Turning Theory into Theorizing: Collaborative Learning in a Sociological Theory Course

Abstract

This article describes the ways collaborative learning methods can enhance the undergraduate course in sociological theory. When instructors employ collaborative learning methods, student passivity and fears about theory are transformed into an engaging practice of theorizing. Such practice is not without conflicts and failures, but it acts as a powerful form of resistance to lethargy and routine. Collaborative learning addresses the problems associated with student consumerism in higher education by constituting students as responsible interpreters expected to accomplish rigorous inquiry in the classroom community. Further, these methods are particularly suitable for teaching theory because they overcome the intimidation that students often feel about this subject. This article presents an explanation of collaborative learning, distinguishes it from active learning, identifies its challenges, and describes some specific wavs that instructors can use it to teach classical sociological theory

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