The personal journal is an effective pedagogical tool for motivating students to apply course concepts to life experience. As students submit journal entries and the instructor responds to them, an interpersonal exchange or "journal dialogue" occurs, reducing the role distance between instructor and student. This article discusses the use of personal journals in the social psychology course, the benefits of this teaching technique, the specific challenges confronted by the students and the instructor, and ethical considerations. Survey questionnaires on the journal assignments were administered to two social psychology classes. The results showed that students viewed the journals as a vital part of the course. The journals helped them to apply course material to everyday life, facilitated self-discovery, created a bond between student and instructor, and made the course material more personally meaningful.
Teaching Sociology publishes articles, notes, and reviews intended to be helpful to the discipline's teachers. Articles range from experimental studies of teaching and learning to broad, synthetic essays on pedagogically important issues. Notes focus on specific teaching issues or techniques. The general intent is to share theoretically stimulating and practically useful information and advice with teachers. Formats include full-length articles; notes of ten pages or less; interviews, review essays; reviews of books, films, videos, and software; and conversations.
American Sociological Association Mission Statement: Serving Sociologists in Their Work Advancing Sociology as a Science and Profession Promoting the Contributions and Use of Sociology to Society The American Sociological Association (ASA), founded in 1905, is a non-profit membership association dedicated to advancing sociology as a scientific discipline and profession serving the public good. With over 13,200 members, ASA encompasses sociologists who are faculty members at colleges and universities, researchers, practitioners, and students. About 20 percent of the members work in government, business, or non-profit organizations. As the national organization for sociologists, the American Sociological Association, through its Executive Office, is well positioned to provide a unique set of services to its members and to promote the vitality, visibility, and diversity of the discipline. Working at the national and international levels, the Association aims to articulate policy and impleme nt programs likely to have the broadest possible impact for sociology now and in the future.
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