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Welcome to Sociology of Work!!!

SS 430Dr. Evelina Panayotova

Unit 1 Seminar

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Course Introduction

Instructor: Dr. Evelina Panayotova Office hours: by appointment AIM name: evelina755 E-mail: epanayotova@kaplan.edu Seminars: Monday 9-10 PM EST

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General Course Structure Academic week starts on Wednesday and

ends on Tuesday (11:59 PM) All assigned work is due on Tuesday The course has 10 units Course starts January 5, 2011 and ends

March 15, 2011 Final project due end of Unit 9 – March 8,

2011 Weekly unit announcements will be posted on

Course Home: READ THEM

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General Requirements

Read syllabus, understand all requirements Read weekly announcements on Course Home Complete all assigned readings Complete Quiz in Unit 1 Participate in discussion board (DB) Complete concept checks in units 2,3,6,7,8 Participate in seminar (not graded) Complete projects in Units 3 and 5 Complete Final Project in Unit 9

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Discussion Board Requirements

How many posts? One response for DB question Total of 2 replies to classmates PER

QUESTION Do not wait until the last day to post: make sure

you participate throughout the week so your posts contribute to the discussion

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Quality of DB Posts Length 200 + words responses; 75+ words

for classmate replies Well organized as a short essay Use paragraphs to separate themes Use references from class to support

arguments Give page number for direct quotes and put

in quotation marks Read “Best Practices” announcements for

tips on writing quality DB posts

Concept Checks

Short essay 1 ½ - 2 pages; (300-500 words) Double spaced; #12 font – New Times Roman,

1“ margins on all sides Separate Cover Page and Reference Page At least two (2) outside (not including texts

from the course) scholarly sources   Wikipedia, encyclopedias and encyclopedia-

type sources (answers.com, infoplease.com and such) are not considered academic sources.

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Projects

Follow APA format Include title page and reference list Use KU Writing Center as needed

They have a live tutor!!! Read APA reference materials posted in Doc

Sharing Read assignments carefully Make sure you follow assignment instructions

Project Unit 3 – Observation at a Worksite

Your goal is to examine the work setting and work processes at a grocery store

See how the physical set up of the place of work, and the arrangement and management of the work process, shape the experience of the workers

Show if using concepts and theories we studied in class are effective or fail to describe and explain the processes and interactions you observe.

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Project Unit 5 - Interview

Identify non-profit or community organizations that provide support for workers and families facing economic difficulty due to job loss and unemployment in your area.

Select one of your choice. Email your instructor with the name of the

organization you have chosen for approval. Do preliminary research on this group via the

Internet.

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Project Unit 5 – Interview Continued

Determine what type of services it offers, and what types of programs it supports.

Contact the organization to schedule an interview with someone in the organization in person. You may need to give preliminary information about your affiliation and the reason why you are requesting the interview.

Conduct the interview and write a report. See detailed requirements in syllabus.

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Final Project

Reflect on the findings you have collected through observation and interview

Identify a specific “work” issue or problem that is of interest to you and that you have found to be of importance to the work of the non-profit organization you studied.

The topic may be related to the mission of the organization, or to needs of the clients/customers or the staff and management of the organization.

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Final Project: Service Component

Using your Final Project research, create a “Frequently Asked Questions” (FAQ) page or handout/pamphlet to be copied and shared with the organization you studied.

You will need approval from your Honors Administrator before you associate Kaplan University with distribution of this document.

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Important!

You must choose your topic for your Final Project by the end of Unit 6

Send proposed topic to instructor for approval Start preparing for the final as you work on

the observation and interview in projects for Units 3 and 5

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Seminar Come to seminar prepared Read assigned material before class Participate actively State your opinions on the topics Review transcripts if you miss seminar Although seminar is not graded it is an excellent tool

to master the material PLUS it is a lot of fun – all my students love the

interaction with classmates, don’t miss it!

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Late work

Communication with instructor is key Late work will be accepted – post your

assignments to course environment E-mail instructor when late work is posted for

grading Late work will be graded within 5 days of

submission

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Plagiarism

Is not tolerated Make sure you read this section in the

syllabus carefully Always cite your sources Ask if in doubt

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Questions?

Now is the time to ask any questions Make sure you have all the information you

need I will help you in any way I can to be

successful Communication is key! Ask, ask, ask….

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Why Study “Work”?

Central social institution Big part of our identity Beyond means for making a living Affects personal and family life Determines individual position in the social

structure

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Why a Sociological Perspective?

The concept of work has been changing throughout history

New technologies and globalization are changing the world of work even more rapidly today

Changes in the definition of work from the industrial to the digital assembly line

Positive and negative consequences of work today impact all aspects of our lives – work as a component of the social system

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How is it Relevant to me? How does studying work from a sociological

perspective apply to your personal experiences and career plans

The rapidly changing global workforce and your life and career choices

Sociological explanations and making sense of seemingly unpredictable workforce environments

The past, present, and future of “work” and how to navigate the job market in the new economy

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Overview of Course The sociological study of work

Global perspective Changes in the organization of work from pre-industrial

to post-industrial society Work as an economic activity – means to make a living Work as an expression of human creativity – sense of

purpose, accomplishment, meaning Gender division of labor and work Social stratification and work – race, class, ethnicity

and work choices and opportunities Immigrant status and the experience of work Negative consequences of work – joblessness,

alienation, overwork, work and family balance

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After Completing this Course you should be able to: Analyze the societal forces that have shaped

work realities throughout history Analyze the relationship of social institutions

and workforce trends Evaluate the impact of the global economy on

work experiences and opportunities Connect personal work experiences to

sociological concepts and theories

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Tonight’s Questions

We will discuss work as you view it Build on your personal observations and

experiences What are your career plans and what has

shaped them? How are your experiences at Kaplan

impacting your career choices and opportunities?

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Seminar Question 1

What was your favorite job? Why?Favorite aspects of this job?

What you valued the most in this job?

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Seminar Question 2

What was your least favorite job? Why?

What did you dislike the most in this job?

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Seminar Question 3

What to do you want to be when you grow up and why?

Is this your dream job?

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Seminar Question 4

How does Attending Kaplan University affect your work in the

present and in the future?