General Education Featured Faculty

Dr. Alison Buck

Assistant Professor & Sociology Program Coordinator

Department of Language & Cultural Studies, Anthropology, and Sociology

• What General Education course(s) are you teaching? In what Element?

Everything I teach is in General Education! I teach a number of courses in General Education Element 6 (Diversity of Perspectives & Experiences): SOC 400 Race and Ethnicity, SOC 399 Gender and Society, SOC 205 Sexualities and Social Issues, and a new course, SOC 135 Living in a Diverse World. I also occasionally teach SOC 131 Introduction to Sociology which is in Gen Ed Element 5 (Social and Behavioral Sciences). 

• Why do you enjoy teaching in our General Education program?

I love having contact with students in a variety of different places in their academic careers and from diverse majors and colleges. Sociology is a very accessible subject and students always surprise me in the distinct ways they connect with the topics I teach. 

• As a faculty member, what is your role in teaching students in General Education courses?

While many of my students may not become sociology majors or even minors, they will all become members of their communities who work, vote, talk to their families, and go to the doctor. When I teach General Education courses, my role is to instill them with skills and perspectives that make all of those experiences more meaningful and more successful. 

• What recommendations do you have for faculty teaching General Education courses at EKU? 

Something I’ve learned is to think about what I want my students to remember about my courses in five or ten years. What ideas will best equip them to lead successful and meaningful lives after college? What is the best way to instill these skills or concepts? If there are major assignments or portions of the course that don’t do that, it’s time for me to revise and reassess.

Published on February 14, 2022