MICHAEL J. REESE

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Give each student a packet of cards
2. Ask them to sort the cards on a spectrum of feminine to masculine. (5-7 minutes)
3. On a large table, ask students to layout their cards in ranked order.
4. Small group or Large group discussion (based on size of the class). Ask each student to explain their ranking to the group. Discuss difference factors used to make decisions.
5. Instructor debrief highlighting different criteria used by individuals, especially by cultural background if appropriate. Summarize reading about how gender can be viewed as a social structure (i.e., enduring orderly and patterned relationships in society). 

CARDS

Meeting Times: T/H 3:00-4:15                                               
Meeting Place: BLC 4040
Instructor: Dr. Mike Reese
E-mail: mreese@jhu.edu
Office Hours: Friday 3-5 in MSEL Dean’s Office

Course Description: 

Through an exploration of urban topics, this course will introduce students to data collection and analysis methods used in the social sciences.  Students will discuss relevant research published by Johns Hopkins faculty in urban studies. Students will also gain an introduction to their adopted home, Baltimore, by collecting data and conducting field observations in different neighborhoods.

Course Objectives: 

By the end of the course students will be able to do the following.

• define introductory social science constructs
• describe relevant research questions that social scientists ask in urban studies; and
• apply basic social science data collection and analysis techniques
• describe and apply the work of scholars in the field of urban studies
• identify and summarize the key issues and policy debates in urban studies

Course Format:  This course will rely heavily on seminar discussions and community-based learning. You are expected to come to class having read ALL the readings assigned for that day. 

Course Requirements:  In addition to adhering to the ethics policy above, the following is required of each student.

Grade Distribution
A          90-100
B          80-89
C         70-79
D         60-69
F          59 or lower

Assignments                                     Grade Distribution
Homework                                                      20%
Class Participation                                          10%
Debate Activity                                               10%
Out of the Blocks Assignment                        10%
Mid-semester Paper                                       10%
Urban Exploration Project                              40%

Homework: Homework and grading rubrics will be assigned by the instructor each week

Class Participation: The success of a seminar is predicated on student engagement in the group’s discussion.  Each student is expected to engage in group discussions and activities each week. Students will be assigned one-point for each class session in which they contribute to the class’s progress.

Debate Activity: Each student will be placed on a team that will debate a topic from a specific perspective as assigned by the instructor.

Mid-semester Reflection:  Students will submit a 3-4 page paper reflecting on their preliminary analysis of data collection for their assigned neighborhood.  The purpose of this reflection is to provide students feedback on an initial draft of their final paper.

Out of the Blocks Assignment: A community-based learning project. Students will propose data to be incorporated into the Out of the Blocks podcast website (http://wypr.org/programs/out-blocks).

Urban Exploration Project:  Student teams will conduct a preliminary analysis of data collected in teams in two Baltimore neighborhoods.  The class will define a research question based on previous class discussions.  The instructor will define the data collection protocol that all groups will implement based on in-class activities.  He will escort each group during the field work.  Student teams will develop a 15-minute presentation summarizing their findings that will be delivered during the final week of class (10% of grade).   Students will individually write an 8-10page (double spaced) paper synthesizing their findings (30%). Final Report Due by Thursday, 12/21 5 PM via email (mreese@jhu.edu)

Readings: Readings will be provided by the instructor through Blackboard.

Course Schedule
Below is a course schedule. Later topics may change based on evolving student interest in specific research areas. 
Sept 5               Introduction
Sept 7               Baltimore History
Sept 12             Conducting Research
Sept 14             Theory: Frameworks to Guide Our Work
Sept 19             Quantitative Research Methods (Case Study: Vacancies – Phil Presentation?)
Sept 21             Qualitative Research Methods (Case Study: Poverty Research)
Sept 26             Mixed Methods (Case Study: Life Course Research)
Sept 28             Generating Research Questions for Field Work
Oct 3                Prepping for Field Work / Urban Education Research
Oct 5                Class Debate Activity
Oct 10 & 12       No Class – Teams Conduct Field Work With Instructor
Oct 17              Field Work Debrief
Oct 19              Housing Research
Oct 24              How Governments Leverage Research - Guest Speaker: Councilman Zeke Cohen?
Oct 26              Economic Redevelopment – Out of the Blocks Assignment
Oct 31              Public Health Research
Nov 2                Revisiting Our Research Questions
Nov 7               Family Research
Nov 9               Prepping for Field Work
Nov 14 & 16      No Class – Teams Conduct Field Work With Instructor
Nov 28             Field Work Debrief
Nov 30              Future of Cities
Dec 5 & 7          Student Presentations / Wrap Up

Sociology 230.116.31

Intersession (January 20-23)

Meeting Times: TWRF 10-12:30 & 2-4:30                      
Meeting Place: Hodson 301
Instructor: Mike Reese                                                   
E-mail: mreese@jhu.edu
Office Hours: By appointment
Grading: P/F                                                     

Course Description: 
Ideas that changed the world originated from Baltimore. In this course, we will discuss how ideas and innovations are born, spread, succeed and fail by examining case studies connected to Baltimore. In-class activities will provide insight into how entrepreneurs and activists promote change. Field trips will inform class conversations about technological and cultural innovations along with the societal and economic consequences of those changes. Questions the class will explore include:  Why do new ideas or innovations succeed or fail?  What are the consequences of innovations on society?  What role do individuals and social groups play in diffusing new ideas? 

Course Objectives: 
By the end of this course, students will be able to:

• Discuss and apply basic concepts of diffusion of innovation theory
• Describe unique innovations that originated from or are associated with Baltimore
• Design a proposal outlining how to change/improve life at Johns Hopkins using the concepts learned in class.

Course Format:  This course will be in the format of both a lecture and seminar. You are expected to come to class having read ALL the readings assigned for that day. 

Course Requirements:  In addition to adhering to the ethics policy above, the following is required of each student.

Assignments                                     Grade Distribution
Class Participation                                             60%
Final Presentation and Paper                          40%
Total                                                                      100%

Assignments:
Class Participation (60%). Attendance in class and participation in class discussions is an important component of this course, and is a way for you to demonstrate your understanding of issues raised in the readings.  Students are expected to attend every class and contribute to every class discussion.  Thus, you need to read and think about the required readings so that you will be prepared to critically discuss them in class.  (NO IMING, NO FACEBOOK, NO TWITTERING, NO TEXTING DURING CLASS)

Better Blue Jays Proposal (40%).  If you could change Hopkins during your time here, what legacy would you like to leave before you graduate? For the final paper, each student will work in a small group (2-3) to propose an idea that would transform Johns Hopkins.  The four page proposal will describe that change and how they would implement their project using the ideas learned in class (e.g., identify opinion leaders, use of diffusion networks).  Each student will present a 3-5 minute overview of their proposal during the last class.  The final proposal (incorporating your classmates’ feedback from the last class) is due by Sunday at 8PM via email to the instructor (mreese@jhu.edu). A grading rubric will be provided during the first class. 

Book: Excerpts from Rogers, Everett M. (2003) Diffusion of Innovation. Chicago, IL: Free Press.
Readings will be provided by the instructor through Blackboard.

Class Topics and Reading Assignments 

Tuesday morning: Course Introduction-Foundational Concepts: What is DoI? How do we study it?

• Case study:  Johns Hopkins University – the first modern research university
• Topics for Discussion: Defining Diffusion of Innovation, Change Agents, Early-Late Adopters, Kuhn’s Paradigm Shift.
• Just for Fun: Baltimore Firsts: http://baltimore.org/info/baltimore-firsts

Tuesday afternoon: Entrepreneurs

• Case Study: Yet Analytics @ Emerging Technology Center
• Topics for Discussion: Creative Destruction, Characteristics of Successful Innovations
• Readings (optional):
• Creative Destruction Excerpt
• Appetite for (Creative) Destruction: WSJ opinion (see attached)
• The Year of the MOOCs: NY Times commentary
• MOOCs are Dead – Long Live the MOOCs: Wired magazine commentary

Wednesday Morning: Diffusion Networks:  How and why do ideas spread?

• Case Study: Diderot’s Encyclopédie vs. Wikipedia
• Field Trip: Peabody Library Rare Books Room
• Topics for Discussion:  Opinion Leaders/Experts, Social Networks, Communication Channels
• Readings:

• Rogers: pp. 300-305, 313 (Alpha Pups Case Study), 317-319, and 339-341

• Wikipedia “Atlantic Slave Trade” Entry
  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atlantic_slave_trade

• Dideort’s Encyclopédie “Slave Trade” Entry
  http://hdl.handle.net/2027/spo.did2222.0000.114

• Course Project: Discussion of Project Ideas

Lunch: Federal Hill provided by Intersession Program

Wednesday afternoon: Service-Learning at the Digital Harbor Foundation
The Digital Harbor Foundation (DHF) fosters innovation, tech advancement, and entrepreneurship by helping youth develop digital age skills through maker activities and tech workforce readiness.  We will be conducting research on local tech companies which the DHF can solicit for donations.  Lunch will be provided  Video about DHF: http://www.wbaltv.com/education/kids-tech-center-celebrates-2-years-with-showcase/30617406

Thursday 10-12:30: Innovative Spaces: How are innovations adapted?

• Case Study: Johns Hopkins Medicine
• Field Trip: Walking Tour of Medical Campus
• Topics for Discussion: Attributes of Innovators and Innovations, Diffusion Fidelity, Idea-Spaces
• Reading: Ogle, Richard. 2007. Smart World. Cambridge, MA: Harvard Business School Press. pp. 27-52
  

Lunch @ Northeast Market (provided by Intersession Programs)

Thursday 1-3: Consequences of Innovation; Social Movements

• Case Study: JHU Black Student Association Protests
• Topics for Discussion: Social Movements, Organizing Groups
• Readings:

• Rogers: pp. 365-373, 377-381, and 387

• Johns Hopkins protests - http://hub.jhu.edu/2014/12/11/hopkins-die-in-protests
  

Friday 10-12:30: Diffusion Failure, Reorganizing Institutions

• Topics for Discussion: Pro Innovation Bias, Diffusion Failures, Organizational Innovativeness, Reinventing Organizations.
• Case Study: Electric Car/Baltimore Subway system

• Film: Who Killed the Electric Car?
• Readings:
• How to Save Journalism by John Nichols and Robert W. McChesney
• Save the News, not the Newspaper by Eric Alterman

Lunch @ the Glass Pavilion (provided by Intersession Programs); Agents of Change panel

Friday 2-4: Wrap Up

• Student Presentations  
• Summarizing what we’ve learned

Sunday 8 PM – Final Proposal due to instructor via email (mreese@jhu.edu)