Professor Freedman’s Prologue
for Spring 2007
Greetings Prospective Students!
This document is a guide for those who are considering taking a Sociology course with Professor Jonathan A Freedman, Ph.D., C.C.S.. Syllabi for the courses will appear before the start of the Spring Semester.
This Spring, I will teach SOCI 2201/02: Principles of Sociology, The class will meet MW 2-3:15 in one of the large classrooms [#1021] in the new Social Sciences Building and will be designed for a maximum of 135 students. This class will be live but make extensive use of Vista, an online e-learning system.. We will be using a brand new edition of a comprehensive textbook. Brym and Lie's Sociology: Your Compass for a New World: The Brief Edition. This book will be bundled with Howard's Classic Readings in Sociology and Infotrac, an extensive full text database. You will have multiple resources at your disposal to learn about sociology, a discipline that could prove helpful throughout your life. Do not plan to hide in the back of the class. I and marvelous Graduate Assistant Robin Crawford, a sociology graduate of KSU both believe that small group interaction is an essential component of a successful sociology intro course.
I will also teach an advance course, SOCI 3360/01: Sociology of Violence. This class will be totally online after a mandatory orientation meeting. However, it will be synchronous as there will be live online classes using Marratech interactive video technology. Classes are likely to meet in the evening [8-11 PM] on Monday and Wednesday and on some Sunday afternoons. Once the class roster is set, we will determine a schedule. We won't meet all these hours.. We might occasionally meet at other times to accommodate guest speakers.In order to participate in this class you will need a high speed connection to the Iinternet (DSL or better -no dialup), an inexpensive webcam, a headset, and knowledge of how to use the Internet. Marratech.com has recommendations on preferred equipment. We will also be using Vista extensively. The text we'll be using is Violence and Nonviolence: Pathways to Understanding by Gregg Barak. One cannot examine violence sociologically without examining nonviolence. Barak's book also examines these topics at multiple levels of focus from interpersonal through global. Expect to watch and comment on a series of films and TV programs.
When available, links to the current syllabi can be found elsewhere on this page, on WebCT-Vista for class members and at the SGA Department Websit
