Overcoming Student Disengagement and Anxiety in Theory, Methods, and Statistics Courses by Building a Community of Learners

• Published in: Teaching sociology Vol. 36; no. 1; pp. 42 - 48
• Main Authors: Macheski, Ginger E., Lowney, Kathleen S., Buhrmann, Jan, Bush, Melanie E. L.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Los Angeles, CA American Sociological Association 01.01.2008; SAGE Publications
• Subjects: Anxiety; Classroom activities; Classroom environment; College Faculty; College instruction; College Students; Communities; Community; Course Content; Discourse Modes; Disengagement; Education; Language; Language teaching methods; Learner Engagement; Learning; Mathematics anxiety; Mathematics Instruction; Methodology (Data Analysis); Perceptions; Professional associations; Research Methodology; Research methods; School environment; Social theories; Sociology; Sociology education; Statistics; Statistics Education; Student anxiety; Student Attitudes; Student Participation; Student Role; Students; Teaching; Teaching Methods; Theories; Websites; Workshops; United States > US; Illinois; Georgia
• ISSN: 0092-055X; 1939-862X
• DOI: 10.1177/0092055X0803600106

Participants in the 2007 American Sociological Association teaching workshop, "Innovative Teaching Practices for Difficult Subjects," shared concerns about teaching statistics, research methods, and theory. Strategies for addressing these concerns center on building a community of learners by creating three processes throughout the course: 1) an ongoing active role for students; 2) mechanisms to establish a common language of discourse; and 3) a means of monitoring students' feelings. Examples are provided which introduce readers to ideas which can help in the creation and maintenance of a successful community of learners when teaching these difficult subjects. These processes can build student engagement and help to reduce student anxieties. More detailed information about specific exercises, examples, and bibliographic resources which were distributed at the workshop, can be found on the "Teaching Sociology" website.