning and how to begin your service project.  We will review all
of this information in class.  (Also, see the service-learning FAQ's at the
end of this syllabus.)
Be aware that by remaining in this course, you are making the commitment to
complete the service-learning requirement.  If for any reason you are
unable or unwilling to complete this requirement, you should not be
enrolled in this course.
REQUIREMENTS
1) Syllabus and Hand-Outs
        You are responsible for reading, understanding, and following the 
policies
and information described in this syllabus.  The same applies to all class
handouts.  If you don't understand something, ask!

2) Readings
        There are three required texts that are available for purchase from
Carriage House Book Shop (404 N. Harrison St, ph: 359-2398):
· Social Inequality: Patterns and Processes. (1999), by Martin Marger, is
our primary textbook that will provide the background and a framework for
our discussions.
· Shifts in the Social Contract (1996), by Beth Rubin, examines our
changing economy and the impact it has had on social institutions.
· Pocketbook Pressure: Who Benefits from Economic Growth (1996), from the
National Issues Forum is a small 50-page booklet examining some of the
basic perspectives on economic inequality, economic justice, and public
policy alternatives.
Class sessions address the same general issues as the readings.  However, I
usually will not lecture about the readings in any detail. You are
responsible for completing the readings according to the schedule listed at
the end of this syllabus and coming to class prepared to discuss readings
and ask questions. 
Finally, from time to time you may also be reading individual articles that
will be handed out in class.

3) Class Attendance and Participation
        Class discussions will build upon our readings. However, much of the
material presented in class is not included in the readings. You are
responsible for this in-class material. It is therefore important that you
regularly (a) attend class, (b) take part in class discussions, (c) ask
questions, and (d) volunteer your opinions and analyses. Also, we will
occasionally use small group exercises in class.  If you miss class, be
sure to get notes from a classmate.

4) Reading Essays
        Most weeks you will be writing a brief one-page essay about some aspect 
of
that week's readings.  For each essay, you will be given a question to
which you will respond. Your lowest essay grade will be dropped. Your essay
average will count for 30% of your grade. This assignment is meant to
encourage you to keep up with readings, to think seriously about them
before related class discussions, and to practice writing regularly.

 5) Service-Learning Project
        Successful completion of your service-learning project will count for 15
percent of your final grade.  Your on-site supervisor will be providing an
evaluation of your work that will be central in my assigning this grade.

6) Service-Learning Journal
        You will keep a journal throughout your service-learning project that 
will
count for 15 percent of your grade.  We will collect and comment upon this
journal several times during the semester.  You will be asked to record and
reflect upon your service-learning work in both directed and undirected
entries.

7) Exams
        There will be mid-term and final exams, both of which will be take-home.
The exams will consist of brief essays of varying length.

        To summarize, your final grade will be determined as follows:
                        Service-Learning Project        15%
                        Journal                         15%
                        Reading Essays                  30%     
Mid-term & Final (20% each)     40%
                                                        100%
Grades: I use a letter grade (and their numerical equivalents) based on the
following: 
Grades  Meaning…
(from the VCU bulletin) Which means…
(drawing upon my dictionary)    Number 
(used for averaging)
A       "superior"      Excellent or extraordinary work A+/100 A/95 A-/91
B       "good"  Satisfactory, above average work        B+/88 B/85 B-/81
C       "average"       Work that is at a typical or usual level        C+/78 
C/75 C-/71
D       "passing"       Minimally acceptable work       D+/68 D/65 D-/61
F       "failing"       Work that is below the acceptable minimum       F/0-59
In figuring out final grades, I use the following grading system:
        A+ = 97-100     B+ = 87-89      C+ = 77-79      D+ = 67-69      F = 0-59
        A = 93-96       B = 83-86       C = 73-76       D = 63-66
        A- = 90-92      B- = 80-82      C- = 70-72      D- = 60-62
With this information, you can easily track your average throughout the
semester.

CLASS POLICIES (Answers to FAQ's)
        My philosophy is to try to be explicit, fair, and consistent when it 
comes
to class policies. Therefore, I have described the "ground rules" of this
course below in some detail. Be sure to read these carefully.  In order to
be fair to all students, I will be consistent in enforcing these policies.
By remaining in this class, you are agreeing to these basic rules and
accepting the consequences for breaking them.

1) Late Work: All assignments are due, in class, at the beginning of class
on the due date.
a) However, I will give you ONE automatic extension for ONE class period.
That is, you can hand in one assignment, one class period late, without it
affecting your grade.  You do not need to get approval from me in advance
for this one extension. After that, all assignments will be marked down one
full letter grade (10 points) for each class late.  Period.
b) Any extensions for extraordinary reasons (and I mean extraordinary!)
must be approved by me before the assignment's original due date.
c) There is no exception for last minute computer, printer, or other
problems.  Don't wait until the last minute to write and print your work.

2) Academic Ethics, Cheating, and Plagiarism
        A student violates the VCU Honor Pledge and the principles of academic
integrity if she/he gives or accepts aid in completing exams, writing
papers, carrying out assignments, or plagiarizing the work of others.
(Note: the VCU Resource Guide defines plagiarism as, "Representing orally
or in writing, in any academic assignment or exercise, the words, ideas, or
works of another as one's own without customary and proper acknowledgment
of the source.") 
        An incident of cheating or plagiarism, at minimum, (1) will, without
exception, automatically result in receiving a zero ("F") for the
assignment in question, and (2) may result in a report being filed with the
Honor Committee.  A second incident of plagiarism or cheating by the same
student will, without exception, automatically result in (1) an automatic
"F" for the course and (2) a report being filed with the Honor Committee.  
Ignorance of the meaning of "plagiarism" or of the various types of
plagiarism is not an acceptable excuse.  Sloppy note-taking and typing, or
"accidentally" leaving off references, citations, or quotation marks are
not acceptable excuses.   You will NOT have the opportunity to re-do
assignments on which you have plagiarized or cheated.  Note that receiving
a zero for an assignment may mean that you will fail the course.  BE SURE
TO CLOSELY READ MY SEPARATE HANDOUT ON WRITING FOR INFORMATION ABOUT PROPER
QUOTING AND CITING.  If you have any questions about this policy or about
plagiarism in general, check with me before handing in an assignment.

3) Gender-Neutral Language: Unfortunately, some readings may use outdated,
sexist language ("mankind" instead of "humankind" etc.).  While this is
unavoidable in using older "classic" texts, it is avoidable in your written
work.  I expect you to use appropriate inclusive language in your writing.
(For example, if you mean to say, "all humans are social beings," don't
write "all men are social beings."  This means something quite different.)
And as the American Sociological Association (ASA) Style Guide notes, "When
you refer to both sexes in a sentence, use 'he or she', 'her or him,' 'his
or hers' instead of 'he/she,' 'him/her,' 'his/hers.'  Vary the gender order
on occasion.  Also, of course, you can change your subject to plural;
'they' is genderless."

4) Extra Credit: There will NOT be any extra credit projects for this course.

5) Getting Assistance: 
        Office hours: I am available during office hours, or by appointment, to
discuss readings, your work, the course, college in general, grad school,
media, or other issues.  My door is open.
        Voice-Mail: Because of the volume of calls I receive, I cannot return
phone calls to students who leave a message on my voice-mail.  Sorry.
        E-mail: You can also pose questions or comments about readings,
assignments, and class material by way of e-mail.  On weekdays, I will try
to reply to you within 48 hours (or sooner).
        Home-page:  By accessing my home-page (http://saturn.vcu.edu/~dcroteau)
you can follow links to material that is related to this course.  I will
post material such as assignments and an annotated syllabus, along with
links to related Internet sites.
        Writing:  Be sure to take advantage of the writing assistance available
from the Writing Center that is operated by the English department.  It can
be found in 330 Hibbs.
        Special Needs: If you have a physical or mental limitation that requires
accommodation, please arrange a meeting with me as soon as possible to
discuss this matter.

6) Other Basic Expectations
        We can best maintain a classroom environment that is conducive to 
learning
by following some basic rules of mutual respect.  If you cannot abide by
these basic expectations, you should not take this class.
You can expect ME to be....     I expect YOU to be...
PROMPT. I will be on time for class and office hours. I will return tests
and papers in a timely fashion (usually within a week). PROMPT. You should
be on time for class and appointments, and stay until class is over.  You
should meet all deadlines.
PREPARED.  I will make a sincere effort to help you learn the course
material by spending enough time and effort in class preparation to make
the material as understandable and as interesting as I can.  In other
words, I will do my homework.   PREPARED. You should make a sincere effort to
learn the course material by being prepared for class. This includes
reading all the assignments carefully in advance of our discussing the
material in class.  In other words, do your homework.
ATTENTIVE AND RESPECTFUL. When you are speaking, you will have my undivided
attention. I will make every effort to respond to you respectfully and in a
polite fashion. ATTENTIVE AND RESPECTFUL. When another student or I are
speaking to the class, you should give us your undivided attention.
Inattention or disrespect either to me or to other students is unacceptable.
FAIR AND HONEST.  Your grade will be based upon my best judgment of the
work you produce for this class, not upon any personal consideration. This
course is not just about "opinions;" there ARE right and wrong answers to
some questions I will pose.  Also, I must make judgment calls about the
quality of the work that you produce.  Within these limits, I will never
penalize you for simply holding a view that is different than mine.     FAIR
AND HONEST.  You will follow basic academic ethics (see above).  If you
plagiarize or cheat, you are being dishonest and are unfairly gaining an
advantage over other students.  If you plagiarize or cheat, you will be
subject to the policies I have outlined above.  Period. No excuses.
ACCESSIBLE. I will be available during my office hours and, if needed, will
try to accommodate you for appointments to meet at other times.
RESOURCEFUL.  You must be willing to seek out additional help if you are
having difficulty in this class.  (See "Getting Assistance" above.)

READINGS AND THE TENTATIVE CLASS SCHEDULE
        Below you will find a tentative schedule for the semester.  
· Readings should be completed by the beginning of the week indicated.  
· We may make adjustments to this schedule as the semester progresses. I
will keep you informed of any such changes.  If you miss class, be sure to
check with a classmate about any possible schedule changes. 

Week of:        Readings 
        PART ONE: THE CONTEXT OF ECONOMIC CHANGE
August 30       Rubin,  chp. 1, "Social Change in the Twentieth Century"
(Last day of add/drop is Friday, September 3)
September 6     Rubin,  chp. 2, "From Industrial Economy to Flexible Economy"
        chp. 3, "Work in the Flexible Economy"
September 13    Rubin,  chp. 4, "Flexible Families"
        chp. 5, "The Changing Role of Government"
September 20    Rubin,  chp. 6, "Culture in a Changing World"
        chp. 7, "Transition to the Future"
        PART TWO: CLASS AND INEQUALITY
September 27    Marger, chp. 1, "An Introduction to the Study of Social
Inequality"
Marger, chp. 2, "The American Class System"
October 4       Marger, chp. 3, "Poverty and the Poor"
October 11      Marger, chp. 4, "The Middle Classes and the Changing Economy" 
Marger, chp. 5, "The Upper Classes and the Power Elite"
October 18      Marger, chp. 6, "Stratification Systems and Social Mobility"
(Friday October 22nd  is last day to withdraw with a "W")
October 25      Marger, chp. 7, "Public Policy and the Class System"
November 1      Marger, chp. 8, "Theories of Class and Social Inequality"
Marger, chp. 9, "Ideology and Legitimation of Inequality"
November 8      Marger, chp. 10, "Racial/Ethnic Differentiation"
Marger, chp. 11, "Racial/Ethnic Stratification"
November 15     Marger, chp. 12, "Gender Inequality"
November 22     Marger, chp. 13, "Political Inequality"
(Thanksgiving holiday; no class on Thursday)
        PART THREE: WHAT IS ECONOMIC JUSTICE?
November 29     Pocketbook Pressures: Who Benefits from Economic Growth? (all)
December 6      (Last class: Thursday December 9)
        


 Service-Learning FAQ's
What is service-learning?  It's an approach to education that links service
outside of the classroom with learning in the class.  The goal is to
combine the academic study of a particular topic with some "real world"
experiences related to that issue area.  This isn't just volunteerism.  It
is using experiences in your service project as the basis for learning more
about the topics being examined in class, while applying class concepts to
your service experience.
What exactly are the requirements for a service-learning project in this
course?
§ You will do a minimum 20 hours of service (usually in 2 hour/week blocks
for 10 weeks)
§ (You will need to get a criminal background check and proof of TB test.)
§ You will also keep a service-learning journal
Where will I be doing my service-learning project?  The site this semester
is the East District Family Resource Center (FRC) in Richmond's East End
Church Hill neighborhood.  It is accessible by both car and the #45
Jefferson Avenue bus that goes past VCU on Broad St.
When will I be able to do my service project?   There's some flexibility.
You will establish a regular weekly time for doing your project in
consultation with the site supervisor.  The site we are using this semester
is open on weekdays, both day and evening hours.  However, it is not
regularly open on weekends.
Is it safe?  Nothing you do at the FRC should place you in any danger.
However, the Center is located in an urban neighborhood and you should take
commonsense precautions, especially arriving and leaving the Center.
What will I be doing for my service project?
§ There are a variety of specific tasks that need to get done at the FRC
and the site supervisor will try to match you up with work that you are
interested in.
§ Jobs include: center receptionist/greeter, helping with membership
applications, working on a food pantry program, working with the "career
closet" program, helping supervise children's activities, running or
co-facilitating workshops on basic computer skills or other subjects,
helping with special events, etc.
What does community service have to do with a college education?  Plenty.
Your service work will provide you with a set of experiences that can form
the basis of learning-if you reflect on them and use some of the ideas we
examine in class to try and understand what you're experiencing.  Ideally,
it should bring together class-based "book learning" with related
"real-world" experiences.  There's a lot that can be learned beyond the
walls of a classroom.
Also be aware of the practical skills you'll be using in your service project:
Communication skills: communicating effectively with others, both verbally
and in writing. 
Cross-cultural skills: working effectively with people who may be from
different class and racial/ethnic backgrounds than you.
Critical-thinking skills: learning to integrate your experiences with class
material to make judgments about issues related to class and inequality.
Group-work skills: some of the tasks at the FRC will require that you work
effectively in groups.
Work-world skills: you'll get to experience a work environment at a social
service agency and learn whether or not this type of work may interest you.
Citizenship/community service skills: you'll konw the issues involved in
community service work.
Do you have any advice for a successful experience?
§ Initiative is important!  If there's something you'd like to do, suggest
it to your supervisor.
§ Patience is important too!  There are ebbs and flows to the work.  Some
weeks may be hectic, others painfully slow. You've got to learn to roll
with the changes.
§ Be open-minded and try to understand.  You'll probably encounter folks
who are very different than you.  Use this as a learning experience to try
and understand where they're coming from.  Try to set aside your personal
judgments for the moment and really listen to people.
§ Maintain some boundaries.  You're not there to be everyone's best buddy.
Personal information (home phone, etc.) are usually best kept to yourself.
§ Be a student, not an expert.  No one expects you to be an expert.  They
only expect you to be honest and respectful of the FRC members and staff
and to give your best effort while you're there.  Don't be afraid to seek
help from others if you encounter a situation.  Be a student and try to
learn as much as you can.




                                                
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                        Perhaps we cannot prevent this from being
                        a world in which children are tortured. 
                        But we can reduce the number of tortured children.  
                        And if you don't help us, 
                        who else in the world will help us to do this?

                                                        Albert Camus

****************************************************************************
********

Frank A. Porter
Office of Community Programs
Virginia Commonwealth University
Founders Hall
827 West Franklin Street
PO Box 842041
Richmond, VA 23284-2041
Telephone (804) 827-0966
Fax       (804) 828-8172
E-mail    FAPORTER@SATURN.VCU.EDU