BSM 2701, Sociology of Sport Course Syllabus Course Description Analysis and discussion of how sociology can be used to study sport in society. Focuses on sports and sport-related behaviors as they occur in social and cultural contexts, and uses concepts, theories, and research as tools that enable students to examine sports as a part of culture. Course Textbook Coakley, J. (2009). Sports in society: Issues and controversies. (10th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw Hill. Course Learning Outcomes Upon completion of this course, students should be able to: 1. Describe the sociology of sports and explain why it should be studied. 2. Analyze modern social theories and explain why these theories are useful to those who study sports in society. 3. Discuss how studying sports in the past can help one to understand sports today. 4. Describe how sports affect the socialization process and how organized programs affect children. 5. Discuss deviance and violence in sports and explain how they affect our lives. 6. Discuss the issues of gender, race, and ethnicity in sports and analyze the nature of these issues in our society. 7. Discuss how money and power affect sports and outline the characteristics of commercial sports. 8. Explain the interaction between sports and the media. 9. Analyze and explain how governments and global processes influence sports. 10. Analyze and explain the contribution of high school and college competitive sports to education. 11. Explain how it is possible to combine sports and religion. 12. Analyze and explain how sports will affect the future. Credits Upon completion of this course, the students will earn three (3) hours of college credit. Course Structure 1. Unit Learning Outcomes: Each unit contains Learning Outcomes that specify the measurable skills and knowledge students should gain upon completion of the unit. 2. Unit Lesson: Each unit contains a Unit Lesson, which discusses unit material. 3. Reading Assignments: Each unit contains Reading Assignments from one or more chapters from the textbook. 4. Learning Activities (Non-Graded): These non-graded Learning Activities are provided in Units II, III, V, VI, and VIII to aid students in their course of study. 5. Unit Assessments: This course contains five Unit Assessments, one to be completed at the end of Units II, III, and V, VI, and VIII. Assessments are composed of multiple-choice questions and written response questions. 6. Unit Assignments: Students are required to submit for grading Unit Assignments in Units I, IV, and VII. Specific information and instructions regarding these assignments are provided below. Grading rubrics are included with the Unit I, IV, and VII. Specific information about accessing these rubrics is provided below. 7. Ask the Professor: This communication forum provides you with an opportunity to ask your professor general or course content related questions. 8. Student Break Room: This communication forum allows for casual conversation with your classmates. BSM 2701, Sociology of Sport 1
CSU Online Library The CSU Online Library is available to support your courses and programs. The online library includes databases, journals, e-books, and research guides. These resources are always accessible and can be reached through the library webpage. To access the library, log into the mycsu Student Portal, and click on CSU Online Library. You can also access the CSU Online Library from the My Library button on the course menu for each course in Blackboard. The CSU Online Library offers several reference services. E-mail (library@columbiasouthern.edu) and telephone (1.877.268.8046) assistance is available Monday Thursday from 8 am to 5 pm and Friday from 8 am to 3 pm. The library s chat reference service, Ask a Librarian, is available 24/7; look for the chat box on the online library page. Librarians can help you develop your research plan or assist you in finding relevant, appropriate, and timely information. Reference requests can include customized keyword search strategies, links to articles, database help, and other services. Unit Assignments Unit I PowerPoint Presentation Imagine that you are at your job discussing how much you are learning throughout your Sociology of Sport class. This has led some of them to ask you to present the newfound knowledge to your monthly brown bag lunch group at work. Create a PowerPoint presentation to share with your colleagues that discusses the three major theories found in Unit I: 1. Cultural theories 2. Interactionist theories 3. Structural theories Include the following information regarding the theories: What is known about the theory Major focus of the analysis Major concepts used Related research studies Please make sure to have a title slide with the title of the slideshow and your name, slides that are relevant for this presentation, and a closing reference slide. You can also use the slide notes at the bottom of each slide as well, but it is not required. Also, be creative with your slides. You are required to have at least six (6) slides not including the title slide and reference slide. Please be creative with your presentation through the use of colors, pictures, and other graphics. Use your own words, and include citations for sources. In addition, consider utilizing the CSU Success Center to help with your presentation. Information about accessing the Blackboard Grading Rubric for this assignment is provided below. Unit IV Reflection Paper For this assignment, you are asked to prepare a Reflection Paper. After you finish the reading assignment, reflect on the concepts of violence and gender in sports. What do you understand completely? What did not quite make sense? The purpose of this assignment is to provide you with the opportunity to reflect on the material you finished reading and to expand upon those thoughts. If you are unclear about a concept, either read it again or ask your professor. Can you apply the concepts toward your career? If so, how? This is not a summary. A Reflection Paper is an opportunity for you to express your thoughts about the material by writing about them. A Reflection Paper cites your reactions, feelings, and analysis of an experience in a more personal way than in a formal research or analytical essay. BSM 2701, Sociology of Sport 2
Be sure to reflect on the following topics: 1. Connections and situational factors related to violence in sports. 2. Strategies that might be used to control on-the-field violence. 3. Why gender equity is an important issue for both women and men. 4. Strategies that might be used in achieving gender equity in sports. How do they apply to your career? How do they apply to your life personally? Use these guidelines as you reflect on the course material: 1. Your paper should be at least 750 words in length. 2. Include an introduction and conclusion section. 3. Format your reflection paper using APA style. Use your own words, and include citations for other articles as needed to avoid plagiarism. Information about accessing the Blackboard Grading Rubric for this assignment is provided below. Unit VII Article Critique The Article Critique assignment investigates professional journals. You should locate an article pertaining to sport sociology that is of interest to you. The article should be less than three years old. You are encouraged to use the Research Database found in the CSU Online Library. This database will allow you to quickly search through thousands of journal articles. The format will follow APA style (typed, double-spaced) and in three parts. Part 1 of the critique is the identification of the article. It is important that you provide the reader with enough information about your article so he/she will be able to locate the article. Part 2 is a summary of the article. List the main points that the author has tried to establish (i.e., 1, 2, 3 or first, second, third). Typically, there will be three to five main points. If you are summarizing a court case, you should discuss the following points: What provision of the law was at issue? Briefly state the facts of the case. What legal tests were applied? Were there any unusual elements in the case? Part 3 is your critique. You are to provide your reaction (insightful, critical, and logical) to the points that the author tried to make or an overall critique of the entire article. A simple statement of agreement or disagreement is not sufficient. While you may make such a statement by way of introduction to your reaction, you must clearly and logically state the reasons for the post that you have taken. Length: A journal article selected for critique should be approximately four pages long, and the resulting critique should be approximately one page in length. There is no absolute minimum or maximum to the length of the article you read or the length of the paper you prepare. Prepare your assignment in a word-process application, such as Word. Format your Article Critique using APA style. Use your own words, and include citations for other articles as needed to avoid plagiarism. Information about accessing the Blackboard Grading Rubric for this assignment is provided below. APA Guidelines The application of the APA writing style shall be practical, functional, and appropriate to each academic level, with the primary purpose being the documentation (citation) of sources. CSU requires that students use APA style for certain papers and projects. Students should always carefully read and follow assignment directions and review the associated grading rubric when available. Students can find CSU s Citation Guide in the mycsu Student Portal by clicking on the Citation Resources link in the Learning Resources area. This document includes examples and sample papers and provides information on how to contact the CSU Success Center. BSM 2701, Sociology of Sport 3
Grading Rubrics This course utilizes analytic grading rubrics as tools for your professor in assigning grades for all learning activities. Each rubric serves as a guide that communicates the expectations of the learning activity and describes the criteria for each level of achievement. In addition, a rubric is a reference tool that lists evaluation criteria and can help you organize your efforts to meet the requirements of that learning activity. It is imperative for you to familiarize yourself with these rubrics because these are the primary tools your professor uses for assessing learning activities. Rubric categories include: (1) Assessment (Written Response) and (2) Assignment. However, it is possible that not all of the listed rubric types will be used in a single course (e.g., some courses may not have Assessments). The Assessment (Written Response) rubric can be found embedded in a link within the directions for each Unit Assessment. However, these rubrics will only be used when written-response questions appear within the Assessment. Each Assignment type (e.g., article critique, case study, research paper) will have its own rubric. The Assignment rubrics are built into Blackboard, allowing students to review them prior to beginning the Assignment and again once the Assignment has been scored. This rubric can be accessed via the Assignment link located within the unit where it is to be submitted. Students may also access the rubric through the course menu by selecting Tools and then My Grades. Again, it is vitally important for you to become familiar with these rubrics because their application to your Assessments and Assignments is the method by which your instructor assigns all grades. Communication Forums These are non-graded discussion forums that allow you to communicate with your professor and other students. Participation in these discussion forums is encouraged, but not required. You can access these forums with the buttons in the Course Menu. Instructions for subscribing/unsubscribing to these forums are provided below. Once you have completed Unit VIII, you MUST unsubscribe from the forum; otherwise, you will continue to receive e-mail updates from the forum. You will not be able to unsubscribe after your course end date. Click here for instructions on how to subscribe/unsubscribe and post to the Communication Forums. Ask the Professor This communication forum provides you with an opportunity to ask your professor general or course content questions. Questions may focus on Blackboard locations of online course components, textbook or course content elaboration, additional guidance on assessment requirements, or general advice from other students. Questions that are specific in nature, such as inquiries regarding assessment/assignment grades or personal accommodation requests, are NOT to be posted on this forum. If you have questions, comments, or concerns of a non-public nature, please feel free to email your professor. Responses to your post will be addressed or emailed by the professor within 48 hours. Before posting, please ensure that you have read all relevant course documentation, including the syllabus, assessment/assignment instructions, faculty feedback, and other important information. Student Break Room This communication forum allows for casual conversation with your classmates. Communication on this forum should always maintain a standard of appropriateness and respect for your fellow classmates. This forum should NOT be used to share assessment answers. BSM 2701, Sociology of Sport 4
Grading Assessments (5 @ 13%) = 65% Unit I PowerPoint Presentation = 11% Unit IV Reflection Paper = 12% Unit VII Article Critique = 12% Total = 100% Course Schedule/Checklist (PLEASE PRINT) The following pages contain a printable Course Schedule to assist you through this course. By following this schedule, you will be assured that you will complete the course within the time allotted. BSM 2701, Sociology of Sport 5
BSM 2701, Sociology of Sport Course Schedule By following this schedule, you will be assured that you will complete the course within the time allotted. Please keep this schedule for reference as you progress through your course. Unit I The Sociology of Sport and Producing Knowledge About Sports in Society Chapter 1: The Sociology of Sport: What Is It and Why Study It? Chapter 2: Producing Knowledge About Sports in Society: What Is the Role of Research and Theory? PowerPoint Presentation Unit II Studying the Past and Sports and Socialization Chapter 3: Studying the Past: Does It Help Us Understand Sports Today? Chapter 4: Sports and Socialization: Who Plays and What Happens to Them? Unit III Sports and Children and Deviance in Sports Chapter 5: Sports and Children: Are Organized Programs Worth the Effort? Chapter 6: Deviance in Sports: Is It Out of Control? Unit IV Violence in Sports and Gender and Sports Chapter 7: Violence in Sports: How Does It Affect Our Lives? Chapter 8: Gender and Sports: Does Equity Require Ideological Changes? Reflection Paper BSM 2701, Sociology of Sport 6
BSM 2701, Sociology of Sport Course Schedule Unit V Race and Ethnicity, and Social Class Chapter 9: Race and Ethnicity: Are They Important in Sports? Chapter 10: Social Class: Do Money and Power Matter in Sports? Unit VI Sports and the Economy and Sports and the Media Chapter 11: Sports and the Economy: What are the Characteristics of Commercial Sports? Chapter 12: Sports and the Media: Could They Survive Without Each Other? Unit VII Sports and Politics, and Sports in High School and College Chapter 13: Sports and Politics: How Do Governments and Global Political Processes Influence Sports? Chapter 14: Sports in High School and College: Do Competitive Sports Contribute to Education? Article Critique Unit VIII Sports and Religions, and Sports in the Future Chapter 15: Sports and Religions: Is It a Promising Combination? Chapter 16: Sports in the Future: Are We Agents of Change? BSM 2701, Sociology of Sport 7