TEACHING & MENTORSHIP
Teaching
Introduction to Race & Ethnicity
Introduction to Race & Ethnicity
SOCI 217
SOCI 217
Course Description
This course is designed as Sociology's lower division undergraduate course introducing the study of race and ethnicity. In the course, we focus on (1) how sociologists define and use the concepts of "race" and "ethnicity," (2) how sociologists use theories and data to learn about and explain race and ethnicity, and (3) how race and ethnicity relate to other social processes. This course introduces the sociology of race and ethnicity, and provides students with the resources necessary to investigate issues surrounding race and ethnicity more fully.
Course Goals
The goals of this course are that students will:
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Better understand how viewing the world through a sociological lens informs and explains inequality in the United States today;
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Utilize a more critical perspective in their interpretation of changes in racial and ethnic relations;
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Express ideas about racial groups, ethnic groups, and racism more effectively in writing, discussion, and other forms of communication;
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More skillfully access information claims and make inferences from observed facts about racial and ethnic groups or disparities;
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Gain insight about their social experiences and those of others in a diverse and globalized world.
Course Description
This course is designed as Sociology's lower division undergraduate course introducing the study of race and ethnicity. In the course, we focus on (1) how sociologists define and use the concepts of "race" and "ethnicity," (2) how sociologists use theories and data to learn about and explain race and ethnicity, and (3) how race and ethnicity relate to other social processes. This course introduces the sociology of race and ethnicity, and provides students with the resources necessary to investigate issues surrounding race and ethnicity more fully.
Course Goals
The goals of this course are that students will:
-
Better understand how viewing the world through a sociological lens informs and explains inequality in the United States today;
-
Utilize a more critical perspective in their interpretation of changes in racial and ethnic relations;
-
Express ideas about racial groups, ethnic groups, and racism more effectively in writing, discussion, and other forms of communication;
-
More skillfully access information claims and make inferences from observed facts about racial and ethnic groups or disparities;
-
Gain insight about their social experiences and those of others in a diverse and globalized world.
Example Syllabus
Fall 2019, TAMU
Example Assignments
Spring 2019, TAMU
Student Evaluations
Summer 18-Spring 19, TAMU
Advanced Methods of Social Research
SOCI 420
Course Description
This course is designed as Sociology's upper division undergraduate course on advanced methods of social research. In this course, we cover major topics related to (1) descriptive statistics; (2) inferential statistics; (3) bivariate measures of association; and (4) multivariate techniques.
Course Goals
The goals of this course are that students will:
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Understand the basic principles of social science research and identify advanced concepts related to social science research;
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Investigate social issues using research methods, empirical data, and statistical software;
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Interpret results of social science data analysis and identify poorly used or reported statistics as well as limitations of social science research;
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Apply common quantitative techniques using statistical software;
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Generate, present, and interpret, statistical tables, charts, and graphs based on analysis of empirical data;
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Write about and discuss social scientific results and public policy implications of data analysis.
Mentorship
In addition to teaching, I believe advising and collaborating with students in research is vital to my role as a teacher-scholar. As Research Staff for the Science for a Diverse Society (SDS) Research Group, I have supervised over 20 undergraduate students on research and lab projects. Many of these students have completed an undergraduate thesis and presented their research at conferences and poster presentations. I have also recruited undergraduate students to work with me on dissertation research and other projects related to political epidemiology as well as community outreach and participatory action research related to juvenile justice. I also serve as faculty advisor for both academic/honor and social undergraduate organizations allowing me to create relationships with students in a non-teaching environment. As a teacher-scholar, I realize that education does not always occur in the traditional classroom setting, so I prioritize relationships with students in a non-teaching environment.