1. TOPIC Social Theory and Higher Education Research

2.  Meeting Format:  Announcements  Road Map of Topics  Readings/Discussion  5-minute break each hour, 20 minutes for working dinner  Meeting Style:  Discussion- oriented (rubric will follow)  Research development  Accelerated topic coverage (summer)

3.  Reminder: Office Hours on-line or by appt.  Praxis Journal #2 due by Wed. 8 a.m.  From Classmates?

4.  Complete ALL readings assigned for the day of discussion. It is recommended that you take brief notes on readings to make reference to their content much more feasible. While personal opinions, experiences, and reactions to topics can be an interesting point of discussion, this period of time is not intended for that purpose. Focus on the specific content of the readings and make comments based on class lectures, film, or applications to real-world analysis.  Prepare to be an active, not passive participant. Since you will be graded on levels of participation in this session, you may want to prepare questions in advance. Questions can include those for clarification, those intended to provoke insight or debate among class members, or those which challenge the content of the readings according to critical thinking parameters or tenets of sociology as a science. Although it is not required, you are permitted to bring in the findings or content of readings outside this course as long as you can provide a legitimate reference for the source for class members. A grading rubric appears below.  Practice mutual respect and regard for the contributions of your colleagues. This means not only waiting your turn to make a point, but also allowing a reasonable response to challenges, keeping your comments to a reasonable time limit, and refraining from any noises, outside conversations, or body language that would discourage others from participation.  Timely attendance is required. Our group discussions will generally begin 5 minutes after the start of class, to arrange seating and allow for those across campus to arrive. Late arrivals are permitted, especially if you have a consecutive class across campus, but please try to avoid disrupting the discussion by entering our classroom space quietly

5.  A-Level: LEADER. Participant consistently makes a contribution to the discussion with accuracy in reference to the content of the readings, thought-provoking questions, respectful response, and clear leadership in advancing the group’s knowledge with detailed evaluation and comparative insight, sometimes with the use of outside resources where relevant.  B-Level: ENGAGED. Participant makes an analytical contribution to the discussion with accuracy most of the time, occasionally sparks the group’s participation with debate or illustration, but does not take clear leadership of the discussion in terms of advancing group knowledge.  C-Level: PROMPTED. Participant attends discussion and participates with descriptive contribution when prompted, but generally does not initiate questions, responses, or add resources to the group’s synthesis of information from readings beyond the level of reporting information.  D-Level: DIVERGENT. Participant attends regularly (or irregularly), contributes at a variety of levels with a great degree of inaccuracy, personal opinion, and tends to take the discussion off-track rather than in the direction of clear understanding.  F-Level: FAILED. Participant does not attend more than half of the discussion sessions, and fails to achieve a minimum of the above criteria for contributing to a group discussion.

6.  Studies the individual within contexts of groups and group interaction  Relies on empirical observations of real- world behavior, using systematic analysis  Seeks to generalize from observations in order to establish criteria of objectivity, validity, and reliability.

7. Let’s see what you had to say… http://eppl751socofed.wmwikis.net/Module+1 +07062011 Is there anything you would like to add? Are there practical challenges with “using” the sociological imagination in practice? Can you identify analytical challenges with the sociological imagination?

8. Derived from Charles Lemert (2010) “Social Theory: Its Uses and Pleasures”  A way of knowing, understanding, and talking about the social world  A way of studying “disruptions”  Philosophical and scientific pursuit of a “truth” – sometimes the Truth (in the form of social meaning)

9.  Modernity’s Classical Age: 1848-1919  Social Theories & World Conflict: 1919-1945  The Golden Moment: 1945- 1963  Will the Center Hold? 1963-1979  After Modernity, 1979- 1991/2001  Rethinking the Unthinkable After 2011 What’s the point of thinking historically about social theory? On what basis does Lemert create these periods? What are your thoughts about his conceptual and analytical divisions? Do you get a sense of Lemert’s political or scientific orientation in his rendering of social theory?

10. Summarized well by Professor of Sociology Jim Weinzeirl at Illinois State University: my.ilstu.edu/~jeweinz/soc106/handouts/ch1hando ut.doc *** For more information, consult: Turner, Jonathan. 1990. The Structure of Sociological Theory. http://www.amazon.com/Structure-Sociological- Theory-Jonathan-Turner/dp/053413842X http://www.amazon.com/Structure-Sociological- Theory-Jonathan-Turner/dp/053413842X OR Ritzer, George.

11.  Functionalist  Durkheim  Parsons  Conflict  Marx  Weber (not strictly so)  Symbolic Interaction  Goffman Do classical theoretical paradigms/theoretical foundations correlate, inspire, explain your research interests in some ways? Are there examples from the contemporary eras that may serve to ground and support your work? What benefits or challenges does theoretical grounding pose for higher education research?

12.  Briefly, share your research interests with the class at this stage of development.  Comment/Discuss reading by Astin & Osuerga  Evaluate the reading on its own merits  Does it connect to your project – in what ways, and if not, how does it diverge?  What’s the social theory here? Implied or made explicit.  Next Steps: narrow to concepts, note your own developing orientation to the research

13.  Professor is available until 8 p.m. for consultation as needed. Thank You! Have a great week.