We present a two-assignment series that developed students’ sociological imaginations and that could be done in a face-to-face or online course. The series used the Sociological Images blog and students’ own visual images (e.g., photographs) to meet course learning goals: (1) link sociological theories and concepts to social events/trends, (2) apply these ideas to real life by identifying sociologically relevant images in daily life, and (3) communicate sociological analysis in academic and popular written forms. The use of a blog encourages students to embrace public sociology. We present faculty and student assessment data (pretest from nonequivalent comparisons group) from six lower division sociology classes at a regional university (N = 157). Students entered with little a priori ability to examine images using a sociological lens, and students who completed the series successfully applied sociological concepts and theories to critically examine elements of their lives, achieving core sociology disciplinary learning goals.
AndristLesterCheppValerieDeanPaulMillerMichael V.2014. “Toward a Video Pedagogy: A Teaching Typology with Learning Goals.” Teaching Sociology42(3):196–206. doi:10.1177/0092055x14524962.
2.
BeletMargot. 2017. “The Importance of Relevance to Student Lives: The Impact of Content and Media in Introduction to Sociology.” Teaching Sociology46(3):208–24. doi:10.1177/0092055X17730113.
3.
BidwellLee D. Millar. 1995. “Helping Students Develop a Sociological Imagination through Innovative Writing Assignments.” Teaching Sociology23:401–406. doi:10.2307/1319169.
4.
BonwellCharles C.EisonJames A.1991. Active Learning: Creating Excitement in the Classroom. Ashe-Eric Higher Education Report No. 1. Washington, DC: The George Washington University.
5.
BosteanGeorgianaLeitzLisa. 2021. “Using Sociological Images to Develop the Sociological Imagination” Assignment published in TRAILS: Teaching Resources and Innovations Library for Sociology. Washington, DC: American Sociological Association. http://trails.asanet.org/Pages/Resource.aspx?ResourceID=13994.
6.
BrouilletteJohn RTurnerRonny E. 1992. “Creating the Sociological Imagination on the First Day of Class: The Social Construction of Deviance.” Teaching Sociology20(4):276–79.
7.
ChoiJeong-ImHannafinMichael. 1995. “Situated Cognition and Learning Environments: Roles, Structures, and Implications for Design.” Educational Technology Research and Development43(2):53–69. doi:10.1007/BF02300472.
8.
DandaneauSteven P.2009. “Sisyphus Had It Easy.” Teaching Sociology37(1):8–19. doi:10.1177/0092055X0903700102.
9.
DaviesJuliaMerchantGuy. 2009. “Negotiating the Blogosphere: Educational Possibilities.” Pp. 81–94 in Digital Literacies: Social Learning and Classroom Practices, edited by CarringtonV.RobinsonM.London: SAGE.
10.
EisenDaniel B.2012. “Developing a Critical Lens: Using Photography to Teach Sociology and Create Critical Thinkers.” Teaching Sociology40(4):349–59. doi:10.1177/0092055x12448322.
11.
FergusonSusan J.CarbonaroWilliam. 2016. “Measuring College Learning in Sociology.” Pp. 125–87 in Improving Quality in American Higher Education: Learning Outcomes and Assessments for the 21st Century, edited by ArumR.RoksaJ.CookA.San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
12.
GhidinaMarcia. 2019. “Deconstructing Victim-Blaming, Dehumanization, and Othering: Using Empathy to Develop a Sociological Imagination.” Teaching Sociology47(3):231–42. doi:10.1177/0092055X19843978.
13.
GillisAlannaKrullLaura M.2020. “Covid-19 Remote Learning Transition in Spring 2020: Class Structures, Student Perceptions, and Inequality in College Courses.” Teaching Sociology48(4):283–99. doi:10.1177/0092055X20954263.
14.
GrauerholzElizabethSettembrinoMarc. 2016. “Teaching Inequalities: Using Public Transportation and Visual Sociology to Make It Real.” Teaching Sociology44(3):200–11. doi:10.1177/0092055x16644658.
15.
GreenbergMiriamLondonRebeccaMcKaySteve. 2019. “The Vitality of Students for Public Sociology.” Contexts18(4):60. doi:10.1177/1536504219883859.
16.
HoffmannElizabeth A.HoffmanElizabeth A.2006. “The Importance of Place: Using Local-Focus Videos to Spark the Sociological Imagination.” Teaching Sociology34(2):164–72.
17.
HuddSuzanne S.2012. “Writing Sociology: Practices of a Discipline.” Teaching Sociology41(1):2–4. doi:10.1177/0092055X12471820.
18.
HuismanKimberly. 2010. “Developing a Sociological Imagination by Doing Sociology: A Methods-Based Service-Learning Course on Women and Immigration.” Teaching Sociology38(2):106–18. doi:10.1177/0092055x10364013.
19.
KitchinRobLinehanDenisO’CallaghanCianLawtonPhilip. 2013. “Public Geographies through Social Media.” Dialogues in Human Geography3(1):56–72. doi:10.1177/2043820613486432.
20.
KouperInna. 2010. “Science Blogs and Public Engagement with Science: Practices, Challenges, and Opportunities.” Journal of Science Communication9(1). doi:10.22323/2.09010202.
21.
KozimorMichele Lee. 2020. “Editor’s Comment: Three Teaching Takeaways from the Covid-19 Pandemic.” Teaching Sociology48(3):181–83. doi:10.1177/0092055X20931953.
MalcomNancy L.2006. “Analyzing the News: Teaching Critical Thinking Skills in a Writing Intensive Social Problems Course.” Teaching Sociology34(2):143–49. doi:10.2307/20058469.
24.
MassengillRebekah Peeples. 2011. “Sociological Writing as Higher-Level Thinking: Assignments That Cultivate the Sociological Imagination.” Teaching Sociology39(4):371–81. doi:10.1177/0092055X11407350.
25.
MattsonGreggor. 2021. “Responding to Wobbly Classrooms through Scaffolded, Peer-Led, Small-Group Presentations of Personal Learning Goals: The Beyond the Book Tool.” Teaching Sociology49(2):162–72. doi:10.1177/0092055X21991628.
26.
MayedaDavid T.2010. “Review of Sociological Images.” Teaching Sociology38(4):401–403. doi:10.2307/27896565.
27.
McCormackKaren. 2011. “Sociology in the Blogosphere? Exploring Sociological Images.” Visual Studies26(2):169–73. doi:10.1080/1472586x.2011.571896.
28.
McKinneyK.HoweryC.StrandK.KainE.BerheideC.2004. Liberal Learning and the Sociology Major Updated: Meeting the Challenge of Teaching Sociology in the Twenty-First Century. A Report of the ASA Task Force on the Undergraduate Major. Washington, DC: American Sociological Association. http://www.asanet.org/documents/teaching/pdfs/Lib_Learning_FINAL.pdf.
MillsC. Wright. 1959. The Sociological Imagination. New York, NY: Oxford University Press.
31.
MountLiz. 2018. “Teaching in Unfamiliar Terrain: Empowering Student and Teacher Learning through a Photography Assignment.” Teaching Sociology46(1):54–61. doi:10.1177/0092055X17725131.
32.
NoyShiriHancockMegan. 2020. “Teaching International Development Locally: Using Museum Collections to Ground Students’ Learning.” Teaching Sociology49(1):32–44. doi:10.1177/0092055X20966719.
PearsonA. Fiona. 2010. “Real Problems, Virtual Solutions: Engaging Students Online.” Teaching Sociology38(3):207–14. doi:10.1177/0092055x10370115.
35.
PeltonJulie A.2012. “‘Seeing the Theory Is Believing’: Writing about Film to Reduce Theory Anxiety.” Teaching Sociology41(1):106–20. doi:10.1177/0092055X12462142.
PikeDiane L.CiabattariTeresaMessineoMelindaMonsonRenee A.SalamRifat A.WagenaarTheodore C.ChinJeffrey, et al. 2017. The Sociology Major in the Changing Landscape of Higher Education: Curriculum, Careers, and Online Learning. A Report of the ASA Task Force on Liberal Learning and the Sociology Major. Washington, DC: American Sociological Association.
39.
PrinceBarbara F.2020. “Podcasts: The Potential and Possibilities.” Teaching Sociology48(4):269–71. doi:10.1177/0092055X20959837.
40.
PritchardAlan. 2013. Ways of Learning: Learning Theories and Learning Styles in the Classroom. New York, NY: Routledge.
41.
RogersKimberly B.NemeroffAdamCaputoKelly. 2019. “Strategic Design toward Foundational Learning Goals in Introduction to Sociology.” Teaching Sociology48(1):40–53. doi:10.1177/0092055X19872789.
42.
SargentCareyCorseSarah M.2013. “Picture My Gender(s): Using Interactive Media to Engage Students in Theories of Gender Construction.” Teaching Sociology41(3):242–56. doi:10.1177/0092055x13480050.
43.
ScanlanStephen J.GrauerholzLiz. 2009. “50 Years of C. Wright Mills and the Sociological Imagination.” Teaching Sociology37(1):1–7. doi:10.1177/0092055X0903700101.
StoutVanessaEarnhartEricNagiMariam. 2020. “Teaching Race and Ethnicity in the Age of Trump: Using Popular Culture in a Polarized Classroom.” Teaching Sociology48(3):220–30. doi:10.1177/0092055X20928469.
TrautnerMary NellBorlandElizabeth. 2013. “Using the Sociological Imagination to Teach about Academic Integrity.” Teaching Sociology41(4):377–88. doi:10.1177/0092055X13490750.
48.
UnnithanN. PrabhaScheubleLaurie K.1983. “Evaluating an Attempt at Relevance: The Use of News Item Analysis in Introductory Sociology.” Teaching Sociology10(3):399–405. doi:10.2307/1317368.
WadeLisaSharpGwen. 2013. “Sociological Images: Blogging as Public Sociology.” Social Science Computer Review31(2):221–28. doi:10.1177/0894439312442356.
51.
WhitleyCameron T.2013. “A Picture Is Worth a Thousand Words: Applying Image-Based Learning to Course Design.” Teaching Sociology41(2):188–98. doi:10.1177/0092055x12472170.
