Sociology 111.01 & .03 Guidelines for Class Participation

Contents: Task Group Options | Individual Options | General Guidelines

TASK GROUP OPTIONS:

Task groups should choose one of the following for their interchange of ideas:

1.	OUT-OF-CLASS DISCUSSION GROUP: The task group holds a weekly meeting at a regular time and place for discussion of course topics. Students in the group rotate the responsibility for sending reports on their discussions to the instructor.
2.	REACTION PAPER EXCHANGE: Each week, students in the task group rotate the responsibility for writing a two page paper about the week's readings and classes. Other group members read the reaction paper and make written comments on it, which are then circulated to the rest of the group.
3.	JOURNALING GROUP: The task group keeps a journal on reserve in the library to which all contribute. Each student makes a weekly entry and reads and responds to other student's entries.
4.	A WEBPAGE EXCHANGE: Task group members make regular postings of their reflections on course topics to a discussion forum located on the class web page. Students in the group read and respond to each other's postings.
5.	EMAIL EXCHANGE: Task group members subscribe to a LISTSERV email list (in which messages posted to a central address are automatically sent out to all subscribers). Group members make regular postings of their reflections and also read and respond to each other's postings.

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INDIVIDUAL OPTIONS:

Individuals may elect to supplement their own course participation grade by choosing one of these options:

1.	CLASS JOURNAL: The individual keeps a journal with weekly entries about responses to and reflection on the readings, the class discussions, or other course-related topics. (See journaling group instructions for suggested topics.)
2.	WEBPAGE EXCHANGE: The individual reads and responds to postings in the discussion forum on the class web page.
3.	EMAIL EXCHANGE: The individual subscribes to the LISTSERV email list and responds to the postings.

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GENERAL GUIDELINES:

1.	All of the activities will require you to do some writing, but the writing will not be graded, as such.
2.	At the end of the semester, you will turn in a portfolio of selected materials from your class-participation project or projects, as well as your observations on the group dynamics of your task group and a self-assessment of your own participation. The grade assigned to the class participation projects will be based on the amount of work and thought you have put into the projects overall.