I am thrilled to announce today that SociologySource.com is launching the Soc101 Class Pack 2.0. This is a complete overhaul of the original Class Pack. Lots of new features, more ready-to-use resources, and for the first time all users can contribute to the Class Pack.

The first Class Pack received nearly a thousand downloads in just 7 months because of you. You were the ones spreading the word about the SociologySource.com and the original Class Pack. Because of you I had the pleasure of discussing the Class Pack on the Office Hours podcast and it was featured on the Sociology Lens and Teaching The Social World. Thank you for helping me share the Class Pack; your work inspired me to make the Class Pack 2.0 bigger and better.

Features

1. Lots more support

   The Class Pack 2.0 now provides users with an entire webpage dedicated to helping you use it. Each piece of the Class Pack 2.0 will be accompanied by a description of how I use it in my classes, the challenges you should be on the look out for, additional activities you can do in class, and, for the first time, videos to help you as you implement the Class Pack 2.0.

2. Visual Lecture Slides

   Explain complex sociological concepts graphically with the Class Pack 2.0. All the lecture slides in the Class Pack 2.0 feature beautiful images that will help your students understand what you’re talking about in class and they’re reading in their textbook.

3. Lecture Notes

   Now you can see exactly how I teach my class. For the first time I am providing my lectures notes to all Class Pack 2.0 users. Check out how I do it to get ideas for how you could put a new spin on your classes. Plus it should be easier than ever to see how each piece of the Class Pack 2.0 can be used in your classes.

4. The “Doing Sociology” Experiential Track

   Give your students the opportunity to experience sociology and do research without creating mountains of paper work for you to grade. This experiential track has your students learn sociology by their own hands and it works in classes of any size. The Doing Sociology experiential learning track was designed to work in a class of 400 students, so try it in your classes today. More info.

5. Now a 100% more free

   The Class Pack 2.0 is completely free and now you don’t even have to become a member to download it. You can pay me back simply by telling someone else about it. Help me spread the word and we are more than square. Nothing is behind a member wall, so you can Tweet, Facebook, or email absolutely anything!. If you like the Class Pack you can pay me by telling someone about it.

6. Built on two excellent books

   You May Ask Yourself by Dalton Conley is a tremendous sociology text that shatters students assumptions about the social world and then shows them how sociology can help them pick up the pieces and form a more informed worldview. It is the most reasonably priced text on the market (it’s $55 on Amazon) and it’s backed by some of the best publisher resources available for a Intro book. Go over and check out the [YouTube page] and the [“Study Space” website] for You May Ask Yourself.

Everything is Obvious by Duncan J. Watts eviscerates the common sense approach that armchair sociologists and political pundits use. Watts’s style is so approachable, so straightforward and clear that readers will find themselves laughing and asking themselves, “how on earth did I not see this until now?” This one book will neutralize most of the arguments students have against sociology and get them to jump on board the soc train. You have to read this book!

7. You can contribute to the Class Pack!

   Have a great resource you think should be included in a Class Pack Module? Send it our way by sing this form and we’ll take a look at it. All user submitted resources will be feature the name of the contributor. Also, anyone can comment on the modules and leave feedback, thoughts, ideas, or suggestions for future Class Packs.

8. Modules

   The Class Pack 2.0 features 7 modules that combine core concepts of sociology to help your students make connections and see how sociology is more than just a collection of unrelated research and concepts. Each 2-3 week module focuses on a single theme within sociology and provides students with handouts, activities, and more to make learning easier.

9. Fully customizable

   All the files in the Class Pack 2.0 are editable. It’s easier than ever to take a piece or 2 for your classes or add anything to the resources. Also, all the Windows files were created on a PC, so there should be absolutely no problems with the PowerPoint or Word files.

Follow the Class Pack in Realtime

I will be using all of the modules in my large Soc101 course this fall. After I teach each module in class I’ll add it to the Class Pack and tell you about how it went. You can follow along as I teach my class this semester. Here’s the release schedule for the rest of the posts.