This teaching note suggests that a short-term study abroad program embedded within a longer course can be a tool for enhancing global learning. The work uses the Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) Global Learning VALUE rubric to evaluate student work from a spring break seminar to Shanghai, China. The seminar was…

While the popularity of the psychology major and the sociology major were comparable in 1970, sociology witnessed a decline while psychology witnessed expansion. This article considers strategies of expanding the popularity of the sociology major, considering data from a variety of sources. Primary recommendations are to configure programs to…

One useful, but underutilized, strategy to increase quantitative literacy and promote critical sociological thinking is to have students investigate demographic trends in their local community. In this article, the authors describe a project in which students compare and contrast the demographic characteristics of two counties in their state using…

This article introduces a sociology role-playing game (RPG) used to demonstrate the broad range of social forces, institutions, and structures in a semester-long series of in-class and homework assignments. RPGs and other simulation games have been frequently suggested as a useful teaching methodology because of their unique ability to allow…

Describes a college demography course which teaches demography as an analytic discipline, stressing demographic concepts, data interpretation, and evaluation skills. Five course goals are specified and instructional techniques and exercises used in the course are presented. (JDH)

Maintains that the "python analogy," often used to help students understand the negative societal impact of unusually small or large age cohorts, is better replaced by the social tunnel analogy, which is diagramed and illustrated with reference to the educational problems experienced in the United States as a result of the World War II baby boom.…

Describes course objectives and procedures used to teach college undergraduates to use a statistical package to explore large-scale computer-based demographic databases. (JDH)

Presents a class exercise called "Find Yourself in the Census and Vital Statistics Project," in which students compete for course grade point rewards by locating themselves in the birth, migration, morbidity, marriage, divorce, and education statistics. (JDH)

Describes the structure and content of a college course devoted to developing and understanding international demography. Provided are a course outline, brief descriptions of the geographic areas treated, suggested student projects, and textbook recommendations. (JDH)

Defines applied demography and examines the training needs of applied demography students. Describes required topics, course structure, and available teaching resources. (Author/JDH)

Describes the development of an applied demography course designed to attract older part-time students. Illustrates students' work in the course with three brief case studies. (JDH)

States that one of the major challenges in teaching an introductory sociology course is to find activities that involve students in the research process, illustrate important sociological concepts, and maintain students' interest. Provides a three-part assignment on the birth rate which accomplishes these three goals. Includes copies of handouts…

Argues that current public disinterest in sociology is due to the unscientific way the subject is presented in introductory college courses. After comparing course content in introductory science and sociology courses, the authors conclude that only introductory demography courses would meet the criteria for a scientific approach to sociological…

Reviews the uses of DEMOS, a set of demographic computer simulations which can be used to improve instruction in introductory sociology courses. Gives examples of both interactive and noninteractive exercises, concluding that DEMOS is easy to use and enjoyable, with approximately 90 percent of students recommending its continued use. (GEA)

Describes and evaluates a demographic exercise intended for use by undergraduate students in courses on population problems. The exercise, involving demographic events in Japan in 1966, requests students to write a paper on Japan after answering 15 questions. Findings indicate that the exercise facilitates interdisciplinary thinking among students…