What is sociology? Wk Topic Learning Objectives Activity (method) and wider skills Resources Independent/flipped learning Assessment 1-2 What is sociology? After studying this Topic, students will: Know the meaning of the key terms: culture, norms, values, socialisation, status and role. Understand the importance of culture and socialisation for explaining human behaviour. Understand the difference between structural and social action views of society, and between consensus and conflict views of society. Understand the differences between traditional, modern and postmodern society Know the main patterns of inequality in today’s society. Understand that sociologists use a variety of research methods and that these have both strengths and limitations. Know what studying sociology involves, including the exam papers, assessment objectives and ways of developing your knowledge and skills. Getting started activity p4 Activity p7 ‘What counts as food?’ Box 1 questions p7 Activity p8 ‘Gender role socialisation’ Activity p9 ‘Status and role’ Activity p9 ‘Research’ Box 2 questions p10 Questions p12 Textbook, pp4-13 What is sociology? Workbook Activity p7 ‘Cannibalism as a norm’ Activity p8 ‘Changing norms about homosexuality’ Quickcheck Questions p25
Education Wk Topic Learning Objectives Activity (method) and wider skills Resources Independent/flipped learning Assessment 3-4 Class differences in achievement (1) External Factors After studying this Topic, students will: Be able to describe the patterns of class differences in achievement. Understand the difference between internal and external factors affecting achievement. Understand and be able to evaluate the role of different external factors, including cultural deprivation, material deprivation and cultural capital. Getting started activity p17 Box 4 questions p19 Investigating parental attitudes to education questions p20 Discussion activity p20 ‘A child’s background can disadvantage their education’ Box 5 questions p22 Investigating material deprivation and underachievement questions p23 Research activity p24 ‘Investigating cultural capital’ Textbook pp17-25 Education Workbook, pp1-7 Clip for Media activity p23: Reading textbook Media activity p23 Research activity p24 ‘Investigating cultural capital’ Summary paragraph from discussion activity p20 Report from media activity p23 Summary of research activity p24 Quickcheck Questions p25 AS and A level Questions to try p25
7-8 Gender differences in education After studying this Topic, students will: Be able to describe the patterns of gender differences in educational achievement. Understand and be able to evaluate the explanations for these differences. Understand and be able to evaluate the explanations for gender differences in subject choice. Understand the effect of school experiences in shaping gender identities. Getting started activity p50 Table 2B questions p54 Discussion activity p59 ‘Is the education system biased in favour of boys?’ Investigating gender and subject choice p61 Application p61 Investigating how schooling reinforces gender identities p63 Textbook, pp50-65 Education Workbook, pp26-36 Reading textbook Research activity p53 ‘Investigating pupils’ aspirations’ Research activity p62 ‘Gender and subject choice’ Write-up of research activity p53 Summary from discussion activity p59 Summary from research activity p62 Quickcheck Questions p65 AS and A level Questions to try p65
9-10 The role of education in society After studying this Topic, students will: Know the functions of education that functionalists identify. Understand the neoliberal and New Right views of the role of the market in education. Understand different Marxist views of the role of education, particularly the reproduction and legitimation of class inequality. Be able to evaluate the functionalist, neoliberal and New Right, and Marxist views of education. Getting started activity p66 Investigating meritocracy in education p68 Analysis and evaluation p69 Discussion activity p70 ‘Does introducing the market into education benefit everyone?’ Investigating the reproduction of class inequality p71 Application p71 Box 9 questions p74 Discussion activity p74 ‘Which side are you on?’ Textbook, p66-75 Education Workbook, pp37-45 Reading textbook Media activity p72 ‘Fordism and the correspondence principle.’ Quickcheck Questions p75 AS and A level Questions to try p75
10-11 Educational policy and inequality After studying this Topic, students will: Know the main features of important educational policies, including the tripartite system, comprehensivisation, marketisation, privatisation and globalisation, and policies relating to gender and ethnicity. Be able to apply sociological perspectives to educational policies. Be able to evaluate the impact of educational policies on inequality of achievement. Getting started activity p76 Analysis and evaluation p79 Application p80 Investigating how parents ‘play the system’ p80 Analysis and evaluation p81 Media activity p82 ‘Sponsored academies – a public-private partnership’ Textbook, pp76-85 Education Workbook, pp46-54 Webquest activity p79 ‘Marketisation and selection’ Webquest p81 ‘New Labour and educational inequality’ Webquest p83 ‘Should education be privatised?’ Quickcheck Questions p85 AS and A level Questions to try p85 Research methods with methods in context
Wk Topic Learning Objectives Classroom Activities Resources Independent/flipped learning Assessment 12 Choosing a research method After studying this Topic, students will: Know what the main types of data are and what research methods sociologists use. Understand the practical, ethical and theoretical factors influencing choice of method and topic, and be able to assess their relative importance. Understand the difference between positivist and interpretivist approaches to research. Getting Started activity, p90 Application question, p91 Discussion Activity, p93: ‘Should research always be ethical? Application question, p93. Research Activity, p95: ‘Perspective and choice of method’. Application question, p96 Textbook, pp90-99 Research Methods Workbook, pp1-8 Research Activity, p95: ‘Perspective and choice of method’ Summary paragraph from discussion Activity, p93 Completion of Research Activity, p95 QuickCheck Questions, p99 AS and A level Questions to try p99 13 Education: the research context After studying this Topic, students will: Know the main characteristics of education as a context for sociological research. Understand some of the problems and opportunities that researching educational issues presents for sociologists. Be aware of some of the research strategies sociologists use to investigate education. Getting Started activity, p100 Analysis and evaluation questions, p102 Application questions, p103 Research Activity, p104: ‘Using school documents’. Application questions, p105 Research Activity, p106: ‘Characteristics of groups and settings in education’. . Textbook, pp100-107 Research Methods Workbook, pp9-12 Research Activity, p104: ‘Using school documents’. Research Activity, p106: ‘Characteristics of groups and settings in education’. Notes from Research Activity, p104 Completion of posters for Research Activity, p106 QuickCheck Questions, p107 AS and A level Questions to try, p107
16 Interviews Using interviews to investigate education After studying this Topic, students will: Understand the differences between structured and unstructured interviews. Be able to evaluate the strengths and limitations of the different types of interview. Be able to apply your understanding of interviews to the study of education. Getting Started activity, p124 Analysis and evaluation questions, p125 Analysis and evaluation question, p128 Research Activity, p129: ‘Comparing structured and unstructured interviews’. Application questions, p130. Discussion Activity, p30: ‘Age, ethnicity and interviewing’. Methods in context Application question, p132. Analysis and evaluation questions, p133 Research Activity, p134: ‘Researching sex education’. Textbook, pp124-135 Research Methods Workbook, pp25-34 Research Activity, p129: ‘Comparing structured and unstructured interviews’. Research Activity, p134: ‘Researching sex education’. Completion of Research Activity, p129 Summary paragraph from discussion Activity, p130 QuickCheck Questions, p131 AS and A level Questions to try, p131 Methods in context Questions from Research Activity, p134 AS and A level Question to try, p135
17 Participant observation Using observation to study education After studying this Topic, students will: Know the different types of observational methods. Be able to explain the main stages in conducting a participant observation study. Be able to evaluate the strengths and limitations of overt and covert participant observation. Be able to apply their understanding of observational methods to the study of education. Getting Started activity, p136 Analysis and Evaluation questions, p137 Webquest Activity, p138: ‘Black Like Me’ Analysis and Evaluation question, p138. Analysis and Evaluation question, p141. Research Activity, p142: ‘The rules of the game’ Methods in context Research Activity, p144: ‘Classroom observation: structured or unstructured?’ Application questions, p146. Textbook, pp136-147 Research Methods Workbook, pp35-44 Webquest Activity, p138: ‘Black Like Me’ Research Activity, p142: ‘The rules of the game’ Summary paragraph from Webquest Activity, p138 Notes from Research Activity, p142 QuickCheck Questions, p143 AS and A level Questions to try, p143 Methods in context Summary from Research Activity, p144 AS and A level Questions to try, p147
18 Secondary sources Using secondary sources to study education After studying this Topic, students will: Know the different types of secondary data that sociologists use. Be able to evaluate the strengths and limitations of official statistics and documents. Be able to apply your understanding of documents and official statistics to the study of education. Getting Started activity, p148 Analysis and Evaluation question, p149 Application questions, p151 Research Activity, p152: ‘Comparing perspectives on official statistics’. Discussion Activity, p154: ‘Using documents to study childhood’. Research Activity, p154: ‘How do newspapers report crime?’ Methods in context Research Activity, p157: ‘Does absences cause underachievement?’ Analysis and evaluation question, p158 Textbook, pp148-159 Research Methods Workbook, pp45-52 Completion of Research Activity, p152 Notes from Discussion Activity, p154 Questions from Research Activity, p154 QuickCheck Questions, p155 AS and A level Questions to try, p155 Methods in context Graph and summary from Research Activity, p157 AS and A level Question to try, p159 Families and households
Wk Topic Learning Objectives Classroom Activities Resources Independent/flipped learning Assessment 19 Couples After studying this Topic, students will: Know about gender roles in the domestic division of labour. Know about power relationships between couples, including control of resources and domestic violence. Be able to analyse how far these roles and relationships have changed over time. Be able to evaluate different sociological views on couples’ roles and relationships. Getting Started activity, p166 Application question p168 Analysis and Evaluation question, p168 Analysis and Evaluation question, p171 Research Activity, p172: ‘Are couples becoming more equal?’ Application question, p173 Discussion activity, p173: ‘Resources and sharing of decisions’ Application question, p176 Media Activity, p176 ‘Why don’t domestic violence victims leave?’ Textbook, pp166-177 Families & Households Workbook, pp1-11 Clip for Media activity p176: Reading pp166-177 textbook Research activity p172 ‘Are couples becoming more equal?’ Write-up of Research Activity p172 Summary from Discussion Activity p173 Write-up of Media Activity, p176 QuickCheck Questions, p177 AS and A level Questions to try, p177
22 Demography After studying this Topic, students will: Know the main population trends in the UK since 1900. Understand and be able to evaluate the reasons for population changes, including birth and death rates, family size, life expectancy, the ageing population and migration and globalisation. Understand and be able to evaluate the consequences of these changes. Getting Started activity, p198 Analysis and evaluation question, p200 Application question p201 Question, p203 Analysis and evaluation question, p205 Textbook pp198-209 Families & Households Workbook, pp30-40 Reading pp 198-209 textbook Research activity, p205: ‘Media portrayals of older people’ Webquest activity, p206: ‘Britain’s future population’ Webquest activity, p208: ‘The ‘Life in the UK’ test’ Summary from Research activity, p205 Summary from Webquest activity, p206 Summary of Webquest activity, p208 QuickCheck Questions, p209 AS and A level Questiosn to try, p209
23 Changing family patterns After studying this Topic, students will: Know the main changes in partnerships, including marriage, divorce, cohabitation and civil partnerships, as well as one-person and extended family households. Know the main changes in childbearing and childrearing, including births outside marriage, families and stepfamilies. Understand how these changes have contributed to greater family diversity. Be able to analyse and evaluate the explanations for these changes in families and households. Getting Started activity, p210 Application questions p211 Media activity, p215: ‘The impact of divorce on children’ Analysis and evaluation question, p216 Discussion activity, p217: ‘Cohabitation is becoming ‘marriage by another name’ Application questions p219 Application question p222 Textbook pp 210-223 Families & Households Workbook, pp41-53 Clips for Media activity p215: Reading pp210-223 textbook Research activity, p222: ‘Patterns of obligation’ Summary from Media activity, p215 Summary from Discussion activity, p217 Summary from Research activity, p205 QuickCheck Questions, p223 AS and A level Questions to try, p223
25 Families and social policy After studying this Topic, students will: Know some of the ways in which social policies may affect families. Understand the different sociological perspectives on families and social policy. Be able to analyse these perspectives and evaluate their usefulness in explaining the relationship between families and social policy. Getting Started activity, p234 Application question, p236 Analysis and evaluation question, p237. Application question, p240 Discussion activity, p240: ‘The impact of policy on family life’. Textbook pp234-241 Families & Households Workbook, pp61-67 Reading pp234-241 textbook Media Activity, p235: ‘China’s one-child policy’. Webquest activity p239 ‘Improving family policy’. Summary from Media Activity p235 Handout from Webquest activity, p239 QuickCheck Questions, p241 AS and A level Questions to try, p241 Preparing for the exams
Wk Topic Learning Objectives Classroom Activities Resources Independent/flipped learning Assessment 26 Education Preparation for exams Getting started activity p244 for Education Textbook pp244-260 Reading textbook AS level practice paper p252: Paper 1 - Education section A level practice paper p254: Paper 1 - Education section 27 Research methods with methods in context Preparation for exams Getting started activity p244 for Research Methods with methods in context Textbook pp244-260 AS level practice paper p252: Paper 1 - Methods in Context section AS level practice p253: Paper 2 - Research Methods section A level practice paper p254: Paper 1 - Methods in Context section A level practice paper p255: Paper 2 – Theory and Methods section 28 Families and households Preparation for exams Getting started activity p244 for Families and households Textbook pp244-260 AS level practice paper p253: Paper 2 - Families and Households section A level practice paper p255: Paper 2 – Families and Households section