Teaching A Level Sociology by Jayne Kumi - a presentation from the BSA Teaching Group Regional Conference at the University of Surrey on 31 May 2014.

1. T O E X A M I N E W H E T H E R O R N O T A L E V E L
T E A C H I N G P R O M O T E S D E S I R E D
E N G A G E M E N T A N D I F I T I S A B L E T O
D E V E L O P T H E R E Q U I R E D S K I L L S :
P E R C E P T I O N S , E X P E C T A T I O N S A N D
R E A L I T Y
Jayne Kumi
Teaching GCE A level sociology
Sociology opens the mind !! BSA Conference 31/5/2014

2. Teachers
Liberating Discipline
 Sociology gives a quality of mind that will lay a
foundation for critical reasoning, communication
skills, ethical capacities, respect for human diversity
and much more.
 Sociology provides a valuable foundation for better
understanding and engagement with the global
world.
Sociology opens the mind !! BSA Conference 31/5/2014

3. Teachers
 The discipline will allow students to organise their
thinking around key social issues which apply to all
members of society (which sometimes they and other
may not be aware of). Understanding of these issues
lead to social progress.
 The discipline will provide a scientific basis that teaches
the use of empirical data to understand social realities;
thus teaching our students to reason as social scientists-
paying attention to facts, probing hypothesis, offering
explanations, critically analysing and evaluating for
conclusions.
Moving from passive to active and influential members in society!
Sociology opens the mind !! BSA Conference 31/5/2014

4. Students
1. Was it what you expected?
2. Have you learnt anything? If so, what?
3. List some positives and negatives of studying the
subject.?
4. How do you see sociology assisting with higher
education learning and future career?
5. Any suggestions?
Sociology opens the mind !! BSA Conference 31/5/2014

5. Expectations/Challenges Classroom reality What can be done?
Recruitment (grades,
perceptions, curriculum
limitations /competition...)
Writing competency
Sociology opens the mind !! BSA Conference 31/5/2014

6. “Sociology does not close doors; it opens
the mind”
Sociology is the discipline that gives the greatest attention to
social difference -- social hierarchy, the relevance of social
power in everyday life. Sociology allows for consideration of
things that are not immediately visible in our ordinary lives,
and often not neatly understandable. These things are
relevant to how social life is structured and organized. We
need to look beyond people's individual motivations or their
psychological foundations and gain a better understanding of
how people's social location with regard to gender or race
influences their thinking and behavior. We often don't notice
those factors and how they influence us and the opportunities
we have. These matter very much in ordinary life. (Daniel
Little: Univerity of Michigan-Deanton)
Sociology opens the mind !! BSA Conference 31/5/2014