Teaching

Teaching Interests

Introduction to Sociology, Sociology of Education, Social Stratification, Race/Class/Gender, Family, Methods, Qualitative Methods, Statistics, Social Problems, Sociology of Volunteering

Teaching Awards

2019    Graduate Contributions to the Sociological Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Award, ASA Section for              Teaching and Learning

2019    SAGE Publishing Keith Roberts Teaching Innovations Award (category: experienced)

Teaching Publications

Gillis, Alanna. 2019. “Reconceptualizing Participation Grading as Skill Building.” Teaching Sociology 47(1): 10-21.                [Link and PDF]

Gillis, Alanna, and Brionca Taylor*. 2019. “Social Networks and Labor Market Inequality: A Role-Playing Activity to

     Teach Difficult Concepts.” Teaching Sociology 47(2): 148-156. [Link and PDF]

Gillis, Alanna. 2018. “School Choice and Inequality: Choosing Schools Activity.” Class Activity published in TRAILS:

     Teaching Resources and Innovations Library for Sociology. Washington DC:  American Sociological Association.

      [Link and PDF]

            *8th most downloaded resource in TRAILS in 2018

Gillis, Alanna. 2018. “Class School Board Debate Activity: Should Tracking Be Reformed?” Class Activity published in

      TRAILS: Teaching Resources and Innovations Library for Sociology. Washington DC:  American Sociological

      Association. [Link and PDF]

Teaching Experience

Instructor of Record

Sociological Perspectives: Summer 2017, Spring 2018, Summer 2018 [Recent syllabus]

Sociology of Education (upper-level course): Fall 2017, Fall 2018, Spring 2019, Fall 2019 [Recent syllabus]

 

Teaching Assistant

Sociological Perspectives: Fall 2016

Racial and Ethnic Relations: Spring 2016

Family and Society: Fall 2014

Social and Economic Justice: Spring 2015, Spring 2017

Statistics for Sociologists (graduate course): Fall 2015

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Selected Teaching Practices

Three innovative teaching practices I use in all of my undergraduate courses: 

  • Role-playing activities and small group discussions

  • Unconventional group final exams

  • Skills-building participation assessment 

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Selected Teaching Evaluations

Sociological Perspectives:

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Sociology of Education:

© Alanna Gillis