IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsoctx/v7y2017i4p30-d117058.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Challenges in the Teaching of Sociology in Higher Education. Contributions to a Discussion

Author

Listed:
  • Carlos Miguel Ferreira

    (Interdisciplinary Centre of Social Sciences—CICS.NOVA, Polytechnic Institute of Castelo Branco, Estoril Higher Institute for Tourism and Hotel Studies, 1069-061 Lisbon, Portugal)

  • Sandro Serpa

    (Department of Sociology, Faculty of Social and Human Sciences, University of the Azores, Interdisciplinary Centre of Social Sciences—CICS.UAc/CICS.NOVA.UAc, and Interdisciplinary Centre for Childhood and Adolescence—NICA—UAc, 9501-801 Ponta Delgada, Portugal)

Abstract

At a time when Sociology (either in its introductory or general dimension or in the form of specialised Sociologies) is acknowledged as a scientific discipline with important contributions in training at the higher education level, and not only for the future sociologist, there is a need to (re)think the problem of teaching Sociology in this context. This article seeks to contribute to this discussion on the teaching of Sociology in higher education, being a grounded reflection that is based on the authors’ teaching experience in the Portuguese context. Sociology has specificities, which we put forward through four framing principles, namely the need to permanently mobilise sociological imagination, be multi-paradigmatic, the need to be receptive to a heuristic interdisciplinarity, and, finally, foster reflexivity at several levels. These principles should, from our standpoint, shape the teaching of Sociology, both delimiting what should be taught and fostering the way to teach while abiding by these principles. As a conclusion, this problem of teaching Sociology needs an in-depth investigation, in the search for a growing pedagogical quality in a context of increasing opportunities to reform the type of teaching provided in higher education, which is a permanent challenge.

Suggested Citation

  • Carlos Miguel Ferreira & Sandro Serpa, 2017. "Challenges in the Teaching of Sociology in Higher Education. Contributions to a Discussion," Societies, MDPI, vol. 7(4), pages 1-11, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsoctx:v:7:y:2017:i:4:p:30-:d:117058
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4698/7/4/30/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4698/7/4/30/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Maria Kalamas Hedden & Roneisha Worthy & Edwin Akins & Vanessa Slinger-Friedman & R. C. Paul, 2017. "Teaching Sustainability Using an Active Learning Constructivist Approach: Discipline-Specific Case Studies in Higher Education," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(8), pages 1-18, July.
    2. Ana Isabel Santos & Sandro Serpa, 2017. "The Importance of Promoting Digital Literacy in Higher Education," International Journal of Social Science Studies, Redfame publishing, vol. 5(6), pages 90-93, June.
    3. Nadarajan (Raj) Sethuraju & Paul Prew & Abdihakin Abdi & Martel Pipkins, 2013. "The Consequences of Teaching Critical Sociology on Course Evaluations," SAGE Open, , vol. 3(3), pages 21582440134, July.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Sandro Serpa, 2018. "A Reflection on Sociology of Education," International Journal of Social Science Studies, Redfame publishing, vol. 6(3), pages 33-39, March.
    2. Sandro Serpa, 2019. "Alienation on Social Media," Studies in Media and Communication, Redfame publishing, vol. 7(1), pages 17-20, June.
    3. Sandro Serpa & Carlos Miguel Ferreira, 2018. "Training Models and Practices in Sociology," Societies, MDPI, vol. 8(3), pages 1-3, July.
    4. Jackie Harrison & Diana Maynard & Sara Torsner, 2020. "Strengthening the Monitoring of Violations against Journalists through an Events-Based Methodology," Media and Communication, Cogitatio Press, vol. 8(1), pages 89-100.
    5. Sandro Serpa & Carlos Miguel Ferreira, 2019. "Micro, Meso and Macro Levels of Social Analysis," International Journal of Social Science Studies, Redfame publishing, vol. 7(3), pages 120-124, May.
    6. Carlos Miguel Ferreira & Sandro Serpa, 2019. "Contemporary Challenges for the Academic," International Journal of Contemporary Education, Redfame publishing, vol. 2(1), pages 1-8, April.
    7. Carlos Miguel Ferreira & Maria José Sá & José Garrucho Martins & Sandro Serpa, 2020. "The COVID-19 Contagion–Pandemic Dyad: A View from Social Sciences," Societies, MDPI, vol. 10(4), pages 1-19, October.
    8. Jorge Ferraz, 2018. "Sociology’s Role in the Teaching of Organizational Behavior in Higher Education. The Case of Hospitality Management," Societies, MDPI, vol. 8(3), pages 1-14, July.
    9. Sandro Serpa & Maria José Sá, 2019. "Sociology of Education for a Sustainable Future," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(6), pages 1-5, March.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Samah Abduljawad, 2024. "Enhancing Technical English Proficiency: A Video-Based Approach for Female Students at Industrial Colleges in Saudi Arabia," World Journal of English Language, Sciedu Press, vol. 14(5), pages 250-250, September.
    2. Maria Rosario Perello-Marín & Gabriela Ribes-Giner & Odette Pantoja Díaz, 2018. "Enhancing Education for Sustainable Development in Environmental University Programmes: A Co-Creation Approach," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(1), pages 1-17, January.
    3. Bandar Alkhayyal & Wafa Labib & Talal Alsulaiman & Abdelhakim Abdelhadi, 2019. "Analyzing Sustainability Awareness among Higher Education Faculty Members: A Case Study in Saudi Arabia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(23), pages 1-13, December.
    4. Sandro Serpa & Ana Isabel Santos & Carlos Miguel Ferreira, 2020. "Contributions of Ivan Illich to Education in a Digital Society," Academic Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies, Richtmann Publishing Ltd, vol. 9, March.
    5. Fermín Sánchez-Carracedo & David López & Carme Martín & Eva Vidal & Jose Cabré & Joan Climent, 2020. "The Sustainability Matrix: A Tool for Integrating and Assessing Sustainability in the Bachelor and Master Theses of Engineering Degrees," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(14), pages 1-24, July.
    6. Carlos Miguel Ferreira & Sandro Serpa, 2018. "Informed Consent in Social Sciences Research: Ethical Challenges," International Journal of Social Science Studies, Redfame publishing, vol. 6(5), pages 13-23, April.
    7. Maria José Sá & Carlos Miguel Ferreira & Ana Isabel Santos & Sandro Serpa, 2020. "Publishing at Any Cost? The Need for the Improvement of the Quality of Scholarly Publications," International Journal of Higher Education, Sciedu Press, vol. 9(3), pages 214-214, June.
    8. Fermín Sánchez-Carracedo & David López, 2021. "A Service-Learning Based Computers Reuse Program," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(14), pages 1-32, July.
    9. Zaloa Aginako & Teresa Guraya, 2021. "Students’ Perception about Sustainability in the Engineering School of Bilbao (University of the Basque Country): Insertion Level and Importance," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(15), pages 1-20, August.
    10. Ana Isabel Santos & Carlos Miguel Ferreira & Maria José Sá & Sandro Serpa, 2019. "Reading on Paper and Scrolling Text on a Screen in Academic Learning," Academic Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies, Richtmann Publishing Ltd, vol. 8, November.
    11. Carlos Miguel Ferreira & Sandro Serpa, 2019. "Dialogues between Sociology and History," International Journal of Higher Education, Sciedu Press, vol. 8(6), pages 112-112, December.
    12. Maria José Sá & Ana Isabel Santos & Sandro Serpa & Carlos Miguel Ferreira, 2021. "Digitainability—Digital Competences Post-COVID-19 for a Sustainable Society," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(17), pages 1-22, August.
    13. Juan Bartolomé & Pablo Garaizar, 2022. "Design and Validation of a Novel Tool to Assess Citizens’ Netiquette and Information and Data Literacy Using Interactive Simulations," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(6), pages 1-28, March.
    14. Liana Badea & George Laurențiu Șerban-Oprescu & Silvia Dedu & Grigore Ioan Piroșcă, 2020. "The Impact of Education for Sustainable Development on Romanian Economics and Business Students’ Behavior," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(19), pages 1-17, October.
    15. Pilar Alonso-Martín & Rocío Cruz-Díaz & Carmen Granado-Alcón & Rocío Lago-Urbano & Concha Martínez-García, 2021. "Variability of Higher Education Students’ Learning Styles Depending on Gender, Course, Degree and Institutional Context," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(4), pages 1-18, February.
    16. Carlos Miguel Ferreira & Maria José Sá & José Garrucho Martins & Sandro Serpa, 2020. "The COVID-19 Contagion–Pandemic Dyad: A View from Social Sciences," Societies, MDPI, vol. 10(4), pages 1-19, October.
    17. Santiago Tejedor & Laura Cervi & Ana Pérez-Escoda & Fernanda Tusa Jumbo, 2020. "Digital Literacy and Higher Education during COVID-19 Lockdown: Spain, Italy, and Ecuador," Publications, MDPI, vol. 8(4), pages 1-17, November.
    18. Míriam Hernández-Barco & Jesús Sánchez-Martín & Isaac Corbacho-Cuello & Florentina Cañada-Cañada, 2021. "Emotional Performance of a Low-Cost Eco-Friendly Project Based Learning Methodology for Science Education: An Approach in Prospective Teachers," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(6), pages 1-19, March.
    19. Leyla Angélica Sandoval Hamón & Ana Paula Martinho & M. Rosário Ramos & Cecilia Elizabeth Bayas Aldaz, 2020. "Do Spanish Students Become More Sustainable after the Implementation of Sustainable Practices by Universities?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(18), pages 1-21, September.
    20. Julia Nitsche & Theresa Sophie Busse & Sven Kernebeck & Jan P. Ehlers, 2022. "Virtual Classrooms and Their Challenge of Interaction—An Evaluation of Chat Activities and Logs in an Online Course about Digital Medicine with Heterogeneous Participants," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(16), pages 1-10, August.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsoctx:v:7:y:2017:i:4:p:30-:d:117058. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.