Sociology (86) The Adventures in Sociology Project is designed to make data analysis approachable and accessible to students at the University of Wisconsin-Stout, a career-oriented institution, and to demonstrate the value of quantitative reasoning by linking data analysis to the context of the social world. The project adapts and implements educational materials produced by the Integrated Data Analysis (IDA) project (NSF Award 0089006), making them more accessible to instructors and students at career-oriented and technical institutions. The data analysis modules combine sociology and quantitative methods in an active learning environment. The modules mix course material on American society with data analysis using data from the U.S. Census, the General Social Survey, and other sources. The Adventures in Sociology Project is designed to achieve the following outcomes: (1) increase quantitative literacy and data analysis skills among first and second-year college students; (2) teach basic scientific concepts and; (3) increase students' understanding of sociological theory and data; and (4) deliver data analysis to audiences who have never learned it. All of these outcomes serve to increase preparedness and retention of students in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields.
Intellectual Merit of Proposed Activity In their current form, several obstacles prevent the IDA exercises from reaching students outside the specific environments for which they were developed. Instructors wishing to use the existing modules must undertake significant revision and customization in order to transport them to their courses. Currently, implementation of many IDA modules requires acquiring and developing expertise in proprietary data analysis software linked to the IDA project. It involves creating and integrating step-by-step instructions for data analysis with links to course concepts. Implementation also currently requires determining the best course locations for each module. These start-up costs present a significant barrier for instructors at technical colleges and career-oriented institutions like UW-Stout where the teaching load is significantly heavier than at the traditional liberal arts environments for which most of the IDA modules were developed. The Adventures in Sociology Project solves these problems by converting the modules into ready-to-go handouts that can be easily inserted (as individual assignments or as a collection) into almost any introductory sociology course. After adaptation, the exercises will not require proprietary computer software or specialized technical knowledge. They will rely on standard word processing and spreadsheet software packages. They will be linked to a generic course outline (developed by a Task Force of the American Sociological Association) so that their implementation is straightforward. The immediate goal of the project is to adapt, implement and assess 18 data analysis modules in eight courses over a three-year period. Adapted modules will be implemented in introductory sociology courses at UW-Stout and will be disseminated on a public Internet site, currently in pilot form at www.adventuresinsociology.net. The Adventures will be promoted at teacher training workshops and professional conferences. UW-Stout students, along with students at other career-oriented and technical institutions, are substantively targeted by the project.
Broader Impacts Resulting from the Proposed Activity The Adventures in Sociology Project brings high-quality educational materials to broader audiences. The project advances science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education by infusing quantitative reasoning into lower division general education courses. The project is designed to make STEM education more accessible to women and minorities by presenting quantitative data analysis in the more approachable context of the social world. Context has been found to be pivotal to the success of traditionally underrepresented groups. Bringing quantitative analysis to courses outside the traditional STEM curriculum helps increase the preparedness of students entering those fields and also increases their self-confidence.
