Peer Review

Gender and Race, Work, and Public Policy

Material Detail page

Reviewed:: Dec 14, 2019 by Sociology

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Ratings

Overall Rating:

Content Quality:

Effectiveness:

Ease of Use:

Overview:

This course provides an analytic framework for understanding the roles that gender and race play in defining the work worlds of women and men in our society, including ways in which gender intersects with race and class. The course examines specific workplace-related policies through a gender/race lens, including welfare policy, comparable worth, affirmative action, parental leave policy, child care policy and working time policies. Students investigate ways in which these policies address gender and racial inequities, and think critically about mechanisms for change.

Type of Material:

Online open education resource course
Learning object repository
Reference material

Recommended Uses:

For new instructors of Gender/Women Studies, this would be a great site to assist in creating a syllabus, find suggested readings for topics, and ideas for assignments and requirements. It could be used as a stand alone course for those interested in women and public policy. The resources would be valuable to sociologists, psychologists, political scientists, and social workers.

Technical Requirements:

Internet Explorer or applicable browser
Adobe Acrobat Reader (PDF files)

Identify Major Learning Goals:

To provide students with an analytic framework to understand the roles that gender, race, and class play in defining and determining access to leadership and power in the US, especially in the context of the workplace.
To increase student knowledge about historical and contemporary efforts — and more broadly, social movements — aimed at challenging societal inequities by class, gender, race/ethnicity that are woven into societal norms and practice and manifest in the workplace.
To provide students with increased confidence in their ability to navigate the workplace, taking into account how gender and race/ethnicity biases affect workplace culture as well as frame the opportunity structure within the workplace.
Students have a greater understanding of how gender, race, and class define and determine access to leadership and power in the U.S., especially in the context of the workplace.
Students understand past and current change-making efforts that then manifest in the context of the workplace.
Students have more confidence in their ability to navigate gender/race/class dynamics as they manifest in the workplace.

Target Student Population:

Based on the suggested readings, this course appears to be designed for advanced undergraduate/graduate students.

Prerequisite Knowledge or Skills:

This is a reading intensive course. Students would need good reading and reading comprehension skills.

Content Quality

Rating:
Strengths:: This resource is really great at integrating social theory with political action and public policy. Students interested in impacting public/organizational policy would benefit from the resources from this course. Course is well organized and provides a reading list with access to some external sources to support knowledge acquisition and learning. It includes assessments with student examples to demonstrate requirements.
Concerns:: The reading list is extensive with links to Amazon for several for purchase. Even when students buy used, it may be cost prohibitive to some. Although it is open courseware, there is a price to pay. The course is not designed for independent learning or self-study.

Potential Effectiveness as a Teaching Tool

Rating:

Strengths:

It provides a connection between theory, practice and action and allows students to ponder particular social issues, connect to social theory, observe current patterns and advocate for change.

There are multiple required and supplemental free resources with active links to external sites or purchasing information for commercial publications. It includes a detailed course outline and a description of all course assessments.

Concerns:

There are no instructor guidelines or resources for facilitating the course. The lengthy reading list that could be too expensive for some students.

Ease of Use for Both Students and Faculty

Rating:
Strengths:: The site was easy to navigate. Links were provided for films and readings (many for purchase). The information provided meets accessibility requirements. Student assessment instructions and examples provide clear instruction of assignment requirements.
Concerns:: There is no access to interactive resources to engage learners. There are no instructions, lectures, or notes for teachers or facilitators. Many resources required need to be purchased.

Other Issues and Comments:: The biggest barrier for this course is the cost of the resources needed to take the course. Although there are some free resources, many require payment. Although this is open courseware, the cost associated with the resources might be prohibitive for some students.
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