SOC 3700
Sociology of Childhood
3 Credit Hours

Course Information

Course Description:

This course explores the nature of childhood and the development and socialization 
of children from infancy through adolescence. Through course readings, assignments, 
and discussions, the course will cover the agencies and social forces that shape children. 
This course will incorporate the new Sociology of Childhood perspective, which rather 
than assuming that children are passive participants starts from the assumption that 
children are active participants who both shape and are shaped by their social world. 
The course will also address the future of childhood which might be especially beneficial 
to current or future policy makers.

Course Objectives:

1. Develop an understanding of the history of childhood and the changing societal 
definitions of childhood and children’s “place” in society.

2. Become familiar with the various methods of studying children, and the ethical 
issues involved in studying children.

3. Learn the major perspectives on childhood and socialization of children.

4. Become familiar with the major agencies of socialization, such as family, peers, 
media, and school, with a special emphasis on peer cultures.

5. Develop an understanding of the larger economic, political, and social forces that 
affect and influence children.

6. Come to understand the major social problems confronting children and families.

7. Consider the possibilities for the future of childhood in the United States and 
globally.

Prerequisites and Corequisites:

  Sociology 1010: Introduction to Sociology

The Meaning of Childhood
Traditional Theories of Childhood
New Sociological Perspectives on Childhood
Methods of Studying Children
History of Childhood
Peer Cultures
Social Problems of Children
Parents, Families, and Children
Children today and the future of Children

Specific Course Requirements:

The student must have a basic knowledge of computers, the Internet, and email. 
The student's computer must have Microsoft Word, Adobe Acrobat Reader, and 
Powerpoint Viewer.

Textbooks, Supplementary Materials, Hardware and Software Requirements

Required Textbooks:

The Sociology of Childhood, Second Edition, 2004
William A. Corsaro
Pine Forge Press  
ISBN 0-7619-8751-7The textbook is available at the RODP virtual bookstore http://www.bkstr.com/

Supplementary Materials:

None

Hardware Requirements:

The minimum requirements can be found at http://www.tn.regentsdegrees.org/students/hardware_software.htm. 

Software Requirements:

The minimum requirements can be found at http://www.tn.regentsdegrees.org/students/hardware_software.htm. 
Specific software required for this course-Microsoft Word, Adobe Acrobat, and Powerpoint Viewer.

Assessment and Grading

Testing Procedures:

The course is divided into five-three week modules. Students will have to take 
a timed online multiple-choice quiz for each module, and complete an 
assignments for each module. The students can take the quiz and submit the 
assignments anytime during the three weeks, but must have completed both the 
end of the third week of the module. 

Quizzes will cover the text book, articles, instructor remarks, and linked websites.

Grading Procedure:

The grade will be based on quiz scores, assignment grades, and discussion participation.

No one part of the course will constitute a large portion of the final grade, but work 
must consistently be done in a conscientious and accomplished manner in order for the
student to receive an A or a B.

The chat room is to be used for students to receive help and clarification from the 
instructor, and to discuss assignments and projects with other students. It is not a part 
of the course that is required or graded.

Grading Scale:

Grading: Quizzes 45% of the final grade-each quiz is 9%
            Assignments 40% of the final grade-each assignment is 8%
            Discussion Participation 15% of the final grade-each discussion is 3%

90-100 A
80-89   B
70-79   C
60-69   D
00-59   F

Assignments and Participation

Assignments and Projects:

1. There will be reading assignments for each module from the textbook. There are also 
articles and instructor remarks, which must be read. These readings will be covered in the
quizzes and questions described below.
2. Students will have to take an online timed multiple-choice quiz for each three week module.
3. Students will have to complete a written for each three-week module.* 
4. Students will have to actively participate in a discussion for each module.

*Sample assignment below

Assignment -Write a 500 to 1000 word essay
Assignments to be Submitted Via Drop Box 
Instructions are provided on "How to use the assignments drop box."

Discuss the effect of early childhood experiences on later success in school, social relationships, and 
law abiding behavior. You can address: child rearing practices of parents, family structure, brain 
development, nutrition, poverty, neighborhood, genetic predispositions, health care, mother's health 
while pregnant, and more. You need not address all the foregoing.  Cover what you think is most 
important. You can use the readings for module one in your essay, but you should cite at least  four 
additional sources: books, articles, or legitimate internet sites.

You can find  the four additional sources in any way you want, but it might be easiest to use the 
Virtual Library Databases or Catalogs

Virtual Library and than choose Online Databases. Next click on InfoTrac Onefile
and type the article name in the search box.

Virtual Library and than choose
Online Catalogs. Next go to Search netLibrary Catalog for eBooks  and select Tennessee 
Technological University.

Essay citations format

Class Participation:

Students are required to participate in five online discussions, each lasting three weeks. Students 
will have to make posts to discussion several times each week. Grading of the discussion
participation will be based on the quality, quantity, and spacing of posts. Spacing refers to the 
idea that 1 or 2 posts every few days is better than 5 posts on one day. You are also expected  
to read the posts of others, and this will also influence your discussion grade. Students are 
expected to disagree in their discussion posts, but they should at all times be polite and respectful. 
Students should feel free to disagree with the instructor in discussion posts. 

There is an anonymous discussion group in which you can make posts at any time without revealing 
who you are. This is for discussing the course with other students and helping each other out.

Students are expected to check their email on a regular basis.

Punctuality:

The course does not have long term assignments or exams that cover a long period of time.
This is because I want continual, regular, and active participation in the course, just as one
would have if one were going to class on a regular basis. Thus, students must submit
assignments tri-weekly and take tri-weekly online quizzes. These are all due by the end of
each three week module. Students will be allowed extra time for assignments if they have a 
legitimate reason for needing extra time. Legitimate excuses are things such as illness or a
death in the family. Vacations, weddings, other courses, and so forth are not legitimate
excuses.

Course Ground Rules

Students must keep up with the readings and assignments, and complete their work at 
the required times. It is particularly important to be conscientious in the projects. I have 
tried to design the course to be both informative and enjoyable. Thus students should 
have fun with the projects and feel free to be creative. While quiz question have correct 
answers, the assignments allow substantial freedom for students to express themselves. 
In these you will be evaluated on effort and thoughtfulness, not whether I agree with you 
or not.

Contact me as soon as possible with any problems or questions that arise. This can be done
by phone or by email.  

All written work in this course should be solely yours with no help from anyone else.
Quizzes should  be taken by you alone without help from anyone.
Plagiarism is against the law and will not be accepted. 
The following site provides information as to how to avoid plagiarism.

http://ollie.dcccd.edu/library/Module4/M4-VII/plagar.htm

Guidelines for Communications

Email:
  • Always include a subject line.
  • Remember without facial expressions some comments may be taken the wrong way.
    Be careful in wording your emails. Use of emoticons might be helpful in some cases.
  • Use standard fonts.
  • Do not send large attachments without permission.
  • Special formatting such as centering, audio messages, tables, html, etc. should be
    avoided unless necessary to complete an assignment or other communication.
  • Respect the privacy of other class members

Discussion Groups:
  • Review the discussion threads thoroughly before entering the discussion. Be a lurker
    then a discussant.
  • Try to maintain threads by using the "Reply" button rather starting a new topic.
  • Do not make insulting or inflammatory statements to other members of the discussion 
    group. Be respectful of other’s ideas.
  • Be patient and read the comments of other group members thoroughly before entering 
    your remarks.
  • Be cooperative with group leaders in completing assigned tasks.
  • Be positive and constructive in group discussions.
  • Respond in a thoughtful and timely manner.

Chat:

       No chat room participation is required in the course.

       Introduce yourself to the other learners in the chat session.
       Be polite. Choose your words carefully. Do not use derogatory statements.
       Be concise in responding to others in the chat session.
       Be prepared to open the chat session at the scheduled time.
       Be constructive in your comments and suggestion

Web Resources:

Columbia Guide to Online Style by Janice R. Walker and Todd Taylor

Citation Styles Online http://www.bedfordstmartins.com/online/cite6.html

Library

The Tennessee Board of Regents Virtual Library is available to all students enrolled in the
Regents Degree Program. Links to library materials (such as electronic journals, databases, interlibrary loans, digital reserves, dictionaries, encyclopedias, maps, and librarian support)
and Internet resources needed by learners to complete online assignments and as background reading must be included in all courses. 

Students With Disabilities

Qualified students with disabilities will be provided reasonable and necessary academic accommodations if determined eligible by the appropriate disability services staff at their
home institution. Prior to granting disability accommodations in this course, the instructor
must receive written verification of a student's eligibility for specific accommodations from
the disability services staff at the home institution. It is the student's responsibility to initiate contact with their home institution's disability services staff and to follow the established procedures for having the accommodation notice sent to the instructor.

Syllabus Changes

A statement that any necessary changes to the course syllabus will be sent to the student
by e-mail and posted on the bulletin board.

Technical Support

Telephone Support:

1-877-725-4357

Email Support:

RODPHelpdesk@tbr.edu