First Contact

Nancy A. Greenwood is associate professor of sociology and chair of the department of sociology, history, and political science at Indiana University Kokomo. Jay R. Howard is professor of sociology and dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at Butler University. Both authors have served on the editorial board of the journal Teaching Sociology, are consultants in the ASA's Department Review Group, and are active members in the American Sociological Association’s section on teaching and learning.

• AcknowledgmentsTable of ContentsChapter 1: Rethinking SociologyChapter 2: Discovering Your Student - What Does the Research Say? Rationale for Finding Out About Your StudentsChapter 3: What Do You Want Your Students to Learn? Course Content and ObjectivesChapter 4: Tools of the Trade - The TextbookChapter 5: Tools of the Trade - The SyllabusChapter 6: Classroom Techniques - the LectureChapter 7: Getting Students to Talk - Leading Better DiscussionsChapter 8: Making Contact the First Day and EverydayChapter 9: Faculty Development - Improving Teaching and Learning in Introductory SociologyChapter 10: The Importance of First Contact in Introductory SociologyAppendix: Resources for Teaching and Learning in Introductory SociologyBibliography

First Contact has a clear focus on teaching Introductory Sociology effectively: the writing is cogent, the organization is thoughtful, and the research on teaching and learning is sound and deep. A carefully constructed primer that will be valuable in the field as a whole, this book should probably be required in every PhD granting program.