Maxine, Thank you for your explanation. I had no idea that there were first year programs.
Martha On Fri, 19 May 2006, Maxine Atkinson wrote: > Martha, > > First year programs set aside some sections of their courses for first > year students only. At different universities programs range from > courses that are one credit hour skills based courses to full credit > courses that meet general education requirements to variable hour > courses about "cool" topics that count for elective credit. At my > university, for example, we offer about 40 sections of courses that are > restricted to first year students only. About 33% of our entering class > of 4,000 plus students will take at least one section of some course > with only other first year students. Stronger programs in large > universities offer every student the opportunity to take a first year > seminar. My son's small liberal arts school required all first year > students to take a first year seminar. > > Initially, first year programs were instituted because of the retention > issues from the first year to the second. > > Maxine > > > > > > > > -----Original Message----- > From: GIMENEZ MARTHA E <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: "Teach Soc Listserv (E-mail)" <[email protected]> > Date: Fri, 19 May 2006 15:41:33 -0600 (MDT) > Subject: TEACHSOC: Re: Age homogeneous or heterogeneous classes.... > > > Hi Michael, > > I am not sure I understand how this works, could you tell us a little > more? Does it mean, for example, that if you teach an upper division > course there will be a section (taught by you or someone else) of that > course for freshmen so that the course should be adapted to freshmen > students? Wouldn't this be equivalent to having upper and a lower > division versions of the same course? And, what happens if the upper > division course has requirements? > > Thanks, > > Martha > > ****************** > > > > > > On Fri, 19 May 2006, Michael Klausner wrote: > > > Greetings: > > > > > > > > Another topic for discussion. I just found out that my institution now > > "reserves" sections of courses for "freshmen." I voiced my disagreement > > indicating that age heterogeneous classes are beneficial to students > > rather than year or age segregated ones. New students can learn from > > older ones. Older ones can serve as "role models" for freshmen. Also, > > older ones, having more "life experiences" can relate those to course > > content thus helping freshmen to see the "real world" relevance of > > sociology. > > > > > > > > What do you think? > > > > > > > > Best Wishes, > > > > Michael Klausner > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Maxine P. Atkinson, Ph.D. > Director, N.C. State's First Year Inquiry Seminar Program > Division of Undergraduate Academic Programs, and > Associate Professor of Sociology > North Carolina State University > email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > phone: 919 515 9001 > --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Teaching Sociology" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/teachsoc -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
