INTRODUCTION TO SOCIOLOGY SOC121-73
1/27/2016 TO 5/4/2016 MH ROOM 217
WEDNESDAY 5:00 PM – 7:30 PM
General Education Status: GE DIV, GE SS Credits: 3
Lecture Hours: 3
Instructor: Professor Missal
stevenm7534@portal.middlesexcc.edu
Course homepage:
http://teacherweb.com/NJ/MiddlesexCountyCollege/sociology/apt11.aspx
Department: History and Social Sciences Office: RH 128 Telephone: 732-906-2590
Course Description/Goals: This course examines human relationships in society,
analyzes concepts of culture, socialization, values, norms, deviance, stratification and
causes and effects of inequalities. The goal for this course is for you to develop a
“sociological imagination” or the ability to understand human lives as shaped by
historically conditioned social forces. These are tools that should be helpful to you
throughout your academic, personal and career pathways. To develop a sociological
imagination you will need to think honestly and critically about the information
presented. You will need to examine your own experiences and observations, and you
will need to be receptive to sociological data and analyses that challenge your
assumptions. To think critically in this way, it is necessary to attend class and complete
the readings/topics and to maintain a focus on the syllabus assignments and due dates.
Learning Outcomes:
 Develop an understanding of key sociological principles and theories
 To become a sociologist. What a sociologist is and does.
 Explore the ways in which social reality is constructed
 Examine how social institutions shape our lives and our interactions with others
 Become conscious of the impact of race, class and gender on individuals in
society
 Examine and discuss social change
 Cultivate the ability to think critically through emerging social issues
 Improve analytical reading and writing skills
 Participate in a 21st Century Skills Sociology project
Course Content Areas:
Sociology defined -Sociological Perspective, the Sociological Imagination, Sociology as
a Science, and Distinctions between Sociology and other Social Sciences.
Contemporary Sociology Theories -Symbolic Interactionism, Structural Functionalism,
Conflict Theories, Globalism and Multiculturalism.
Culture and Society- Elements of Culture, Cultural Diversity, Subcultures and
Countercultures, and Cultural Change, Social Structure, Social Interaction, Statuses and
Roles, The Social Construction of Reality, Groups, Organizations, and Bureaucracies.
Socialization-Nature v. Nurture-,Stage Theories of Socialization, Agents of Socialization,
and Socialization and the Life Course.
Deviance -Conformity and Social Control, Theories of Deviance, Types of Crimes
Sociological Research-Inductive v. Deductive Reasoning, Qualitative v. Quantitative
Research, Research Methods, and Research Problems and Issues.
Stratification and Social Class-Social Stratification, Systems of Stratification, Theories of
Social Class, Socioeconomic Classes, Social Mobility and Poverty.
Race and Ethnicity, Sex and Gender, Age-Defining Race & Ethnicity, Minority and
Majority Groups, Theories of Prejudice and Discrimination, Sex and Gender, Social
Construction of Gender, Gender Inequality, Politics of Gender, Age and Identity, age and
inequality
Principal Text: Intro to Sociology is Experience Sociology by Croteau
ISBN 978-0-07-319353-3 McGraw Hill 2013
https://highered.mcgraw-hill.com/sites/0073193534/student_view0/
From the publisher-Experience Sociology empowers students to use the lenses of
Culture, Structure, and Power to see sociology everywhere. Bringing theory and
sociological concepts together, Experience Sociology helps students move beyond an
individual perspective to gain a sociological perspective.
Experience Sociology engages students with a clear framework for understanding
sociology based on three familiar concepts: Culture, Structure, and Power. For every
topic in the book - from the family to the economy to the environment - students learn to
recognize the effects of the culture that has taught them, see the structures that
constrain or empower them, and notice how power operates at every level of society.
Chapter 1: Sociology in Changing Times
Chapter 2: Understanding the Research Process
Chapter 3: Culture
Chapter 4: Social Structure
Chapter 5: Power
Chapter 6: Socialization
Chapter 7: Interaction, Groups, and Organizations
Chapter 8: Deviance and Social Control
Chapter 9: Class and Global Inequality
Chapter 10: Race and Ethnicity
Chapter 11: Gender and Sexuality
Chapter 12: Family and Religion
Chapter 13: Education and Work
Chapter 14: Media and Consumption
Chapter 15: Communities, the Environment, and Health
Chapter 16: Politics and the Economy
Chapter 17: Social Change: Globalization, Population and Social Movements
MCC SOC 121 / PROFESSOR MISSAL
2
Class Format: Class meetings will include a mixture of lectures, films, and discussions.
Emphasis will be placed on working online in a collaborative environment. This session
will be presented in a hybrid format.
Expectations: Sociology is a social activity. Students are expected to read assignments
prior to the class period, to listen to class presentations, and to participate in class
discussions. Your obligation is to demonstrate comprehension and thoughtful
consideration. Critical thinking, a willingness to explore the ideas of others, and respect
for other students are essential. Turn your cell phones on vibrate please. If you must
respond (as in a call from Obama) leave the room. You may expect me to work with you
to exceed your goals for this course, be mindful of your issues here at MCC, help you
with developing critical thinking as a sociologist and to treat you as colleagues in
creating a sheltered learning community.
Grading Scale:
A
AB+
B
B-
4.0
3.7
3.3
3.0
2.7
Outstanding
Excellent
Very Good
Good
Above
Average
C+
C
CD+
D
2.3
2.0
1.7
1.5
1.0
F/FA
0.0
Average
Satisfactory
Below Satisfactory
Poor but passing
Minimum for credit
Failure/Failure due to
absence
Grades are based on individual work within the construct of the course. Key to an
excellent grade is class participation in discussions, which requires maintaining excellent
attendance. Current events through a sociological perspective and imagination are vital
for understanding course content.
Accommodations: If you need accommodations due to a disability, contact Disability
Services in Edison Hall Room 100 / 732-906-2546. To foster a productive learning
environment, the College requires that all students adhere to the Code of Student
Conduct which is published in the college catalog and website.
Academic Integrity Policy: Academic dishonesty is any attempt by the student to gain
academic advantage through dishonest means, to submit, as his or her own, work,
which has not been done by him/her, or to give improper aid to another student in the
completion of an assignment. Such dishonesty would include, but is not limited to:
submitting as his/her own a project, paper, report, test, or speech copied from, partially
copied, or paraphrased from the work of another (whether the source is printed, under
copyright, or in manuscript form). Credit must be given for words quoted or paraphrased.
The rules apply to any academic dishonesty, whether the work is graded or ungraded,
group or individual, written or oral.
Please create and present your best effort that will insure an excellent grade for the
course. Be proud of your work.
MCC SOC 121 / PROFESSOR MISSAL
3
Course Information:
The suggested plan includes discovery of critical attributes from each chapter through
online collaborative projects presented by groups of students utilizing the jigsaw method
of learning (taking large chunks of information and assigning ambassadors to become
experts on specific topics and scheduling presentations of their discovery).
Students are expected to work in groups online in and out of class by creating a
collaborative platform together for their work. These include but are not limited to: Prezi,
Wikispaces, Google Docs, Wix, Power Point, Animoto, Edmodo, Slideshare, etc and
personal pages including OOVOO, Facebook, Google+ (?)
The class will decide to select those topics/ chapters for study from each chapter that
are most relevant and interesting and base their work on those topics/chapters.
Movies in support of topics will be shown during class may include: Borat, Bowling for
Columbine, Sicko, Kinsey Report, Fight Club, Minority Report, Crash, Avatar,etc.
In place of a midterm and final exam, students will create a digital portfolio in wikispaces
that will provide the basis for the final grade. Students will present their portfolios to the
class during the last week of the session. The portfolio will include any assignments,
class activities, research that may be scheduled during the course. Laptops / mobile
devices are encouraged during class. Please review the following course schedule as
aligned with the hard copy text that with an option to utilize online, open-source texts.
The main focus of the class is to develop a comfortable, challenging, safe learning
community in the discovery of what a sociologist is and does.
MAIN PROJECTS INCLUDE:
BREACHING EXPERIMENT
CEMETERY PROJECT
SOCIOLOGICAL MOVIE REVIEW
ON BECOMING A SOCIOLOGIST PROJECT
CLASS PRESENTATIONS
WIKISPACE ONLINE HELP WITH WIKIS
http://educationalwikis.wikispaces.com/Articles+and+Resources
PLEASE NOTE THE FOLLOWING: TENTATIVE ONLINE OR IN THE FIELD DATES
RESULTING IN NO FORMAL ON SITE CLASS SESSION TBD. PLEASE CHECK
CLASS HOMEPAGE WEEKLY FOR LOCATION / SESSION AND TOPIC CHANGES.
MCC SOC 121 / PROFESSOR MISSAL
4
Class
Date
Session TBD
Week
(Please
fill in)
1-2
3-4
I. THE SOCIOLOGICAL
PERSPECTIVE
Introduction to the course. Organization
and procedures. Chapter 1 What is
Sociology? QC Survey / Consensus
Coop Group/class website review
Power points and Tupac intro video
II. SOCIOLOGY’S CORE CONCEPTS:
TOOLS FOR ANALYSIS AND
UNDERSTANDING
Chapter 3 culture
Chapter 4 social structure
Chapter 5 power
Readings, Media-Technology
and Additional Activities,
Assignments in & out of class
1. Breaching Experiment
2 million minutes & response
Borat view Create Wikispace and
folders
Choose topic for course
collaborative main project groups
formed
Borat responses / Culture
response iceberg & proverbs
Polleverywhere
wikispaces
Main Course Project Check
Survey Monkey
5
WORKING ON GROUP
COLLABORATIVE PROJECTS
III. THE SOCIAL SELF
6-7
Chapter 6 socialization
Chapter 7 interaction, groups, and
organizations
8
Chapter 8 deviance and social control
9
WORKING ON GROUP
COLLABORATIVE PROJECTS
IV. IDENTITY AND ANY INEQUALITY
10
Chapter 9 class and global inequality
Chapter 10 race and ethnicity
11
Chapter 11 gender and sexuality
12
WORKING ON GROUP
COLLABORATIVE PROJECTS
CLASS REVIEW ALL PREVIOUS
TOPICS AND CORE CONTENT
PROJECT PRESENTATIONS
Current sociological events
STUDENT PRESENTATIONS
ALL PROJECTS DUE IN CLASS
ACTIVITIES, MOVIE REVIEW ETC.
Final Grades
13
14 &15
Cemetery Project
Family Tree & Family
handout/Jungs Typology
Sicko & Activity
Group work updates / Bowling
for Columbine activity
Main Course Project Check
Political Cartoons activity
Race Literacy Quiz in class
Crash/Activity
Reaction Paper and Video
Reviews
Ethics writing model
Sociological Movie Review
*Syllabus subject to change. Please check the class homepage weekly for course
updates and announcements. Assignment due dates TBD as hybrid class format
develops.
MCC SOC 121 / PROFESSOR MISSAL
5
Draft
MCC SOC 121
SUGGESTED ACTIVITIES, ASSIGNMENTS AND PROJECTS
PLEASE BE SURE TO SIGN IN AT EACH SESSION FOR
DISCUSSION OF PPTS, CURRENT EVENTS, ARTICLES,
ACTIVITIES
QUICK CLICK SURVEY
COMING TO CONSENUS/GROUP & TOPIC OF STUDY
WIKISPACE DESIGN
JUNGS TYPOLOGY TEST/LEARNING STYLE
CULTURAL PYRAMID AND RESPONSE
FAMILY TREE/REPORT
RACE LITERACY QUIZ
ETHICS WRITING RESPONSE TO TOPIC PROBLEM
BORAT RESPONSE
2 MILLION MINUTES RESPONSE
CRASH RESPONSE
BOWLING FOR COLUMBINE RESPONSE
SICKO RESPONSE
AVATAR RESPONSE
CAPITALISM: A LOVE STORY RESPONSE
-
MAIN PROJECT SOCIOLOGY
WIKISPACE / GOOGLE DRIVE URL / GROUP SHARING
SURVEY & ANALYSIS / GRAPH / CORE CONTENT /
FUNCTION-CONFLICT-IMAGINATION / POLITICAL
CARTOON & ANALYSIS / LINKS TO ARTICLES, VIDEOS
VIDEO INTERNET EXERCISE (OPTIONAL)
PRESENTATION
BREACHING EXPERIMENT (FIELD WORK)
CEMETERY PROJECT (FIELD WORK)
REFLECTION PAPER
SOCIOLOGICAL MOVIE REVIEW
300
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
1500
250
250
300
300
200
200
1500
TOTAL NUMBER OF POINTS = 3000 DRAFT
TOTAL NUMBER OF POINTS = 2500 FINAL
CLASS PROTOCOL: SIGN IN / ACTIVITY-DISCUSSION / VIDEO RESPONSE
ASSIGNMENT UPDATES AND CLARIFICATIONS.
PLEASE CHECK CLASS HOME PAGE FOR WEEKLY UPDATES AND
ANNOUNCEMENTS. THANK YOU.
MCC SOC 121 / PROFESSOR MISSAL
6
SOC 121 SPRING 2016 SUGGESTED DRAFT CLASS SCHEDULE
Jan 25
Classes Begin – Spring Semester
Feb 15
Presidents’ Day – No Classes
Mar 5-11
Spring Recess – No Classes
Mar 12
Classes Resume
Mar 25
Holiday – No Classes
Mar 26 - 27 No Classes
May 10
Last day of Classes
JAN 27TH 227 MH
INTRODUCTIONS/FORMAT/LOGISTICS/SYLLABUS/GROUPS
FEB 3RD PC LAB SETTING UP WIKISPACES & MAIN PROJECT SET UP
FEB 10TH 227 MH
FEB 17TH PC LAB ACTIVITIES
FEB 24TH 227 MH
MARCH 2ND 227 MH BREACHING EXPERIMENT NO CLASS
MARCH 16TH PC LAB ACTIVITIES
MARCH 23RD 227 MH
MARCH 30TH CEMETERY PROJECT NO CLASS FIELD WORK
APRIL 6TH 227 MH CEMETERY PROJECT DUE
APRIL 13TH PC LAB FINALIZE PROJECTS NO CLASS WORK ON PROJECT
APRIL 20TH 227 MH MOVIE REVIEW DUE
APRIL 27TH 227 MH ED STUDENT PROJECT PRESENTATIONS
MAY 4TH
227 MH STUDENT PROJECT PRESENTATIONS
_________________________________________________________
9 SESSIONS IN 227 MH ( 2 STUDENT PRESENTATIONS )
4 SESSIONS IN PC LAB
3 SESSIONS FOR FIELD AND PROJECT WORK
15 TOTAL CLASSES
MCC SOC 121 / PROFESSOR MISSAL
7
______________________________________
______________________________________
______________________________________
______________________________________
______________________________________
______________________________________
______________________________________
______________________________________
______________________________________
______________________________________
______________________________________
______________________________________
______________________________________
______________________________________
______________________________________
______________________________________
______________________________________
______________________________________
______________________________________
______________________________________
______________________________________
______________________________________
______________________________________
______________________________________
______________________________________
MCC SOC 121 / PROFESSOR MISSAL
8