The Institutionalization of Teaching in American Sociological Association

2002 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary

• Project/Area Number: 12610165
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: 社会学(含社会福祉関係)
• Research Institution: Hokkaido University of Education
• Principal Investigator: UTAGAWA Takuo Hokkaido University of Education, Department of Education, Professor, 教育学部・函館校, 教授 (30142764)
• Project Period (FY): 2000 – 2002
• Keywords: higher education / teaching / ASA / institutionalization / Hans O. Mauksh / FIPSE / university reform / university evaluation

Research Abstract

In the academia of American sociology, teaching is thought to be fundamental function of the profession. There are several well-coordinated activities in the system of American Sociological Association (ASA). They provide the teaching needs of the members. Most of them are faculties of the institutions of higher education.
Beginning in late 1960's, the number of students was increasing rapidly. Most of them were non-traditional students. New ways of teaching must be coined. Teaching the undergraduate was not thought of the "right" job for the researchers, although most of them were actually teachers. Hans O. Maukch was one of the East European Jewish refugees who had escaped from Nazis. After the war, he entered the graduate school of the University of Chicago. He experienced the professors and administrators at a nursing school, the department of engineering, medical school where he leaned that "teaching is import."
In 1972, he was planned to the chairperson of the committee of the undergraduate education of ASA. He had planned to improve teaching sociology. The U.S. Congress and the Department of Education wanted to improve the higher education. They passed a new act to give 10 million dollars to create Fund for Improvement of Post Secondary Education (FIPSE), in 1972. Mauksh and his colleges succeeded in getting the fund. They gathered sociologists all over the country who were eager to reform teaching and/or who had innovative ideas.
In 1973, ASA Teaching Project started. First the TSP (Teaching Services Program) was made. It included three activities; Teaching They made Teaching Resources Center (TRC), Teaching Resources Group (TRG), Department Resources Group (DRG). The ambitious enterprise of Mauksh and his partners has been successful, and the ASA Teaching Services Program is providing teaching resources and new ideas to the professionals of sociology teaching.