The Sociological Imagination and Community-based Learning: Using an Asset-based Approach

Abstract

Fostering a sociological imagination in students is a central goal for most introductory sociology courses and sociology departments generally, yet success is difficult to achieve. This project suggests that using elements of asset-based community development can be used in sociology classrooms to develop a sociological perspective. After introducing asset-based community development, ways of incorporating this process into the classroom are discussed. Then, t tests are used to compare students’ ability to describe the relationship between individuals and society before and after engaging in asset-based activities; the sample group is also compared to a control group who did not engage in asset mapping. Results show significant improvement in the ability to think sociologically after completing asset-mapping projects.