TEACHING STRATIFICATION - STIMULATING INTEREST AND CRITICAL THINKING THROUGH RESEARCH PROJECTS

One goal in teaching stratification is to illustrate how powerfully st ratification shapes society. This paper discusses an effort to stimula te critical thinking through student research projects that utilize ac tive learning in a course on social stratification. Students investiga te stratification through research projects focused on their universit y. These projects accomplish three goals: (1) they involve students in the process of sociological research; (2) they show students that cla ss, race, and gender affects them every day; and (3) they clarify the importance of these issues to students.