CSN ANNOUNCEMENTS PAGE

I created a new page on this website for announcements pertinent to the courses I am teaching at CSN, called CSN ANNOUNCEMENTS (in the tab above). In the future all announcements will be there instead of on the main blog page.

Something for Which I Am Thankful

I teach a course called "Race and Ethnic Groups in Contemporary Society" and have been asked on several occasions, "what can we do to end racism?" Here is my answer, though simplified:

1. Own up to our racist history--we need to start talking openly and honestly about how America became one of the richest countries in the world through colonization, exploitation and oppressive domination.

2. Have a national discussion regarding restitution and healing of the wrongs that have been committed. I don't know the answer, but I do know we will never find one until we start looking for one.

3. Be grateful. Any wealth we Americans have, any material goods for which we can be grateful on a day such as today, was built on the backs of slaves and stolen from the indigenous peoples who were the first "occupiers." It does not matter if you came here after these deeds were done. You live here, you benefit. So those of us who were the children of the colonizers and slave owners, and those of us who were not, should never forget that the cities we live in, the food we eat, the houses over our heads, and the bounties we share were made possible by the sacrifices made by these peoples.

It is my belief that from these three steps healing could begin. We should be open to where it leads us.

I just saw this article about The Thick Dark Fog. I think it looks like a good start for a national conversation:



The film is still in production and needs contributions to help it get finished. You can contribute on the Human Arts Association website (be sure to select The Thick Dark Fog as the project, though it looks like they have a number of worthy projects to help with this national conversation.

Finally, consider Truth Out's call for United States Truth and Reconciliation Commission to begin to provide for the damage that has been done and also to provide a way for the stories of indigenous people to be heard.

So I hope, on the national day of thanksgiving, you will join me in the gratitude I feel to these sacrifices and the other ongoing sacrifices that exploited people make, sometimes willingly, sometimes under force, to others. We take so much for granted. Today, let us stop and take note of the truth. The truth will set us free.

Using a Portfolio Approach in Sociology

I have been exploring portfolio approaches to teaching, so this semester I am using this approach with my Contemporary Social Issues class. I can't seem to find a good definitive, but simple explanation of the elements of this approach that students can understand, so I'm writing my own here. I decided to do this more publicly because I think it is something other teachers might like to see.






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The Basics

A portfolio is simply a collection of items that have something in common. So it can be artwork you've done or papers you've written or pictures of your family or pets. It can also be documents that demonstrate your abilities and skills. The basic concept of a portfolio approach to learning is that when you address a particular subject, you can collect what you learn in one place (nowadays, that is usually an electronic "place") where you can review it as a whole and see the commonalities in what you have done.

There are numerous ways to do learning portfolios, but they almost all have the following in common:

1. Process Oriented: an effort is made to build upon previous work and connect that work in a coherent form.
   
   
2. Revision and Correction as Learning Process: instead of a "testing" recall and penalizing for lack of recall, the portfolio is built, in part, as appropriate on the ability to take feedback or further research and incorporate that into improving previous work.
   
   
3. Reflecting upon Learning: milestones are built in that allow the student to review previous work and consider questions like: What did I learn? What did I do well? Where did I improve? How has my thinking been changed? What would I like to explore next? How do I feel about these efforts?

Other Considerations
There are, of course, other elements that can be added. The context does change things. For example, some departments have portfolio approaches so a student might be seeking their best work from each course to add to a larger portfolio that will be presented as part of either a comprehensive review before graduation or some sort of capstone experience. A single course approach is much less ambitious.

The subject of the course also give context. A portfolio experience in Sociology is much different from one in English or Biology.

There is also debate on how such things can be graded. Some approaches have feedback throughout the course and a single grade of the portfolio at the end. Others grade individual pieces within the portfolio, but allow for revision or correction and re-grading.


Conclusion

My goal in writing this is not to be comprehensive but to give both student and colleagues a taste of what this approach entails. I plan to use this approach in examining social problems through three lenses. One is a theoretical framework, which provides methodology to consider what is and is not a social problem and how some claims evolve into social policies and programs where others fall flat. The second area which builds upon the theoretical framework is community involvement. Students will be volunteering for 9 hours at a local charity or organization. They will be writing about these experiences using the theoretical framework as a guideline for understanding the organization and its purpose in light of what problem it hopes to address. Then finally, working with a group, we will address specific social problems and debate issues in various topical areas. The analysis of the problem, the construction of the in-class debates and the assessment of different approaches will build on the theoretical framework.

If you teach and you have used a portfolio approach, I'd love to hear about your experience(s). If you are a student and have been in classes or programs that use this approach, I also love to hear about your experience(s). I will write more at the end of the semester about how this goes.

My Fall 2011 Schedule -- Tell Your Friends!

Fall Class Schedule is out - here's what I'm teaching:

SOC 102 Contemporary Social Issues
Sec 2001 Call # 83296 CHEYENNE Campus Room 1681 1218 T/Th 9:30AM - 10:50AM

SOC 205 Ethnic Groups in Contemporary Society
Sec 2001 Call # 83301 CHEYENNE Campus Room 1218 T/Th 11:00AM - 12:20PM

SOC 101 Principles of Sociology
Sec 2017 Call # 83245 CHEYENNE Campus Room 1060 T/Th 6:00PM - 7:20PM

Tell your friends and neighbors :)

SYLLABUS CHANGE FOR ANTH/SOC 205

NOTE SYLLABUS CHANGE:

EXAM #1 DUE DATE HAS BEEN CHANGED TO FEBRUARY 19.

You should see the exam by February 10th and will have until the 19th at 11p to submit 3 times.

ROOM CHANGE FOR SPRING SEMESTER--ANTH/SOC 205 -SECTION 001

The wandering tribe of Anth/Soc 205, Section 001 has found their home (and it isn't a storage closet):

We will be meeting in Room 1681, just down the hall from our original room.

See you again on Thursday!

ROOM CHANGE FOR SPRING SEMESTER--SOC 101 -SECTION 817

Sociology 101, Section 817, meeting 12:30p to 1:50p every Tuesday/Thursday, January 24 to May 22 will now be in Building K, Room 241 on West Charleston Campus.

ROOM CHANGE FOR SPRING SEMESTER--SOC 101 -SECTION 824

Sociology 101, Section 824, meeting 9:30a to 12:20p every Tuesday, January 24 to May 22 will now be in Building K, Room 248 on West Charleston Campus.

BOTH SOC 101 CLASSES CANCELLED TODAY, THURSDAY DEC 2

THE NELLIS (SEC N21) AND LATE NIGHT (SEC 829) CLASSES ARE CANCELLED TODAY, DEC 2


I have lost my voice and not feeling well. Please go to Angel and read more extensive information.

See you next week. Sorry for any inconvenience this may cause.

Wendell Potter and Michael Moore on Keith Olbermann's Countdown

Since we discuss both the role of whistle blowers and the health care debate in class, I thought this might be of interest.

CSN SCHEDULE SPRING 2011--TELL YOUR FRIENDS :)

I just confirmed my teaching schedule for Spring 2011:

SOC 205 001 30438 6:00PM-8:50PM R CY1684 CY 24-Jan 22-May

SOC 101 817 30400 12:30PM-1:50PM TR WCHI302 WC 24-Jan 22-May

SOC 101 824 30414 9:30AM-12:20PM T WCHC222 WC 24-Jan 22-May


Former 101 students -- note I'm teaching an upper level class, SOC 205, Ethnic Groups in Contemporary Societies (which is also an Anthropology class). So I hope to see you again.

Cheers,
Dr Pattie

Finals Week at Nellis -- Lots of Grading

This is a beautiful description of my own experiences with grading, which is the thing I hate most about teaching.




Five Stages of Grading: Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression, Resignation