Courses

This educational component provides opportunities for attendees to get in-depth training in special subject areas. These day-long intensive sessions are led by expert faculty who have prepared a comprehensive curriculum to engage participants on all levels. Registrants will receive certificates documenting their participation and completion of these courses.

Courses are held prior to the first full day of program sessions. Attendance limits and fees are noted below, and prepaid registration is required. Reservations are accepted in order of receipt in the ASA Executive Office. Fees are non-refundable after July 13.

Graduate students and beginning teachers will focus on the teaching and learning process in this one-day course. Experts in the field will present panels, workshops, breakout discussion groups, and small group mentoring for approximately 25 participants. Participants will select from workshop and discussion topics including how successful teachers teach, process of creating courses, dealing with controversial issues in the classroom, managing classroom dynamics, learning styles/multiple intelligences, assessment in teaching, evaluating teaching performance, writing and presenting on teaching and learning, getting a job, and tips for successful teaching from award winning teachers. This pre-conference course will be supplemented by ASA sessions on teaching during the Annual Meeting. Applications will be accepted on a first come, first serve basis; fees cover course materials and refreshments. For further information about course content, contact Jeanne Ballantine (jeanne.ballantine@wright.edu) or Greg Weiss (greg.weiss@roanoke.edu).

This course will assess recent developments and emphases in the sociology of gender, moving also to speculations about major priorities for the future. Among these emphases are the growth of both transnational and global analyses of gender; the relationship between transnational analyses of gender and U.S.-based diversity studies of gender; the role of activism and civic engagement in the sociology of gender; and the connections between disciplinary and interdisciplinary scholarships of gender. The couse facilitators will use a variety of pedagogical techniques, illustrationg by example ways of teaching sociologyies of gender.

Human practices since the Industrial Revolution have had such a large impact on the planet that the Earth has moved well outside the range of the natural variability exhibited over the more than half million years. Already we are dealing with the impacts of just a one-degree rise in the global temperature and associated extreme weather events. Predictions for increasing global warming over the next few decades vary, but each scenario is alarming. Carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuel use (industrialization, transportation, urbanization) and the loss of carbon sinks (deforestation) are major culprits. What do we as sociologist have to say about theoretical directions for social change to alter the patterns of a global carbon culture?

We will produce a collection of examples of sociological work relevant to global warming, the carbon cycle, and climate change. Participants will be asked to prepare a brief oral overview of an assigned selection. We anticipate that selections will include contributions covering environment and… demographic change, energy consumption patterns, equity, impact analysis, carbon culture, land use changes (deforestation), urbanization, and globalization.

Designed to provide instructors with strategies and resources to develop multicultural teaching modules for basic sociological concepts. Multicultural infusion is a modification of curriculum designed to heighten awareness of cultural differences without polarizing students. We will explain how multicultural infusion differs from simply presenting singular race/ethnic, class, or gender lessons. Distinguished faculty will help participants move from selectively “highlighting” minority issues toward lectures and activities that bring multiple perspectives into a single lesson. Faculty will discover how to adapt sociological concepts they already teach, such as, socialization or social stratification, to encompass diverse perspectives. This approach connects faculty to a wider range of students and students, especially minorities, see themselves in the curriculum they are presented. In addition, multicultural infusion enhances critical thinking, draws from local history and experiences relevant to various student populations, and provides historically more accurate description of social phenomena. There will be time for “hand-on” curriculum development and sharing of ideas with workshop presenters and participants.

Workshops

From teaching challenges to using major data sets to career advice and beyond, the 2005 Program features a robust selection of workshops. All workshops are open to all meeting registrants. An overview of workshop topics is listed below. Workshop schedules, leaders, and descriptions are posted in the online preliminary program schedule on the ASA website.

Departmental Issues

Grants and Research

Using Major National Data Sets

Teaching Research Skills

Professional Development

On Publishing Opportunities

For Graduate Students and New Professionals

Employment and Career Issues

Careers in Sociological Practice

Teaching about Sociological Practice

Teaching Sociology Courses

Teaching Techniques and Innovations