Student and Faculty Perceptions of Social Problems: How Different are They 'Really'?

As sociologists in the classroom, one of the most fascinating aspects of our profession lies in our ability to interact with students on a fairly regular basis. In our capacity as professors, it is our responsibility to create a classroom environment in which students will have the opportunities to interact with the instructor & other students as well about new material, their own views, & the views of others. Learning is an interactive & dynamic process. We use a number of strategies to facilitate learning & student interaction, such as role playing, group work, individual presentations, films, documentaries, service learning opportunities, & others. In many cases, we use multiple approaches. In this address, I will discuss & use survey results from students & members of the North Central Sociological Assoc (NCSA) about important current issues in the US. My aim is to illustrate some of the problems we as sociologists experience in teaching about social issues in our society. 5 Tables, 22 References. Adapted from the source document.