1. GROUP PROJECTS
CONTEMPORARY SOCIOLOGICAL THEORY

2. COURSE OBJECTIVES
1. KNOW
2. CRITICALLY ANALYZE
3. COMMUNICATE

3. OBJECTIVES EXAMPLES GUIDELINES

4. PROJECT OBJECTIVES
1. INFORM PEOPLE OF SOCIAL THEORY’S
USEFULNESS TO UNDERSTANDING
SOCIAL LIFE + PROBLEMS

5. PROJECT OBJECTIVES
2. WORK TOWARD SOCIAL CHANGE
USING SOCIAL THEORY

6. REQUIREMENTS
MUST
INFORM
INVOLVE ACTION
CREATIVELY ENGAGE
USE SOCIAL MEDIA

7. SOCIAL MEDIA
“INTERNET-BASED APPLICATIONS”
“WEB 2.0”
“CREATION AND “EXCHANGE”
“USER-GENERATED CONTENT”
SOURCE: KAPLAN & HAENLEIN (2010)

8. EXAMPLES?
IMAGE SOURCE: MOVEMENTS.ORG

9. TO DO
MUST
THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX
INFORM PUBLIC
MAKE PEOPLE THINK
ILLICIT RESPONSE

10. TO DO
MUST
THINK CRITICALLY
ASK GOOD QUESTIONS
BECOME ENGAGED
DOCUMENT YOUR WORK

11. OBJECTIVES EXAMPLES GUIDELINES

12. INSPIRATION
STUDENTS’ PAST WORK
MINI-DOCUMENTARIES
LETTER WRITING // PETITIONS
INFORMATION CAMPAIGNS
EVENTS // PROTESTS

13. INSPIRATION
DIGITAL STORY TELLING
INFOGRAPHICS
PHOTO ESSAYS
SLIDECASTS // PODCASTS
PREZI // VUVOX
EDUCATIONAL TOOLS

14. MINI-DOCUMENTARY

15. MINI-DOCUMENTARY

16. donations
PREZI

17. donations
PREZI

18. WIKIPEDIA
donations

19. donations
BLOG

20. donations
BLOG SERIES

21. donations
FLASH MOB + FACEBOOK PAGE

22. EXEMPLARS
Death by Accomplice: A Documentary on the Law of Parties
Save Jeff Wood: Innocent Man on Texas’ Death Row
Guess Who: Governor Perry and the Death Penalty
Conditions on Texas’ Death Row
Cameron Todd Willingham–Did Texas Execute an Innocent Man?
Blog: Lethal Injection in America
Capital Punishment Flash Mob 2009
Facebook Group Students for Capital Punishment Awareness
Facebook Class Project: Capital Punishment in America
AVAILABLE: DANIELLEDIRKS.COM/TEACHING

23. OBJECTIVES EXAMPLES GUIDELINES

24. REQUIREMENTS
CREATE
DOCUMENT
SHARE
PRESENT
EVALUATE

25. CREATE
MEET TOGETHER
DECIDE ON TOPIC
MAXIMIZE INDIVIDUAL SKILLS
BUILD SOCIAL MEDIA PIECE

26. DOCUMENT
COMMUNICATE
STATUS UPDATES
INDIVIDUAL WORK
COLLABORATIVE WORK

27. STATUS UPDATES

28. SHARE
POST ONLINE FAR + WIDE
SHARE EARLY
ENGAGE AUDIENCES
GAUGE RESPONSES

29. PRESENT
WHAT DID YOU DO?
HOW DID YOU DO IT?
WHAT TYPE OF RESPONSE DID YOU
RECEIVE?
HOW SUCCESSFUL WAS YOUR PROJECT?

30. EVALUATE
PEERS’ WORK
YOUR WORK
YOUR GROUP MEMBERS’ WORK

31. PEER EVALUATION
CLEAR AND WELL-ORGANIZED?
SUCCESSFUL + MET OBJECTIVES?
CREATIVE, CLEVER + INTERESTING?
WELL-DOCUMENTED?
WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED?

32. SELF-EVALUATION
HOW WELL DO YOU FEEL PROJECT
TURNED OUT?
WHAT HAVE YOU PERSONALLY
LEARNED?

33. GROUP EVALUATION
DISCUSS COLLEAGUES’
CONTRIBUTIONS
STRENGTHS
WEAKNESSES

34. DETAILED STEPS
1. CREATE SOCIAL MEDIA PROJECT
2. SHARE WITH WORLD
3. PRESENT WORK IN CLASS
4. EVALUATE PEERS’ PROJECTS
5. EVALUATE GROUP MEMBERS

35. QUESTIONS?
ADDITIONAL DETAILS
SYLLABUS
COURSEKIT
COURSE WEBSITE

36. THANK YOU!
DANIELLE DIRKS, PH.D.
ASSISTANT PROFESSOR
DEPARTMENT OF SOCIOLOGY
OCCIDENTAL COLLEGE
DIRKS@OXY.EDU
DANIELLEDIRKS.COM
@DANIELLEDIRKS