1 Welcome to Sociology of Work!!! SS 430 Dr. Evelina Panayotova Unit 1 Seminar

2 Course Introduction Instructor: Dr. Evelina Panayotova Office hours: by appointment AIM name: evelina755 Seminars: Monday 9-10 PM EST

3 General Course Structure Academic week starts on Wednesday and ends on Tuesday (11:59 PM) All assigned work is due on Tuesday The course has 10 units Course starts January 5, 2011 and ends March 15, 2011 Final project due end of Unit 9 – March 8, 2011 Weekly unit announcements will be posted on Course Home: READ THEM

4 General Requirements Read syllabus, understand all requirements Read weekly announcements on Course Home Complete all assigned readings Complete Quiz in Unit 1 Participate in discussion board (DB) Complete concept checks in units 2,3,6,7,8 Participate in seminar (not graded) Complete projects in Units 3 and 5 Complete Final Project in Unit 9

5 Discussion Board Requirements How many posts? One response for DB question Total of 2 replies to classmates PER QUESTION Do not wait until the last day to post: make sure you participate throughout the week so your posts contribute to the discussion

6 Quality of DB Posts Length words responses; 75+ words for classmate replies Well organized as a short essay Use paragraphs to separate themes Use references from class to support arguments Give page number for direct quotes and put in quotation marks Read “Best Practices” announcements for tips on writing quality DB posts

Concept Checks Short essay 1 ½ - 2 pages; ( words) Double spaced; #12 font – New Times Roman, 1“ margins on all sides Separate Cover Page and Reference Page At least two (2) outside (not including texts from the course) scholarly sources Wikipedia, encyclopedias and encyclopedia- type sources (answers.com, infoplease.com and such) are not considered academic sources. 7

8 Projects Follow APA format Include title page and reference list Use KU Writing Center as needed They have a live tutor!!! Read APA reference materials posted in Doc Sharing Read assignments carefully Make sure you follow assignment instructions

Project Unit 3 – Observation at a Worksite Your goal is to examine the work setting and work processes at a grocery store See how the physical set up of the place of work, and the arrangement and management of the work process, shape the experience of the workers Show if using concepts and theories we studied in class are effective or fail to describe and explain the processes and interactions you observe. 9

Project Unit 5 - Interview Identify non-profit or community organizations that provide support for workers and families facing economic difficulty due to job loss and unemployment in your area. Select one of your choice. your instructor with the name of the organization you have chosen for approval. Do preliminary research on this group via the Internet. 10

Project Unit 5 – Interview Continued Determine what type of services it offers, and what types of programs it supports. Contact the organization to schedule an interview with someone in the organization in person. You may need to give preliminary information about your affiliation and the reason why you are requesting the interview. Conduct the interview and write a report. See detailed requirements in syllabus. 11

Final Project Reflect on the findings you have collected through observation and interview Identify a specific “work” issue or problem that is of interest to you and that you have found to be of importance to the work of the non- profit organization you studied. The topic may be related to the mission of the organization, or to needs of the clients/customers or the staff and management of the organization. 12

Final Project: Service Component Using your Final Project research, create a “Frequently Asked Questions” (FAQ) page or handout/pamphlet to be copied and shared with the organization you studied. You will need approval from your Honors Administrator before you associate Kaplan University with distribution of this document. 13

Important! You must choose your topic for your Final Project by the end of Unit 6 Send proposed topic to instructor for approval Start preparing for the final as you work on the observation and interview in projects for Units 3 and 5 14

15 Seminar Come to seminar prepared Read assigned material before class Participate actively State your opinions on the topics Review transcripts if you miss seminar Although seminar is not graded it is an excellent tool to master the material PLUS it is a lot of fun – all my students love the interaction with classmates, don’t miss it!

16 Late work Communication with instructor is key Late work will be accepted – post your assignments to course environment instructor when late work is posted for grading Late work will be graded within 5 days of submission

17 Plagiarism Is not tolerated Make sure you read this section in the syllabus carefully Always cite your sources Ask if in doubt

18 Questions? Now is the time to ask any questions Make sure you have all the information you need I will help you in any way I can to be successful Communication is key! Ask, ask, ask….

19 Why Study “Work”? Central social institution Big part of our identity Beyond means for making a living Affects personal and family life Determines individual position in the social structure

20 Why a Sociological Perspective? The concept of work has been changing throughout history New technologies and globalization are changing the world of work even more rapidly today Changes in the definition of work from the industrial to the digital assembly line Positive and negative consequences of work today impact all aspects of our lives – work as a component of the social system

21 How is it Relevant to me? How does studying work from a sociological perspective apply to your personal experiences and career plans The rapidly changing global workforce and your life and career choices Sociological explanations and making sense of seemingly unpredictable workforce environments The past, present, and future of “work” and how to navigate the job market in the new economy

22 Overview of Course The sociological study of work Global perspective Changes in the organization of work from pre-industrial to post-industrial society Work as an economic activity – means to make a living Work as an expression of human creativity – sense of purpose, accomplishment, meaning Gender division of labor and work Social stratification and work – race, class, ethnicity and work choices and opportunities Immigrant status and the experience of work Negative consequences of work – joblessness, alienation, overwork, work and family balance

23 After Completing this Course you should be able to: Analyze the societal forces that have shaped work realities throughout history Analyze the relationship of social institutions and workforce trends Evaluate the impact of the global economy on work experiences and opportunities Connect personal work experiences to sociological concepts and theories

24 Tonight’s Questions We will discuss work as you view it Build on your personal observations and experiences What are your career plans and what has shaped them? How are your experiences at Kaplan impacting your career choices and opportunities?

25 Seminar Question 1 What was your favorite job? Why? Favorite aspects of this job? What you valued the most in this job?

26 Seminar Question 2 What was your least favorite job? Why? What did you dislike the most in this job?

27 Seminar Question 3 What to do you want to be when you grow up and why? Is this your dream job?

28 Seminar Question 4 How does Attending Kaplan University affect your work in the present and in the future?