First Contact

The Introduction to Sociology course is usually the first contact that students have with the discipline of sociology. This course can determine whether students take other sociology courses or learn to use sociology in their lives as adults and citizens.

First Contact identifies important issues facing instructors in introducing students to the sociological imagination. Drawing on the literature of teaching and learning in sociology and higher education more broadly, First Contact provides an overview of the scholarship of teaching and learning, best practices, and other essential information to create a successful first course in sociology. It walks the instructor through the course design process-from learning about whom your students are, determining appropriate course goals and learning objectives, and using these ideas to design, execute, and assess your course. It examines the core content of a first course. It discusses how to design a syllabus, select textbooks and readings, as well as how to design and deliver effective lectures, facilitate good discussions, and other course delivery options.

An invaluable resource for anyone teaching the introductory sociology course — including grad students, new professors, and seasoned instructors who seek renewal in their approach to teaching this critical course in the sociology curriculum.

Nancy A. Greenwood is associate professor of sociology and chair of the department of sociology, history, and political science at Indiana University Kokomo.

Jay R. Howard is professor of sociology and dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at Butler University. Both authors have served on the editorial board of the journal Teaching Sociology, are consultants in the ASA's Department Review Group, and are active members in the American Sociological Association’s section on teaching and learning.