Introduce your students to sociology in an interesting manner. Don't begin the course by discussing the theories of Karl Marx and Max Weber. Entice students into participating in your course by beginning with a topic that is certain to garner controversy, such as how divorce affects children and how sociologists look at these sorts of societal issues.
Theorists should be covered in an introductory course, however, instruction will be more effective if the theorists' perspectives are woven into class discussions rather than systematically taught and memorized.
Cover the basics. An introductory sociology course should cover issues such as inequalities, deviance, culture, population and the process of socialization. Ask students to relate experiences from their own lives to the topics.
Use current events to reinforce sociological concepts. Whether you are covering social deviance, religion or conflict between ethnic groups, chances are you’ll be able to find something in the daily newspaper that relates to your topic. Introduce and discuss a current event every class period, as this helps students connect sociology to real life.
Develop activities that encourage critical thinking. To think sociologically, students need to be able to see and analyze the different perspectives presented by everyday group scenarios. Require students to work in groups to develop hypotheses about group behavior and relate their results to current research in the field.
Provide opportunities for students to see that sociology is a research-driven field and that behavior can be systematically observed. Give students short assignments in which they are required to say hello to passing strangers and note the responses they get, for example. This will help students experience the sociological mindset that is used by researchers.
Assess students’ knowledge of sociology by providing a variety of opportunities for students to demonstrate what they know. Base students’ grades on the depth of their participation in class discussions, their work in group projects and at the end of the course, an in-depth paper. The paper should demonstrate that students are able to support sociological arguments with research and perspectives from major sociological theorists.