Despite decades of sociology scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL) research, integration of SoTL in sociology remains insufficient. First, some reasons for the insufficient integration of SoTL in the discipline are noted, and the foci of publications on the history and status of the SoTL in sociology are briefly summarized. Literature…

This study describes the objectives, structures, and outcomes of a one-semester, required sociology research capstone course as taught at three institutions. Pre- and postquestionnaires from students, syllabi from instructors, and a random sample of final research papers were analyzed. Results indicate that the main foci of the course are to…

In this article, we describe student perceptions of, and experiences in, a one-semester, required sociology research capstone course. The data come from 106 students in eight sections of the course taught at three institutions. We used multiple methods for data collection: questionnaires, focus groups, and learning reflection essays. Our results…

In this exploratory scholarship of teaching and learning study, we describe the development, over time, of engagement in the discipline, the ability to use the sociological imagination and other learning, an identity as a sociologist, and a sense of being an autonomous learner in a group of sociology majors. We followed 18 students who completed…

This personal reflection describes the author's 25-year relationship with the scholarship of teaching and learning. Her thoughts wander to influences on her career in SoTL, the impact SoTL has had on her professional life, the dilemmas in the field that continue to be pondered, ways to advocate for and support SoTL work, and her hopes for the…

My focus in this exploratory study is on factors related to success in the sociology major. One hundred, fourteen graduating majors from a mid-sized, public university completed a self-administered questionnaire. Students reported that talking with others about the material as well as using application, real world examples, and review strategies…

In this article I report on the common themes derived from three small-scale qualitative studies that focused on how sociology majors believe they learn our discipline. These studies include a group interview, analysis of content in learning logs, and individual face-to-face interviews. Based on the results of these studies, five types of…

In this research note, the authors report on an exploratory study of the profile of an engaged sociology major. The purpose of this note is to assess which factors relate to senior majors' self-perceived, overall engagement in the discipline. Possible factors include demographic variables, attitudes about learning, and academic or study behaviors.…

Reviews "The Student Sociologist's Handbook," a 1986, 292-page tome published by Random House, which covers a wide range of topics related to being a student and a professional in the field of sociology. Notes strengths and weaknesses and strongly recommends the book to both students and faculty. (JDH)

Briefly clarifies two important issues in the teaching of sociology of human sexuality: what a sociological approach to human sexuality entails, and how to help students link course material with the world around them. (Author/AEM)

Lists five components essential to quality teaching: (1) fairness, (2) application, (3) challenge, (4) entertainment, and (5) service. States that these components should be incorporated into such phases of teaching as class preparation, office hours, informal involvement, advising, writing tests, and curricular planning. (BSR)

A case study of the recent undergraduate curriculum reorganization process followed by a sociology department in a large south-central state university is presented. A review of the literature concerning possible purposes of and problems in sociology curricula is also presented. (Author/RM)

Discusses the importance of out-of-class experiences and reviews the literature on outcomes of this "other" or "informal" curriculum. Argues that, by sharing some data on academic and professional socialization from students, faculty, and departments, most departments do not adequately provide these opportunities. Evaluates barriers to providing…

The focus of this study is to begin to answer the question of how sociology majors come to learn their discipline. In this article, I report on the findings from the first study in a multi-method project on this topic. I conducted a group interview with honors sociology majors from around the United States. Students discussed several questions…

In this article, we report on a study about the experiences of graduating sociology majors with out-of-class learning opportunities (OOCLO). Research questions included the following: (1) What is the nature of participation in out-of-class learning for our sociology majors? (2) What barriers do students see to engaging in such experiences? (3)…