• Explain how social problems shape, and are shaped by, the larger society.
• Apply sociological concepts and principles to real world situations.
• Understand the complexity of social processes that shape social behavior, attitudes, and public policy.
• Discuss the extent of social problems throughout the United States and the world, including the origins of problems and potential solutions.
• Replace ideological perspectives with understanding, analysis,and solutions based on accepted scholarly knowledge

Readings

Macionis, John (2010). Social Problems, 4th ed. Pearson. (ISBN: 0205749003)

Seventeen multiple choice "mastery exams" will be given throughout the semester (one for each assigned chapter). An exam will be scheduled each week, with more than one exam in several weeks. Each mastery exam will be completed online, in the cjcampus classroom. The same format is used for each exam - 20 questions, 30 minutes for each attempt, multiple attempts allowed. The highest score on each exam will be used to compute final grades. Each exam will select from a larger set of questions, so each exam attempt will be different.

The format of the mastery exams provides partial credit for missed responses, so be sure to closely review information regarding format. In an effort to understand the exam format and scoring, the practice exam should be taken prior to attempting Exam 1. Remember that the cjcampus calendar and clock is ruthless and will not allow you to take late exams or extend the time for any exam. Missed exams are recorded as a zero. Make-up exams are not available. Students who miss exams should plan to take the optional final exam. The highest score on the final exam will replace up to three lower scores on previous mastery exams.

Please keep up with your assignments. Pace yourself. Prepare in advance. Do not wait until the last day of the week to begin your exam attempts. Your goal is to master the materials, even if multiple attempts are required. Fewer attempts will be needed if you prepare in advance. Ideally, everyone will earn 100% for all exams, although some students will choose to accept lower scores rather than continue their efforts to master the materials.

Online Activities (40%)

Eight online activities are posted in the cjcampus online classroom. These include internet activities that direct you to content that you will review and discuss with classmates. These activities vary in difficulty, but will typically require web site review, outside reading, and/or other preparation. One recurring goal is for you to improve your research and writing skills while demonstrating an understanding of the subject matter and career options.

Online activities include both written assignments and class discussions. Written assignments are submitted to the classroom. FOr discussions, students will be expected to formulate an informed response to a discussion question and post at least two comments that refer to the responses of other students. Posts must demonstrate your understanding of the readings and/or your analysis of assigned reading, videos, or other media content. Posts that are limited to personal opinion are not acceptable.

Participation and Engagement (10%)

This course will be better if you talk more and I talk less. I prefer not to dominate the discussion so each of you will need to remain active throughout the course. You all have interesting ideas and viewpoints and we learn more by sharing and trying to understand various views. The assumption is that you will participate and remain engaged throughout the class. Failure to do so will result in a deduction of up to 10 points from the final grade.

Note that this criteria includes participation and engagement. While we may be able to assess participation through a simple count of posts, we are also interested in active engagement throughout the course. Engagement is demonstrated by remaining active each week, submitting assignments on time, joining discussions at the beginning of each week, and helping each other create a vibrant learning environment.

Teaching Strategies

This course has been designed as an "online learning environment." You are all familiar with the dynamic of the classroom - the professor may lecture while students listen and occasionally interact. Most classrooms are designed as "teaching environments." Students may not be an integral part of a teaching environment and in some cases the class could be held even if no students were in attendance.

In contrast, the online learning environment requires student engagement. In fact, the environment fails to function if students are not engaged. As the professor, Dr. Mentor has designed this course and included materials that if consumed, will result in learning. Like the story of "leading a horse to water," this course environment is the water. To make it work, you must each "take a drink."

You are all expected to help each other. Your professor has a great deal of knowledge about the subject matter. Each student in this class also has knowledge that can help us learn. For example, if a student posts a question to the discussion forum we do not need to wait for an "official" response form the professor. Help each other learn as we make our way through the materials.

Deadlines are not suggestions. All written material will rapidly lose points in the days following the due date. Zero points will be awarded for missed assignments.

ADA

Any student with a documented disability needing academic adjustments is requested to speak directly to Disability Support Services and the instructor, as early in the semester (preferably within the first week) as possible. All discussions will remain confidential. Please contact Disability Support Services, DF Lowry Building, 910-521-6695. Please see http://www.uncp.edu/dss/ for more information.

Religious Holiday Policy

The University of North Carolina at Pembroke has a legal and moral obligation to accommodate all students who must be absent from classes or miss scheduled exams in order to observe religious holidays; we must be careful not to inhibit or penalize these students for exercising their rights to religious observance. To accommodate students’ religious holidays, each student will be allowed two excused absences each semester with the following conditions:

1. Students, who submit written notification to their instructors within two weeks of the beginning of the semester, shall be excused from class or other scheduled academic activity to observe a religious holy day of their faith. Excused absences are limited to two class sessions (days) per semester.

2. Students shall be permitted a reasonable amount of time to make up tests or other work missed due to an excused absence for a religious observance.

3. Students should not be penalized due to absence from class or other scheduled academic activity because of religious observances.

A student who is to be excused from class for a religious observance is not required to provide a second-party certification of the reason for the absence. Furthermore, a student who believes that he or she has been unreasonably denied an education benefit due to religious beliefs or practices may seek redress through the student grievance procedure.

Posting/Retention of Student Work

Assignments in this course include postings/submissions to the online classroo, which is not available to the general public. Student-posted content is not archived beyond the duration of the term.

Class withdrawal is your responsibility. If you disappear, we will wonder where you are. However, we will not drop you from the class. Withdrawals should follow University procedure. The student is responsible for obtaining all necessary signatures on drop slips.

A very high price can be paid when you are caught cheating. Too high to risk. All written material must be your own composition. Appropriate credit must be given for sources used in developing your ideas and arguments. Provide appropriate citations. It is easy to see when large sections of text have been lifted from other Web pages. This is quite easy to verify as well.

It is not appropriate to submit work originally completed for another course.

NOTE: The penalties for engaging in any of these acts of academic misconduct will be determined on a case-by-case basis but will follow general university guidelines as to severity.

Classroom climate is not solely the Professor's responsibility. We encourage each of you to engage in conversation on any issue. The University is a place for free speech, limited through individual choice. These choices may be altered with awareness of the real or potential reaction of others. However, you should not be intimidated into keeping quiet. We do not condone racist, sexist, homophobic, or other hateful speech. You are all adults, capable of understanding generally accepted rules of conduct and modifying your behavior in an effort to comply with these social or legal expectations. You are responsible for your behavior.

If grades are made available online, be advised that if there is any error the grade you receive from the registrar is your official grade. Grade changes will be made only in cases of data or computation error. Please do not ask, beg, or otherwise attempt to change a properly computed grade.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License.

August 2011 - Kenneth Mentor