Sociation April/May 1998
Volume 24, Number 2

Davis Calls for Creation of a "Culture of Teaching" among Sociologists in the State at 1998 Salem Meeting

Nearly one hundred sociologists from across the state traveled to Salem College for the annual meeting of the NCSA to discuss "Sociology in the Workplace." All sessions were lively and well attended. They included discussion of topics such as Academic Labor Issues, Great Teaching, Marketing a Sociology Degree, Technology and Teaching, Experiential and Service Learning, and an open forum with the NCSA Legislative Liaison Committee.

Bob Davis of NC A&T State University gave the keynote address, "Assessing and Identifying Excellent Teaching." He called for the creation of a culture of teaching which will promote teaching continuously for the purpose of improvement. Davis noted that there is often little preparation for teaching at the university level; most of us learn through "on-the-job" training. Too often we use the lecture method because we were taught that way. "To the extent we're willing to take some risks by using something other than the lecture method, learning will be enhanced," said Davis.

Evaluating good teaching requires more than just one method, noted Davis. We should combine student evaluations, peer observations, direct observations by the chair, and self evaluations. For peer evaluation to be effective, we must go outside our department for external peer review. Davis also suggested using video as a means of critiquing our own performance.

Good teaching is relative, Davis observed. No standardized, uniform notion should be imposed on all institutions. "Teaching is the business of the business," quipped Davis. "If we don't do that well, nothing else really matters."

Davis noted that often there is a difference in the purpose for which the evaluation is done. In the past, teaching has been evaluated for personnel reasons (summative evaluation). "If we are to create a culture of teaching, we need to use formative evaluation for self-improvement," he said.

"The scholarship of discovery is not the only scholarship," concluded Davis. "The scholarship of teaching will lead to enhanced learning."

George Conklin Honored for Contributions to Sociology

Often when thinking about the contributions a person makes to an academic discipline, one thinks of the person's research, awards and elected offices. Unfortunately, too many scholars who devote their careers to the simple thirst for knowledge and the desire to stay current and relevant in the classroom go unrecognized. Creative energy is a precious gift to be admired and appreciated.

For the past nineteen years, George Conklin has provided a leadership model at NCCU which has encouraged faculty members to stay current and relevant. Sociology is a tool to be utilized and continuously revised to meet the needs of a changing society. At NCCU this has meant striving to give students an opportunity to explore their social world through data analysis. Many NCCU sociology classes integrate lab experiences, and in numerous instances George has provided strong pedagogical leadership through the development of computer simulation exercises. It is in this area that George Conklin has provided an important service to the sociological community.

George's creative energy and commitment to being a leader in his field are reflected in his current concerns with developing sociological WEB sites such as the NCSA WEB page, exploring the advantages that computer technology offers to distance learning and stressing the need for scholars to understand the basic tenets of the articulation agreement between the community college system and the college/university system. With these concerns George Conklin once again demonstrates that he is a visionary scholar.

The NCSA could honor George on the basis of his academic accomplishments. Having returned to full-time teaching this past fall, he served as chair of the NCCU sociology department for nineteen years. He is a recognized authority on family structures in India. He has been active in many sociological organizations including NCSA and has been willing to utilize his sociological insights to address important community issues such as noise pollution. But these contributions do not adequately reflect George's lasting contributions to the field. His contributions lie in his fiery, energetic spirit, vision and creativity. These attributes led me to nominate George Conklin, Professor of Sociology at NCCU for the 1998 NCSA Contributions to Sociology Award.

George Conklin Accepting Award from Johnny Underwood

NCSA Business Meeting
4 Elected to NCSA Executive Council

• George Conklin will serve as president-elect and program chair for the 1999 meeting, according to election results announced by NCSA Secretary/Treasurer Pat Wyatt.

  Three new members were elected to the NCSA Executive Council. They are:

• Chien Ju Huang of NCCU,

• Richard Dixon of UNCW, and

• Sue Carroll Pauley of Wingate College.

Wyatt also told those attending the business meeting that the NCSA currently has 149 active professional members (53 inactive) and 80 active student members (76 inactive). The Legislative Liaison Committee announced that the Legislative Day has been postponed until the fall and that a second Legislative Day may be scheduled during the spring legislative session in 1999 if sufficient interest is shown.

Ken Land of Duke University presided over the session "Technology and Teaching" in which three discussants shared their experience with computers in the classroom, distance learning, and learning styles.

• Ted Greenstein of NCSU discussed using computers in the classroom. Students are used to TV, he noted. They expect color, motion, and sound. Practicing what he was preaching, Greenstein provided a live demonstration of how to make a computer-assisted presentation. He showed how to use animated graphics, display formulae, convey complex concepts (with key words omitted to keep students involved), as well as how to use sound, color, and animation. Greenstein also offered words of advice concerning what to avoid: excessive text, excessive animation, too many bullet items, and irrelevant music or video clips. He also noted some of the impediments to using computer-generated presentations. Professors must learn to use presentation software and may need help from a technology/instructional center. The proper hardware and an appropriate layout of the room are also important. Perhaps the most critical factor is time; Greenstein estimates that it takes 5-6 hours to create 1 hour of presentation.
  

• Kim Churchill of GTCC shared her experiences with distance learning, telecourses, on-line courses, and interactive classrooms. She reported that eight community colleges are currently involved in a project ("Going the Distance") to provide all the courses needed for an A.A. degree through distance learning. At GTCC, she noted, the typical telecourse student is a 34-year-old single mom with kids. Distance learning requires skills and motivation that most students don't have, she added.
  

• Metaleen Thomas of Caldwell Community College discussed her approach to different learning styles. She uses cognitive mapping, videotaped lectures, and audiotapes to accommodate the different needs for her students. She also provided copies of her syllabi and methods for interested colleagues.
  

Bob Moxley of NCSU presided over a session addressing "Academic Labor Issues." Participants included Margaret Zahn (NCSU), Bob Davis (NC A&T), and Tasha Rushing (Salem).

• Zahn noted a number of issues facing faculty. The first issue concerns how we upgrade and improve our skills during periods of rapid change. "One free course doesn't work," she riposted. The second issue involves the use of part-time and contract labor. Zahn cited several studies which indicated that the use of part-time faculty has increased substantially. The use of more part-time instructors requires full-time faculty to pick up more responsibilities, such as committee work, advisement, and curricular development. The third issue Zahn addressed was the number of tenure-track positions. She noted that enrollment may drive this issue: it is difficulty to justify courses with small enrollments while attempting to increase overall enrollment. Tenure and post-tenure review were also noted as important issues. Knowledge industries require freedom and security noted Zahn. The industrial model may not be appropriate to the university where freedom and security are necessary conditions for the production of knowledge.

• Davis also addressed the use of part-time faculty. Part-time workers are not part of the collegial network and don't benefit from supervision, he said. Students suffer when part-time faculty are used extensively in the general education and introductory courses. On the issue of post-tenure review, Davis suggested that we recognize excellence, provide a timetable for improvement and provide for appropriate sanctions regarding deficiencies. The current plan has been put together largely by the administration; the faculty has not yet taken ownership of the post-tenure review issue. The academic workplace has also been influenced by corporate America's recent downsizing. The universities plan for phased-out, early retirement is designed to free up tenure slots and to create more nontenure track positions. What happens to local governance, Davis asked, when people have no "side bets"? The administration gains most through more control over the work environment without dissent from the faculty. The final issue addressed by Davis concerned the workplace and students. Students today have different priorities, he noted. Since more work full-time and take classes to fit their work schedules, they expect professors to make adjustments.

• Rushing noted that small, private colleges feel the same tensions and issues mentioned by her colleagues. Faculty must be accountable as well as able to show it to those outside academe. She noted that a team-building exercise led by representatives from a local industry had proved useful at Salem. "If we don't come up with something," she noted, "somebody else will." Rushing also said that faculty must deal with the declining number of tenure positions, the issue of early retirement, post-tenure review, the assault on autonomy, and other changes which are threatening.

During an intense discussion which followed these presentations, Ken Wilson (ECU) stated that notions of accountability are changing. "Instead of being self-accountable," he said, "we're becoming other-accountable."

Zahn noted that the average dean serves 3-5 years and that turnover is increasing. It is not constructive to define faculty and administration as at odds. Increasing costs come from technology, not administration, and from the large number of legislative mandates (which increase administrative costs).

• Suzanne Trask (Salem College) and John Bowman (UNC Pembroke) discussed innovations at their institutions during the session on "Experiential and Service Learning." Trask discussed the "Salem Signature Program," a four-year program required of all traditional students at Salem College. Just as a pebble thrown into a lake creates ever-widening circles, the Signature Program expands the student's focus and awareness. The first semester of this program focuses on the discovery of self. Each student keeps a journal, completes a research project and gives an oral report. During the second semester, the focus shifts to social issues such as gender and race. In the second year, a service learning component is integrated. Each student becomes involved in some type of community service. During the third year, students become involved in experiential learning through completing internships. The capstone course comes in the fourth year and involves a retrospective assessment of the student's progress, a "Salem autobiography." Students are encouraged to convert their experiences into marketable skills and are given the opportunity to practice and complete an actual interview. Trask pointed out that this program is extremely time-consuming and requires faculty with special skills.

• John Bowman discussed the internship class at UNC Pembroke. This class is taken by 8-12 seniors each spring and involves 200 clock hours of work in an agency. Most students go into human services, criminal justice agencies, public schools, or private businesses. Several students who are currently enrolled in the course shared their experiences and feelings which all were very positive.

A crowd of about fifty students and professors attended the workshop on "How Can I Market a Sociology Degree?"

• Sharon Jensen, a career development specialist at ASU, told the audience that employers are looking for four things in an entry level hiring: grades (a GPA of 2.5 or higher), involvement on campus and in the community (employment and volunteer work), and proven communication skills, and self knowledge (what you know and can offer to an employer). Employers are less concerned with a student's major than with proven skills. Jensen urged students to use the career service center at their schools to find interview and shadowing opportunities. Shadowing experiences pair students with someone already working in a field, thereby enabling the students to learn what is really involved in day-to-day activities. Jensen suggested students prepare for employment by conducting at least two information interviews (20-30 minutes each) and by obtaining at least two shadowing experiences per year.

• Jan Reinerth of ASU told the group that the idea of helping students market a degree is relatively new. "Most of us are not trained to do this," she added. She noted that the majority of sociology students won't become professors; most will do something else with their degrees. This means that our institutions must offer training these students will need. ASU offers concentrations in legal services, family development, gerontology, criminology and habilitation services to provide such training. Reinerth also said sociology must sell itself as a known and indispensable aide to social research and policy. We must learn how to integrate courses and marketable job skills that cut across courses. Reinerth displayed a collection of resources concerning careers in sociology, including the ASA's Embarking on a Career in Sociology, Rick Stevens' Careers in Sociology, and Great Jobs for Sociology Majors published by UGM Career Horizons.

• Heather Pegram, a student at ASU, shared her experiences in preparing for the job market and demonstrated through practical application the issues discussed by Jensen and Reinerth.

Introductory Note: We start here a new feature of Sociation, where we focus on a major issue in sociology as it applies to North Carolina. We begin with an article on how older workers in the state fare after unemployment using data on 4,872 workers. We invite our readers to contribute to this new feature by sending results to George Conklin, who will edit the feature for Sociation.

Worker displacement is often considered a symptom of poor economic times. Further, while large job losses are expected during recessionary periods, far fewer are expected during expansionary ones (see D. Hertz, "Worker Displacement is Still Common the Late 1980's." Monthly Labor Review 1990, #5, pp. 1-7). Data for 1980 show that although workers lost more jobs during the recessionary years early in the decade than during the subsequent expansion, displacement was not uncommon even during years of rapid economic growth. By the middle of the decade, nearly 11 million workers were dislocated nationally. About 5 million workers had had three or more years tenure with their employers. Although most dislocated workers were white males between the ages of 25 and 54, there was considerable diversity in the dislocated population. There were sizable proportions of men and women, workers of all ages, and workers from all racial and ethnic groups.

In a state such as North Carolina, with historic low unemployment, it might be assumed that workers who lose their jobs would have an easy time replacing the lost income. This article examines data from the Economic Dislocated Worker Adjustment and Assistance Act (EDWAAA) Program which was begin the middle of the 1980s to help those with low skills find new jobs after layoffs.

The EDWAAA Program can be described as an upward mobility program in the service sector for low-skilled dislocated workers. The program provides training to entry-level and low- echelon workers to in order to enhance the knowledge and skills needed to find new jobs. Layoffs ranged from 1,635 at RJ Reynolds to 10 at Dayco Products and 1 at Duke Power.

The program usually targets entry-level workers, regardless of whether they are economically disadvantaged, as long as the workers is classified as a dislocated workers. A dislocated worker in North Carolina is a person who meets one or more of the following criteria: 1. has been terminated or laid off or has received a notice of termination or layoff from employment; is eligible for or has exhausted his/her entitlement to unemployment compensation, and is unlikely to return to his/here previous industry, or occupation, 2. has been terminated or has received a notice of termination of employment as a result of any permanent closure of or any substantial layoff at a plant, facility or enterprise, 3. is long-term unemployed and has limited opportunities in the same or similar occupation in the area in which the individual resides, including older individuals who may have substantial barriers to employment by reason of age, 4. was self-employed (including farmers and ranchers) and is unemployed as a result of general economic conditions in the community in which he/she resides or because of natural disasters, or 5. is a displaced homemaker.

A participant enrolled in the EDWAAA Program can take advantage of retraining, on-the- job-training or classroom training. The EDWAAA Program is unique in that Employment Security Commission staff can work with local leaders and employers to design programs that specifically address the individual needs of dislocated workers. On-the-job training must be in occupations that will use the worker's abilities and provide permanent, substantial employment. Classroom training is available through the community college system.

The data reported are from records which have been recorded and kept on each worker in the State of North Carolina who was enrolled in the EDWAAA program from July 1989 to July 1992. Data would not include older workers who felt it best to try to retire rather than to accept new training. Other workers may have exhausted their unemployment benefits and were never heard from again, having left the labor force. Workers who have not received unemployment benefits cannot be tracked by the system. 4,872 workers who lost their job due to a plant (or company) closing participated in the EDWAAA program.

Table 1 presents the raw means showing the new wage of those who finished the EDWAAA program. The most important finding is how age adversely affects the next pay for the next job. Younger workers obtained a small raise, but for all other age groups pay was less in the new job compared to the old job. The gap was highest at the group over 50, where the loss was 29.3 per cent. Loss of pay for blacks was slightly higher than that for whites.

It is necessary to control for education, sex and race in looking at wages. The last column of Table 1 gives the full impact of unemployment on the various age groups through least squares means. The 51+ age group is significantly different from other age groups 21-30, 31-40 and 41- 50. In sum, after controlling for the wages of the older workers by race, sex, and schooling, the salaries for the older workers is equal to the salaries of those workers under 20. After controlling for the effects of age, race, schooling, and old wages, females' wages are higher than males'. Controls reveal no surprises in the new wages by level of schooling. Wage and schooling vary directly. The final wages for whites are higher than the final wages of blacks. Discrimination by race is reestablished by the analysis.

We conclude that older workers experience the greatest loss of wages between a plant's closing and reemployment. When race, schooling, sex and old wages are controlled, older workers wages only equal those of workers under 20. The drop in wages for the oldest workers was 29 percent, about twice what would normally be expected. This drop in wage occurs despite the economic resources that older workers possess. Black workers earn 11 percent less than whites, when all factors are adjusted.

The data also show that females had a higher mean wage than males. This may be an artifact of the sample. Perhaps this reflects local conditions found in South. It is also possible that EDWAAA programs attract high-income females who, after a plant closing, feel that they need assistance in finding a new position. Given limits of the data, this point remains unsolved. In any case, older workers do poorly in the job market in North Carolina, and the gap is far greater than is usually expected, with wages reduced to those who are just starting out.

	    Table 1


Dependent   New Wage  Old Wage  %Diff.   N   Adjusted for
Variable    in $ per                         All Categories
              hour                               Shown
___________________________________________________________
Age                         
 Below 20   6.04        5.89     +2.5    50       6.13
 21-30      7.09        8.23    -13.5   929       6.90
 31-40      7.27        9.01    -19.3  1252       6.99
 41-50      7.18        9.06    -20.8   824       6.97
 51+        6.55        9.26    -29.3   414       6.25
_________________________________________________________

Sex
 Male       6.54        8.11    -19.3  2194       6.28
 Female     8.05       10.00    -19.5  1275       7.02
_________________________________________________________

Schooling
Not Hs Grad 6.00        7.32    -18.0   455       6.12
 Hs Grad    6.64        8.32    -20.2  1779       6.51
 Some Col   8.18       10.04    -18.5  1235       7.32
_________________________________________________________

Race
 White      7.44        9.10    -18.2  2258       7.03
 Black      6.48        8.24    -21.4  1211       6.27
________________________________________________________

Summarized by George H. Conklin.
Miles Simpson, NCCU, was the thesis advisor.

Background

Current job market and future job opening requires social science graduates to be well trained in quantitative analysis and research. There are increasing application of research and statistical analysis in the market economy today. The emerging job openings for social science students are centered on solving current and upcoming social problems, planning for small and large communities, and understanding social institutions. Solving social problems and planning for communities and institutions require an objective understanding of the nature and persistence of the problems and the structure and function of the communities. Therefore, it is essential for undergraduate social science students to have practical experiences in research and analysis of data and seminar presentation of their scientific findings. Accordingly there is need for continued improvement in undergraduate research program contributes for better preparation of social science students entering the workforce and improves their chances of continuation of their education at graduate level.

Social Science Research Improvement
at Fayetteville State University

Fayetteville State University is a Comprehensive Level I institution and a member of the sixteen institutions of The University of North Carolina System. Fayetteville State University is the second oldest public higher education institution in North Carolina and has historically contributed to the educational development of African Americans. In recent years Fayetteville State University has been one of the fastest growing institutions in North Carolina and has played a major role in undergraduate education in the Southeastern Region of North Carolina and particularly in Cumberland County by providing services to minorities and developing and nurturing a multi-cultural educational setting. The Chronicle of Higher Education recently cited Fayetteville State University as one of three successful Historically Black Colleges and Universities.

The Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, as a unit of the College of Arts and Sciences at Fayetteville State University, offers baccalaureate degrees in Criminal Justice, Psychology, and Sociology. Currently, a total of 564 students are majoring in baccalaureate degree programs housed in this department.

Consistent with the mission of Fayetteville State University, the focus of the curriculum in the Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences is to prepare students with the ability to think critically and express themselves creatively using quantitative and qualitative methods of analysis and description; to prepare the students to apply the scientific methods of problem-solving by developing an understanding of and appreciation of technology and computers. As such, the curriculum is designed to include required courses in statistical analysis, research methods and survey techniques, demography, and public opinion survey. These courses are designed to enable students to conceptualize social issues and to examine critically the data and methodology. There is strong emphasis on developing the students' skill in scientific research and critical analysis. The leading goal of the department is to enhance teaching effectiveness in research instructional courses and prepare the students for research oriented jobs and to increase the students competency and ability for entrance to graduate school.

The Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences at FSU has received support for establishing an Undergraduate Social Science Research Program to contribute to the scientific competencies and skill of undergraduates majoring in social sciences (Project Director, Dr. Akbar Aghajanian) Undergraduate students from three programs, Criminal Justice, Psychology, and Sociology will benefit from this project by having hands-on experience in research methodology and scientific inquiry under the guidance of faculty in these programs.

The project seeks to improve the curriculum by increasing students and faculty collaborative activities in scientific observation, research and analytical work, critical thinking, and scientific presentations. This goal will be achieved through the creation of an interactive learning environment which will
involve rewards and motivation for undergraduate social science
majors.

The project support the following strategies for improving undergraduate social science research skill.

• Establish Undergraduate Social Science Research Program in which undergraduate students work with faculty on research topics of their interest.

• Establish a social science data bank. The collection will consists of social science research data available for secondary data analysis, i.e. Survey of Households and Families.

• Develop short workshops on using specific social science software or data for students and faculty.
  

• Revise research methods courses in which students have hands-on experience with data analysis and report preparation.
  

• Establish a Student Research Working Paper Series for Social Science Majors. The working paper series would increase undergraduate research activities by providing a preliminary forum for the presentation of the research findings.

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