Weekly Wrap Up- April 29th

Today is the last Friday of April! Are we really almost halfway through 2016?!

Also, we are officially less than a month away until the start of the summer term! Have you registered yet? Contact us today if you have questions or would like to register!

I know most of you will be taking the summer off, so what better time than now to get registered for the fall 1 term? Registration is already open and we are urging students to secure their classes ASAP! We are making some changes to our schedule, so hurry up and register to avoid missing out on the courses you want and need! The fall 1 term begins July 30^th.

The OLC would like to welcome our new student worker, Caitlin Garner, to the team! Caitlin is a GMC student, pursuing our BAS degree in Business Management! We are happy to welcome Caitlin and look forward to having here in the office!

Don’t forget, contact us ASAP to get registered for summer AND fall 1!

A Closer Look at GMC's Quality Enhancement Plan

As part of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS), Georgia Military College, as a SACS accredited institution, must develop a Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) that it executes in five year cycles. These QEPs are designed to help increase the quality of education that GMC provides to its students.  While there were many potential topics for this particular QEP, GMC faculty, staff, students, alumni, parts and administration were surveyed, and the overwhelming choice was critical thinking. So, what is a QEP, and how is GMC going about developing this? What does it mean for courses at GMC?  Our QEP chair, Jessica Bahn, has posted the details on the GMC website. Click here for more information! 

What can one expect to learn in a GMC Sociology class?

The following is an old Russian proverb, “It is better to be slapped in the face with the truth then kissed with a lie”.  Sociology is an overpowering critical thinking discipline. After completing any one of the GMC Sociology classes a student can expect to vastly improve their critical thinking skills. For example, a student will understand the vital critical thinking skill of, “debunking”. Debunking in layman terms is the ability to see through falsehoods. A famous Malcolm X quote is at the heart of understanding the skill of debunking, “If you are not careful the newspapers will have you hating the people who are being oppressed and loving the people who are doing the oppressing”. Sociology teaches students to stand in the shoes of the desperate and the defeated. The discipline develops empathy skills for those struggling to survive in a competitive corporate environment. If the GMC student learns humility through Sociology, then the goal of the discipline has been accomplished. 

In the Introduction to Sociology class students internalize the sociological perspectives. The perspectives are angles of vision in order to comprehend all sides of any given social problem or social issue. The introductory classes cover the research methods sociologist employ to discover the ills in our society. The course also covers how sociologist study the family, education, religion, sports, health, criminal justice, and the government. The student learns how these institutions affect their own behavior at the micro level. Ideally, after the introductory course the GMC student will have developed the critical thinking skill of “cognitive reflection”. Most of the journals written in the introduction course revolve around cognitive reflection. In simple layman’s terms “cognitive reflection” means to think “critically” before you talk or write. Upon completion of their degrees GMC students will have excellent cognitive reflections skills to be leaders in their given professions. Cognitive reflection is the skill set employed by America’s greatest leaders.  For example, General Dwight Eisenhower’s cognitively reflection skills were intuitively deep since he drew upon a military experience where life and death decisions were routine. An example of a famous cognitively reflective quotation from President Eisenhower, “Together we must learn to compose differences, not with arms, but with intellect and decent purpose”.

The Social Problems class is my favorite to teach. Indeed, the online Social Problems class at GMC is second to none. It follows along with the Russian proverb this essay started with, “It is better to be slapped in the face with the truth then kissed with a lie”. This class is a slap in the face to those that think we live in utopia. Here are some facts cited from the GMC Social Problems class: suicide is in the top ten leading causes of death for Americans, for those under twenty five suicide is the second leader cause of death, over 80,000 people a year in America visit an emergency room with some sort of gunshot wound, child abuse kills more children then accident and leukemia combined, over 25,000 Americans are murdered yearly, over 80,000 American are raped yearly, on any given night 50,000 American veterans are homeless, over 120,000 children are involved in child pornography yearly, and over 50,000 Americans will contract the disease Aids this year. Those figures just scratch the surface of the provocative Social Problems class GMC offers online. Finally, sociologist turn to government to solve these problems. What all academics regardless of discipline uncover is a dysfunctional institution s in grid lock. Many Americans want to be kissed with a lie. If that is you, please don’t take a Sociology class at GMC. Thomas Jefferson once said, “The greatest American citizen is one who engages in active criticism of the policies of their very own government”. Sociology classes at GMC give you the cognitive abilities to become a constructive citizen in a free society that so many have sacrificed their very life for.

Michael Granata M.A.  (Sociology online GMC)

Knowing Your Mindset- Fixed or Growth?

I am sure that we have all heard the term “mindset” or at least the idea of a person’s “frame of mind.”  Our outlook pretty much determines most of the pathways we take and many of the decisions we make. 
In 2006, Stanford University Professor, Dr. Carol Dweck, penned what has become one of the most discussed and referenced books in education. Titled Mindset: The New Psychology of Success: How we Can Learn To Fulfill Our Potential, Dr. Dweck delves in to the differences between a fixed mindset, where people are afraid of making mistakes and thus do not accept challenges very well, and the growth mindset where people seek to grow and learn, thus accepting challenges and responding to criticism in a positive and constructive way.  So which mindset do you have?  There is an simple test that can help you diagnose your mindset at Dr. Dweck’s page.  Check it out and see what she has to say about the different mindsets and how they impact learning.

www.mindsetonline.com  

What is the Relationship between Sociology, Psychology, and Education?

The relationship of these three disciplines have always been a subject of both debate and inquiry. The following essay is solely one opinion on the relationship between the three. A discipline is a branch of knowledge studied within an institution of higher education. Many see the term, “education” as a profession while Sociology and Psychology are disciplines. This essay will focus on, “education” as a discipline within the curriculum at any given institution of higher education.

The discipline of education focuses on the word, “pedagogy” which to me simple means the art of teaching. Pedagogy is the study of a “skilled individual’ in the method and practice of teaching an academic discipline. Psychology is the scientific study of the human mind and its functions (Myers,2015). A psychologist would study the pedagogical style of an individual professor and how effective it is in to achievement of learning objectives. For example, some professors lecture, others use the Socratic method, while many like to divide their students into groups. Within the discipline of Education many argue about which method achieves consistently the desired learning outcomes. Personally I prefer the good old,” lecture style” sprinkled with “the Socratic method”. While online my preference is making students write till I can hear the echoes of their anger while basking on the beach thousands of miles away. Academic freedom allows us to implement the pedagogy that matches our individual skill set. Psychologist tell us that the, “lecture style” really works for professors who are “charismatic”. Psychologist tell us that, “the Socratic method” fits those professors with an,” authoritarian personality” much like the rigorous Professor Kingsfield in the classic film, “The Paper Chase”. While the professor who prefers groups has more of an,” democratic style ‘’ of pedagogy. My esteemed colleagues at GMC fit one of the above teaching styles or a combination.

Sociology is the scientific study of individual and group behavior and the institutions that mold that behavior” (Kendall, 2012). A sociologist would look at the institution of education at the macro level. For example, a sociologist would study how the learning outcomes of an institution such as Catholic University differ tremendously from the learning outcomes of Bob Jones University a Baptist college. For that matter a sociologist would point out the macro institutional differences between a private college Emory University versus University of Georgia. Also sociologist would examine the differences in day to day life at a public high school in suburbia versus public high school in the inner city. A conflict sociologist would quickly focus on how a SWAT team surrounds the perimeter of the inner high school.   Sociologist would study controversial topics within education such as whether “institutionalized racism” exists within educational institutions. One could also focus on patterns of sexual harassment that could be prevalent at certain institutions. A sociologist versed in the law would be interested in Title IV or Tile VI and whether they should be applied against bigoted educational institutions. For example, the patterns of sexual harassment that exists today at the University of California at Berkley are currently being exposed and scrutinized by the Guardian Newspaper in London, England.

Many in academia argue that Sociology and Psychology are cousins in the world of higher education. A college class called, “Social Psychology” would be an example of that. Many theories on human behavior overlap between Sociology and Psychology. Theories on human behavior are like pieces of a jig saw puzzle with no one theory explaining human behavior fully. One must take the theories like jig saw pieces and lay them on top of a table. Even when we match the hundreds of theories on human behavior the puzzle is never complete. The reason is,” simple” human beings are complex and behavior changes with time and circumstance. For example, with the advent of all this technology human behavior has transcended many theories in Sociology and Psychology.  A great debate for the three disciplines would be social media and online education. Dr. Sherry Turtle psychology professor at MIT and author of,” Alone Together” argues that too much social media and online education hurts the “cognitive growth” of 17 to 24 year olds. A sociologist would agree and say a healthy balance would be a good compromise. While a college administrator with M.S. degree in Education would say, “It is better than no education at all. Students who would never have had an opportunity for a college education now do”. Let’s end with quote from Steve Jobs,” It is technology married with the liberal arts, married with the humanities, and that yields us with a result that makes our hearts sing”.

Michael Granata M.A.  (GMC Online College)

References:

Kendall, Diane “Sociology in Out Times” 9^th Edition, (Wadsworth Learning 2014)

Myers, David “Psychology” 11^th Edition, (Prentice Hall Publishing 2015) 

What Career Options Are Available For Sociology Majors?

First a GMC major must be sure they have picked the correct major. The first year of study at GMC is critical in picking a major. Fortunately, the GMC curriculum is loaded with a smorgasbord of introductory courses of which an undecided major should take full advantage off. These introductory level courses are taught by a highly motivated faculty guided by a vigorously diligent administration. While taking advantage of this buffet of courses the GMC student must pick the field study that invigorates their enthusiasm and passion.

Should the GMC student pick Sociology they will be engaging in a cognitively reflective critical thinking discipline? Dr. Roger Dunham the current chairperson of the Sociology Department at the University of Miami recalls his first sociology class, “I was hooked within the first week and found myself fascinated with the opportunity to do scientific research on addiction and criminal justice”. Criminal justice, addiction studies and social research in particular grant writing are all career options for Sociology majors. Grant writers with training in Sociology typically find employment with research foundations, government agencies, school districts, non-profits, and police departments. Dr. Fred Gilbert a Sociology major is both the vice president and compliance officer for Title Nine at Mojave College in Arizona,” A Sociology background has helped me deal with the complex ambiguities of human behavior when applying legislation such as Title Nine”. Sociology majors with Bachelors, Masters or PhDs can find administrative employment at colleges, school districts, police departments, hospitals, and government agencies. Virginia Cevasio a Sociology major and CEO of CARES a nonprofit suicide organization, “Every day is different and Sociology helps me understand the many barriers human beings must overcome daily. My suicidal clients look to me to help them overcome barriers that would be unimaginable for the average person to understand. Without my Sociology background my support for them would be very limited”. Non-profits such has CARES offer unlimited opportunities for Sociology major. CARES employs counselors, administrators, and grant writers. With a Master’s degree in Sociology a former student of mine Isaac Christiansen worked for a peace organization with in the United Nations, “Sociology taught me the skills to not only understand diversity but to appreciate”. Mr. Christianson’s job took him to Angola and Cuba. He now speaks both Spanish and Mandiga fluently. Having very recently completed his Ph.D. Dr. Christiansen will be teaching at Grandview College in Des Moines, Iowa and then moving on to a research career.

Sociology is also great preparation for many jobs within the criminal justice system. Penology is a study within Sociology where students can learn how to manage a correctional facility. Prison building has been a booming business in America. Correctional officers and prison wardens have Sociology backgrounds. Police officers with Sociology backgrounds have stated that Sociology helps them to be proactive in their job rather the reactive. Sociology is a great major for law school. Most criminal lawyers have Bachelor’s degrees in Sociology.

Finally, journalists with Sociology backgrounds have had tremendous success. For example, my esteemed colleague distinguished war journalist Dr. Christian Parenti author of best seller, “The Freedom” and the Tribeca film winner for the documentary “The Taking of Ajmal” leaves us with the following quote,” Sociology gave me the ability to put facts, narrative, and character in a broader context. This in turn helps me understand the real meanings of the current events I was reporting such as when I was covering undercover both the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. Narrative is not merely unfolding events, it is also the unfolding of competing events, which is the struggle of natural resources. These deeper structures are part of the real news and they require historical and sociological analysis to be fully understood. In my opinion training in journalism is actually inefficient for being a credible journalist. Complimentary training in Sociology is essential for building a critical mind and thus for being a journalist.”

Michel Granata (Sociology Professor GMC online)

What is Sociology?

Sociology is a critical thinking discipline. Its founder Auguste Comte was an eccentric French philosopher of the 1840’s who wanted to study human behavior scientifically. Sociology is the scientific understanding of human behavior and the institutions that mold that behavior (Kendall, 2014). Comte used the term “positivism” to denote studying human behavior scientifically. At the core of the definition is how institutions mold human behavior. The institutions sociologist study includes the family, law enforcement, religion, media, government, education, health, prisons, and the military.

While studying human behavior scientifically sociologists bring to light disturbing figures. Suicide historically was the favorite study of the early sociologists. Following Comte’s model of positivism Emile Durkheim wrote the first sociological classic, “Suicide” in the early 1890s. This masterpiece is relevant today. It was Emile Durkheim who coined the four types of suicide: altruistic, anomie, fatalistic, and egoistic (Durkheim 1897). These types of suicide are used today amongst sociologists and psychologists has talking points. Altruistic suicide is committed by terrorists out of a sense of duty in order to retaliate against the perceived enemy. Often sociologists discover facts that don’t go with common perceptions. For example, with altruistic suicide over 80% of the suicide bombers that killed our troops in the Iraqi war came from the country of Saudi Arabia not Iraq. (Hafez, 2008).  According to the Center for Disease Control a federal government agency in Atlanta suicide is in the top ten causes of death for Americans. Also according to the CDC suicide is the second leading cause of death among young adults and teenagers, while accidents are the first. What I find especially disturbing is that the facts show that many suicides are disguised has accidents.

Over 41,000 Americans killed themselves in 2014 http://www.gov/nchs/data/hus/hus14 pdf) According to this federal data suicides account for two thirds of all gun deaths. Catherine Baker a suicide prevention specialist at Harvard points out that gun owning homes have a much higher risk of suicide than homes without guns. Simple put a suicide attempt is more likely to involve a gun since firearms succeed 85 percent of the times versus other methods. Within the institution of the military suicide rates are staggering. Virginia Cervasio a sociologist who is the CEO of the non-profit CARES (Suicide prevention) of which I volunteer knows this first hand. Her son returned from Iraq and killed himself with a handgun in 2006. According to Virginia Cervasio, “Suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem”. Divided into day and time 22 veterans are killing themselves each day or one every one hour and fifteen minutes (http://www.gov/nchs/data/hus/hus14 pdf). Over the last eight years all of the veterans that I have counseled suffer from PTSD.  So often the medications diagnosed for PTSD are ironically a suicide cocktail especially when mixed with alcohol. More of our brave troops die from suicide then combat.

Sociology for college students is an eye opener. The discipline exposes homicide rates, incarceration rates, police brutality rates, rape rates, illiteracy rates, poverty rates and homelessness to mention a few. For college freshman a mind boggler is that 1 out of every 4 people behind bars in the whole world is in the United States (Parenti, 2009).  The United States is only 5% of the world’s population which makes that figure surreal. The facts on other social problems go on and on with Sociology at the forefront of bringing them to the public’s attention. The pictures that emerges from Sociology classes are not pretty. This should not be taken as an attack on the United States for there is no way we can solve these problems without knowing the extent to which they exist. Sociology is a critical thinking discipline that can be provocative, engaging, disturbing and even humbling. I see the discipline of Sociology has the blending of history, theory and facts which makes for powerful critical thinking. A major component of critical thinking is to cognitively go where one does not want to go. Common barriers to critical thinking include wishful thinking, cognitive dissonance, pride, selective memory, provincialism and egocentrism. Debunking is a critical thinking skill students learn in Sociology classes. Many distinguished college professors are noted for the following quote, “when the need to believe increases the ability to distinguish between fact and fiction decreases”. One of the noble goals of Auguste Comte was for Sociology to cure “false consciousness”. False consciousness is a subjective interpretation of reality that doesn’t go with the objective facts (Kendall,2014). Through positivism Sociology uncovers those objective facts. 

Michael Granata

References:

Kendall, Diane “Sociology in Our Times 9^th Edition”, (Wadsworth Cengage learning 2014)

Hafez, Mohammed “Suicide Bombers in Iraq”, (United States Institute of Peace 2008)

Durkheim, Emile “Suicide”, (New York: The Free Press 1951)

Parenti, Michael “Democracy for the Few 8^th Edition” Thomson Wadsworth Publishing 2009)

North Georgia Technical College Articulation Agreement

Georgia Military College and North Georgia Technical College signed an articulation agreement to assist with graduates transferring into our Bachelor of Applied Science degrees.  We currently have two BAS degrees: Business Management and Supervision and Management.

North Georgia Technical College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) and has three locations: Clarksville campus (main campus), Blairsville campus, and Currahee Campus (Toccoa).  We will be visiting the Blairsville campus April 11th and the Currahee Campus April 12th for college fairs.

For more information about our Online Bachelor Degrees, click here.