FRONT
SOCIOLOGY
Head of the Class : Political sociologist Michel Estefan engages students in his “ Sociology of Social Justice ” course held in the spring quarter of 2022 .
COMMUNITY MATTERS
Sociology professor redefines classroom culture , one student at a time .
BY INGA KIDERRA
F or political sociologist Michel Estefan , it ’ s not enough to just talk about community and inclusivity . If they are to become a reality , these values must be put into practice .
Estefan , an assistant teaching professor in UC San Diego ’ s Department of Sociology , works to build community in his classes and a culture of collaboration . “ If you say ‘ community matters ’ but then every single grade is individual , how much does community matter ?” says Estefan , who also researches and publishes on pedagogy . “ If you really want community , it has to be embedded in the rules that organize student interactions in the classroom .”
So every week , Estefan gives a group quiz with a collective grade .
Based on the prior week ’ s reading assignments , students discuss and answer multiple-choice questions together . The entire group must submit the same answers , except one — the very last — where students grade themselves on their contributions to the group . The decision rule for the collaborative portion , Estefan notes , is by consensus , not a simple majority , “ because then the majority has to bring in the minority — they have to persuade and can ’ t just overrule .”
But a quiz alone , even on a weekly basis , isn ’ t enough to knit students together and give everyone an opportunity to excel .
For that , he starts with a solid course design . It is important not only to be clear and transparent in expectations but also to set them in such a way that all students can succeed , wherever they are in their lives .
Estefan makes sure that no one exam or assignment is worth so much ( e . g .,
10 FALL 2022