I need creative ideas for a very small class in social issues that I have just started teaching!!!!?

Question

Anyone out there got an idea or two about what I can have my small class talk about or interview others about or ?????? This is a second year university course. Thanks in advance for your input!

Answer 1

DEBATE IDEA/CRITICAL THINKING EXERCISE

You could offer students a list of biased thesis-type of statements, involving social issues. For example:

--Gun control laws place restrictions on legal gun owners, but they do not impact illegal gun owners.

--Spanking a misbehaving child, while a socially acceptable practice in the 1950s, is an abuse of authority that teaches children violent behaviors to deal with problems.

--Abortion is morally bankrupt.
OR
--Outlawing abortion would not stop infanticide.

In other words, begin with very loaded statements like these, then instruct your students to, in equal groups, argue either one side or the other the statement. By equal groups, I mean 1 vs. 1, 2 vs. 2, etc.

Further, it should not matter whether they agree or disagree with the statement provided for them. In fact, as part of the exercise, they could spend some time arguing for the statement, then switch to argue the opposing view.

The point of this exercise would be to get students to explore alternative views of social issues. When arguing against one's core beliefs, they will experience cognitive dissonance, but they will also be forced to confront real-world views they may encounter in society.

It will be important that students respect each other's views. In order to ensure that, you could have them sign a social contract at the beginning of the course, since this would be a class that would likely spurn heated debates.

Finally, when crafting statements for this exercise, be sure to include views plucked from all over the political spectrum.

Answer 2

Well, with the recent shooting at Virginia Tech being the latest BIG socially relevant issue, you could have them either write a paper about gun control, or interview your university officials about your campus and how precautions are being taken there to assure that something like that doesn't happen in your school...

Also, another approach would be to focus on Paris Hilton(the idea of celebrities, in general-Martha Stewart also pretty recent) and her attempts to avoid prison and what that would do to the American justice system...

Answer 3

How about the Paris Hilton jail thing? Should she have to go or shouldn't she? Is she above the law because she's famous? Etc...

Answer 4

Do not promote the liberal agenda, whatever you do.