Development of Classroom Microcomputer Laboratory to EnhanceLearning of Sociology Research Methods and Increase Number of Minorities and Women Entering Social Science Careers

该奖项为孟菲斯州立大学社会学系提供购买设备的资金。这些设备将用于改进社会学的本科社会研究课程，并增加妇女和少数民族选择涉及社会研究的职业的人数。本科社会研究课程将进行改革，从处理科学探究的方法和技术的必修课程开始，然后改变实质性课程的研究部分。课程将改变，强调分析和批判性思维技能的发展，而不是死记硬背和烹饪书学习。还将对它们进行修订，以纳入对与妇女、少数民族、工人阶级和南方学生（社会研究领域中代表性最少的群体）特别相关的实质性研究问题的分析。这笔资金将用于购买16台微型计算机和专用软件，以装备一个实验室，该实验室能够在第一年的六个班级中为多达30名本科生同时提供社会学研究方法和统计方面的实践教育。购买的软件包括两个统计包和两个数据库包。这些一揽子计划将促进批判性思维和分析能力的发展，使学生能够共同参与教师指导的研究活动，并就妇女、少数民族、工人阶级和南方学生特别感兴趣的主题开展个人研究项目。受资助机构将从非联邦来源获得相应的NSF奖励。

This award provides funds to purchase equipment for the Department of Sociology at Memphis State University. The equipment will be used to improve the undergraduate social research curriculum in sociology and to increase the number of women and minorities choosing careers involving social research. The undergraduate social research curriculum will be revamped beginning with the required courses dealing with methodology and techniques of scientific inquiry and later changing the research component of substantive courses. Courses will be changed to emphasize the development of analytic and critical thinking skills instead of rote memorization and cookbook learning. They will also be revised to incorporate the analysis of substantive research questions of special relevance to women, minorities, working class, and Southern students (the least represented groups in social research fields). The funds will be used to purchase 16 microcomputers and special software to equip a laboratory capable of providing simultaneous hands-on education in sociological research methods and statistics to as many as thirty undergraduate students in each of six classes in the first year. The software to be purchased includes two statistical and two data base packages. These packages will facilitate the development of critical thinking and analytic skills by enabling students to work jointly on instructor-guided research activities as well as to conduct individual research projects on topics of special interest to women, minorities, working class, and Southern students. The grantee institution is matching this NSF award with funds from non-Federal sources.