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Sociology: A Brief Introduction, 4/e
Richard T. Schaefer, DePaul University
Religion And Education

Internet Exercises

  1. Visit the search engine Omniseek, which provides an extensive list of "Faiths and Practices" sites. Select two groups and link to sites providing more information. Compare and contrast the two belief systems by answering the following questions:
    1. What are the dimensions of behavior for these groups (beliefs, rituals, and experiences)? What differences and similarities can you find between your two selections?
    2. How is each of the groups organized?
    3. Which of the following best describes the two groups: ecclesia, denomination, sect, or new religious movement-or possibly some combination of these (see Table 12-1)?
    4. In light of Durkheim's perspective on religion, what social functions do you believe these groups serve?
    5. If possible, make special note of any demographic information provided on the sites. How do the groups compare in this regard?
  2. The Research in Action box in this chapter (see Box 12-2) details some of the social facts regarding violence in schools. In order to address this problem, organizations have begun to emerge and are utilizing the Internet as a tool for communication. Visit the Center for the Prevention of school Violence and explore the information and links to other sites provided.
    1. Why did the Center form? What are the goals of the Center?
    2. What is the "Safe Schools Pyramid" and how does it represent the philosophy and goals of the Center?
    3. What is "S.A.V.E," why was it formed, and what techniques does it use to help alleviate school violence? Using your interactionist training, discover and describe what the "Official Colors of S.A.V.E." symbolize.
    4. Which of the statistics on the site and in your textbook surprised you the most?
    5. Do you believe that stronger gun laws will help reduce school violence? Why or why not? What else can educators, legislators, parents, and students do to help?
  3. The formation of student subcultures is one of the latent functions of education. Personal relationships, academic advancement, and occupational networking can all be pursued through such groups. Conduct your own "Cyber Student Organization Fair" by logging onto Yahoo!. Choose three different organizations listed, focusing on university/college students. For each, answer the following questions:
    1. What is the name of the group?
    2. What are the goals and purposes of the group?
    3. What are the demographics of the membership?
    4. What kind of events does the group sponsor? How do those events help the organization achieve its goals?
    5. Which ideal type of student subculture does each organization most resemble-collegiate, academic, vocational, or nonconformist (see page 341)? Why did you make that classification? Could the organization represent a combination of these ideal types?
    6. What are some of the reasons a student would join this organization?
    7. Which of the three organizations would you most like to join? Why?








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