Tonie Hilligoss

Sociology 301 Online Syllabus

System Requirements:
(some links available by clicking on Course Information - "Browsers, Plug-Ins, Players and Viewers")

PC Pentium Processor or better, or Mac G3 or better
Internet Access - Firefox 1.0.7 or Internet Explorer 6.0 or better
Windows 2000 or XP, or Mac OS system 10.2 or better
E-mail account either with the college or outside provider
Word 2000 or better as a word processing program
Adobe Acrobat Reader 6

Course Description:
SOC 301 Online is a service-learning course in which we will examine current social problems at global, national, and regional levels from a sociological perspective. We will study the social problems identified in the textbook through an interactive process on discussion boards and will address selected problems through a semester-long assignment. This is a distance education class, so it only meets on-campus three times during the semester. All other work is completed either outside of class or online within the Blackboard course management system. Basic computer skills (ability to use a word processing program and e-mail; ability to access the Internet) are necessary to succeed in this class. However, nothing beyond that is required because Blackboard provides the structure for the class. Online course materials are interwoven with the reading and writing assignments in such a way as to maximize the benefit to the student. This, of course, requires that you carefully read the assigned chapters, complete all assignments, and fully participate in the interactive forums created by discussion boards.

A considerable number of students who take Social Problems classes end the semester with the observation that they wish they had learned how to solve the problems facing society rather than merely study them. This class has been designed to respond to that. The world's problems can sometimes seem overwhelming, but every problem can be addressed if enough people commit to solving it. That's what Margaret Mead was referring to when she said, "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it's the only thing that ever has." We can't work miracles in a sixteen week semester, but we can create a beginning. Whereas most classes begin and end within that sixteen weeks, the projects started in this class will be presented to students in future Social Problems classes, and they will have the choice of either creating their own projects or working on the topics selected by students who preceded them. You, of course, will finish the class, have your grade recorded on your transcript, and move on to other classes, but the work you begin may be carried on by others.

Service-learning is an experiential approach to education that integrates service to others with a deep exploration of the issues being studied. Students in service-learning classes generally work in the surrounding community in settings like hospitals and homeless shelters, but that isn't a reasonable expectation for many students who take online classes. We're going to extend the model beyond your immediate community, and in the process, we're going to discover new ways to explore the material and respond to it. In addition to being an experiential approach to education, it is an activist and reflective approach. You will study and be tested on the topics in the textbook, but you will also select a specific issue within those topics that interests you and develop a way to address it to meet a precise objective that you will identify. Assignments will be posted to the Service Learning Projects (SLP) discussion board that will generate discussions designed to explore the topics you have selected and help you pursue the objectives you identify. Reflection will take place in weekly journal entries.

There are two primary challenges to this approach. One is the projects themselves. Identifying an issue that interests you will probably not be difficult, but identifying a way to begin solving the problem online may seem challenging. The SLP discussion board assignments have been designed to help in that process by providing a forum so the rest of us can provide feedback. There are many very well-developed websites addressing the topics in the book that can provide resources. Projects can result in the creation of new websites, clever ways to make existing websites more effective, hard copies of informational materials, programmatic contributions to existing organizations, or a wide variety of other approaches to broaden people's understanding of the issue you select. Not all projects need to be web-based, and some of the more ambitious projects may be only partially completed by the end of the semester. However, all projects must demonstrate substantial progress so that you can learn about the process of understanding and responding to the social problem you choose.

The second challenge is that of tolerance for and appreciation of differences. Unless this class is radically different from every other class I've ever taught, some of you will have a conservative orientation to social issues, and some will have a liberal orientation. My role in this class is to educate, not indoctrinate, so I will read all posts and participate in the discussions as needed. Your role is to be a teacher as well as a learner, which means that, in addition to reading all the posts and seriously considering even those ideas you disagree with, you have an obligation to contribute to the discussions by adding new information, observations, or a different analytical perspective. I am convinced that learning only from those we agree with limits our perspective, so I will sometimes play the role of devil's advocate if it appears that there is a need to consider aspects of an issue that no one else has raised. The sociological perspective requires that we broaden our understanding of the social world we live in, and we can only do that by listening, and hearing, what those we disagree with have to say. That is the only way to become fully informed about any issue.

The Orientation section of the website includes an overview of Intellectual Discourse that I expect everyone to read and use as a guideline for discussions, but the challenge in this class goes beyond that. Although all project proposals must be consistent with our legal structure and generally accepted moral standards (i.e. I would accept child molestation as an issue, but I would not accept a campaign to harass child molesters as the objective of the project), we all need to accept that some students may select and write about projects we do not support. One of the objectives of this class is to learn how to listen to all perspectives with an open mind.

No more than one student will work on the same project topic so that we, as a class, can learn about as many different issues as possible. I will create a Service-Learning Projects (SLP) List discussion board on which I will post the topics students submit in the order I receive them. So that everyone will have an opportunity to review the textbook before selecting a topic, I will not accept topics until 7pm on August 31st. Be sure to check the SLP List board to make sure your topic has not already been selected before sending it to me via e-mail, which is the only way I will accept it.

Our obligation to one another is to provide meaningful feedback to the discussions of the topics and the project proposals on the discussion boards. There will be many threads on each board, but you will only be expected to respond to a few of them. You will, however, be expected to read all the posts, regardless of the topic, because that is the only way to gain a broad understanding of the social problems confronting our society. It is also the only way to fully prepare for the midterm and final exams.

All students must complete a service-learning project to pass the class, but students who plan to earn an "A" or "B" on the project and are willing to dedicate an additional 18 hours to do that can also enroll in INDIS 340, Service-Learning Component, which will give you an extra unit and a "Service-Learning" notation on your transcript. Additional information regarding the Service-Learning Component is located at the end of the syllabus.

Course Activities:
I. Attend the orientation session and take two (2) proctored exams. The orientation session will be held at the following time and place:

II. Visit the class website by Monday of each week and follow the instructions for that week. Weekly materials are generally posted on Sunday.

III. Read the assigned chapters in the textbook, Social Problems, 3rd edition, by John J. Macionis, published by Prentice Hall, 2008.

IV. Follow the instructions in the Assignments section each week (do not rely solely on the discussion board instructions), and submit all required work by 11:59pm on the following Saturday. Week and chapter numbers often differ, so always check the Assignments page before reading the chapter and taking the quiz. DO NOT ever cite Wikipedia as a reference. That is an open source encyclopedia and is not sufficiently reliable for an academic assignment.

V. Respond to a minimum of four other student or instructor posts each week there is a discussion board assignment (not including responses to the Service Learning Projects [SLP] board - those are only required for students wishing to earn extra credit [although SLP assignments are required of everyone]). Submit your responses to the specified discussion board by 11:59pm on the following Tuesday. Responses must add depth to the discussion to receive credit, so it is essential to read the other posts first in order to avoid repeating what has already been posted. All responses must adhere to the guidelines regarding intellectual discourse, which are located in the Orientation section under Course Information. It is essential that you read and follow these guidelines. Both exams will include questions from the discussion boards, so it would be wise to take notes as you read information that would contribute to a good question (e.g. terms are sometimes introduced in the discussions that were not in the textbook or assigned websites, and additional content is sometimes provided). There will rarely be more than five notes to be taken during a given week, and generally there will be fewer.

VI. Read all submissions from other students and the instructor and respond to all questions that address your posts.

VII. You are strongly advised to complete the weekly quizzes accessible through the Assignments section. Scores will not count, so you do not need to submit the quizzes, but it is an excellent way to prepare for the exams, each of which will include several questions from them. The first, and only required, quiz is a website quiz that will be available in the Assignments section. This is a requirement of the class and is due by 11:59pm on Saturday, September 6th for full credit. It is an assigned quiz and must be completed by everyone regardless of when it is submitted, although increasing numbers of points will be deducted for late submissions. The quiz is important because it will enable you to quickly understand how the class is organized. Students cannot earn an “A” in the class without earning at least 21 points (70%) on the 30 point quiz. There will be an opportunity to submit corrected answers for half credit, but it is much easier to find the answers on the course website and submit the exam by the due date.

VIII. Students who need special accommodations for physical or learning disabilities are advised to contact the Disability Resource Center immediately. They can be reached at 558-2283, and all arrangements are confidential.

You will need the textbook in Week 1, so be sure to purchase it in advance if possible. If not, there are two copies on reserve in the library.

If you are reading this on my website and are not already enrolled in the class, please include your student I.D. number in your initial correspondence to me.

Course Objectives:
To successfully complete this course, students must complete all assigned activities. Required work consists of the assignments that will be posted in the Assignments section, academic interaction on the discussion boards a minimum of four times per week, the website quiz, a final project and paper (with journal) that you will work on throughout the semester through posts to the SLP board, and two proctored exams. Students are also expected to complete all reading assignments and read everything that is posted to the assigned discussion boards. I often ask for additional feedback and other students sometimes ask questions, so it is essential to read all the posts and respond when asked. Although I obviously cannot monitor what you read on the discussion boards, reading all posts is instrumental in preparing you for the exams, which will incorporate questions from the online discussions as well as from the readings and quizzes. The thoughtful completion of these activities is required to achieve the following objectives:

1) understand how and why people define issues as social problems;

2) analyze how social forces affect individual experience on the micro-level;

3) analyze social problems from the macro-level (i.e. social, economic, and political perspectives);

4) understand how social problems are experienced differently based on factors such as race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, age, religion, social class, and physical and mental condition;

5) comparatively analyze social problems from different ideological perspectives;

6) develop a broad understanding of the specific problems examined in this course;

7) experience applying the sociological perspective to a specific social problem by developing an approach to solving it and creating a product based on that approach which provides a service to the community.

Students are expected to be active learners and to be responsible for ensuring the quality of your own academic experience. Any questions which arise should be asked either in class on the discussion boards or outside of it via e-mail (personal questions only - questions regarding matters directly related to course content should be posted to the discussion boards), but they must be asked in order to avoid confusion as the semester progresses. Students are always responsible for their own learning, but it is even more important in online classes that students remain actively engaged in the class from beginning to end.

Failure to submit an assignment will be viewed as an absence, and students can be dropped for excessive absences, which means four assignments and/or responses in this class. Credit is only given for substantive responses that contribute to the discussion and do not repeat what has already been posted. Complimenting someone on their post or restating what has already been written will not earn credit, while responding to the content with insightful comments will.

Orientation and Test Sessions:
The orientation session is designed to provide an overview of the class and answer questions. This is a required meeting that can only be missed if the instructor approves the request. The orientation meeting and exams will be given in LR 105 on the following Wednesdays:

Orientation: August 27th from 5:30-6:50pm
Midterm: October 27th from 5:30-6:50pm (Chapters 1-10, excluding Chapter 9)
Final Exam: December 17th from 5:45-7:45pm (Chapters 11-18, excluding Chapter 14)

Students will be required to bring a picture I.D. to all exams.

Required Text:
Social Problems, 3rd edition, by John J. Macionis, published by Prentice Hall, 2008.

Additional resources can be accessed through SCC Library's web-based library catalog. Follow the links from the SCC Webpage by clicking on Library, then LOIS, Other Library Catalogs, or Databases. That will provide access to both the library catalog and several full text periodical databases. Passwords are available at no cost to students, faculty and staff through the Learning Resource Center, and are required for the databases when connections are made from off campus.

Instructor - Tonie Hilligoss
I've taught in the Sociology and Administration of Justice Departments at Sacramento City College since 1977. I also have an applied background as a probation officer, a clinical social worker, and a community activist. My B.A. is in Sociology and Anthropology from UC Santa Barbara, and I have a Master's Degree in Social Work from San Diego State University and a Master of Arts in Sociology from UC Davis. I am a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, manage a certified tree farm with my family, and have extensive consulting experience in the fields of public safety, community development, higher education, and rural education.

I am convinced of the need for all of us to become lifelong learners, and I believe that online education makes that goal achievable for students whose work or other circumstances make it difficult for them to take traditional classes. I am also a strong advocate of experiential education, particularly service-learning, because I believe that people learn best when they are actively involved in applying what they learn.

I can be reached via e-mail at thilligoss@mac.com or at the following physical address:

My phone number is (916) 558-2602, and my office is located in RHS 272 (Rodda Hall South) on the Sacramento City College campus.

Methods of Instruction:
This is an online course that is taught via the Internet. Lessons consist of reading assignments, interactive discussions about social problems, and the class projects that will address them. Class discussions will take place on topic-specific discussion boards.

There will be two graded exams, one midterm and one final, that will take place in proctored settings. There is also at least one quiz each week (identified in the Assignments section) that students are advised to take as preparation for the in-class exams. With the exception of the Website Quiz, these can be immediately graded by the publishing company with results sent directly to students as a means of regularly assessing your mastery of the material. Scores will not be recorded, and quizzes do not need to be sent to me, but they provide an excellent way of preparing for the exams. The website quiz is the exception as it is required of everyone within the first two weeks of the class. Do not miss that deadline. Those 30 points will mean a lot to you at the end of the semester.

All graded assignments and quizzes will be due electronically by 11:59pm on the Saturday following the date they are assigned, with the exception of responses to other students (a minimum of four), which are due by 11:59pm on the following Tuesday, i.e. 3 days later. Directions for student activities will be posted in the Assignments section each week, and it is essential that you begin each week by reading the weekly assignment in the Assignments section. Students will be expected to check the Announcements page a minimum of three times a week (although it is advisable to check it daily for the first two weeks). Announcements are only posted as needed, but checking them often should ensure that you receive the information you will need. All announcements will be dated.

Student Requirements:
It is expected that each student will spend a minimum of nine (9) hours per week on this class. This includes time spent online as well as time spent reading the textbook, preparing written assignments, participating on the discussion boards, working on your project, and preparing for the in-class exams.

All but five weeks have a required discussion board assignment which is worth 10 points, and all assignments provide up to an additional 10 points for the required responses (a minimum of four) to postings from other students. Everyone is required to complete the assignments for Weeks 1-3 and respond to a minimum of four posts each week. However, after the third week, students must only complete designated discussion board assignments every other week. During Week 3, students will be assigned to one of two groups, and assignments will be staggered beginning in Week 4. Students are required to complete all discussion board assignments listed for your group in the Assignments section.

Grades will be determined by a point system which will ensure that your grade will be based on your own effort and competence. Each person completing sufficient points will receive the corresponding grade. A curve will be established at the end of the semester, so estimates prior to that time will have to be based on percentage scores, i.e. 90% = A, etc. As indicated below, the emphasis in this class is on the discussion board assignments and the project (which includes the paper and journal), so passing the exams alone does not guarantee passing the class. All assignments are required, including both exams, the website quiz, and the service learning project and related SLP assignments. Regardless of the total final score, an "A" in the class will not be given to anyone who does not earn at least a "C" average in each component of the class (including at least 70% on the website quiz), e.g. an "A" average on the discussion boards, the service-learning project, and the midterm will not compensate for a "D" or "F" on the website quiz. In that case, even if the points add up to an "A" the student will receive a "B." The lowest discussion board and response scores will be dropped. I realize this is a lot of information to absorb, so feel free to e-mail me at any time with questions. I will glad to answer them.

You are encouraged to study with one another electronically or face-to-face, but all written assignments must be your own work. Grades in this class will be established on the basis of a curve, so cheating will directly harm everyone who does not cheat. To discourage that behavior, any student caught cheating will receive a "0" on that week's assignments or test. Although no one has ever cheated twice, anyone attempting to do so will be referred to the college's student disciplinary committee.

Please note that this class is a Safe Zone, which means that discrimination, jokes, or derogatory statements that target race, religion, ethnicity, gender, class, sexual orientation, language, age, etc. will not be tolerated.

Final grades will be based on the following:

Discussion Board assignments - 50 points (Weeks 1 and 2/3 + 4 additional weeks, minus the lowest score)
Discussion Board responses - 90 points (Weeks 1 and 2/3 + 8 additional weeks, minus the lowest score)
Website Quiz - 30 points
Midterm - 50 points
Final Exam - 50 points
Final Project/Paper/Journal (final deadline: Dec. 6th) - 85 points

Total = 355 points

Optional Extra Credit (SLP discussion board responses for a maximum of 25 points):

Extra credit can be used to raise a grade a maximum of one letter grade but will only be applied when students have earned at least a "D" in the class, i.e. extra credit cannot be used to transform a failing grade into a passing grade. Extra credit responses may be posted to the Service Learning Projects board. Late submissions will not receive any credit if posted after 11:59pm on the Tuesday following the assignment due date, unless stated otherwise in the Assignments section.That is the absolute deadline each week for all work from the previous week. Extra credit will only be given for responses to the Service Learning Projects board that provide substantive and useful feedback regarding specific projects.

Questions regarding grades and other matters not related to specific assignments should be e-mailed to Tonie Hilligoss at thilligoss@mac.com to maintain confidentiality, or you can call me at (916) 558-2602. Leave a message if I am not available, and I will return your call at the first opportunity. If my e-mail is down, you can contact me at hilligt@scc.losrios.edu, but please do not use that address unless it is absolutely necessary. I am not always immediately available, but I will contact you as soon as I can. I check my voicemail frequently, so please leave a message at 558-2602 if there is an urgent need to do so. If the matter is not urgent, e-mail is the best way to get your questions answered. Please repeat your name and phone number if you do call. I cannot return calls to numbers that are not recorded clearly enough to understand.

Students are advised to familiarize themselves with the Los Rios regulations related to campus expectations for student behavior that stipulate the process for dropping students for unacceptable behavior. Very few students behave in a manner that requires their use, but we have been asked to make sure everyone is familiar with them. I have added a link to the District’s Standards of Conduct (http://www.losrios.edu/legal/Regulations/R-2000/R-2441.htm) here and near the end of the Student Requirements section in the online syllabus.

Important Information Regarding Waste Reduction

All staff and students are expected to participate in SCC's waste reduction program. Please reduce the amount of paper you use, reuse resources whenever possible, and always recycle the appropriate materials in the blue receptacles. We have a beautiful campus. Please help us keep it that way.

Syllabus Addendum for Students Enrolled in the Service-Learning Component

SOC 301 (Social Problems Online) is a designated service-learning course, which allows students to add INDIS 340 as a companion class. This course may be taken up to four times with different designated classes. It may be added before the semester starts or during the Orientation on August 27th. I will bring in add slips for those of you who are interested.

Service-learning is an approach to education that combines service to the community with active learning goals for participants. Service-learning benefits both the community and the learner. It takes place in school, college/university, community-based, and tribal settings and, in this class, is distinguished from volunteerism by its connection to discussion board interaction and by individual reflection that enhances academic, civic, and social development. In SOC 301 Online, it provides an opportunity to actively address social problems, which is why it is integrated into the class even for those students who choose not to take the additional unit.

All students in the online Social Problems course must complete a service-learning project to pass the class, but students who plan to earn an "A" or "B" on the project and are willing to dedicate an additional 18 hours to do that can also enroll in INDIS 340, which will give you an extra unit and a "Service-Learning" notation on your transcript. The notation will provide evidence of your record of community service to transfer colleges, programs for which you have to compete for acceptance, scholarship panels, employers, and anyone else who might be interested. The extra unit is not a requirement of the class. It is, however, an attractive option for those interested in making their college, scholarship, or job applications stand out from the competition. Details about service-learning projects are located in the Assignments section (Service-Learning Project and Paper Guidelines) and on the Service-Learning Project (SLP) Discussion Board. Please note that only students enrolled in my classes can add Section 20327 of INDIS 340.