Global and Virtual Sociological Teaching—Challenges & Opportunities

A special issue of Social Sciences (ISSN 2076-0760).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 July 2025 | Viewed by 278

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Department of Sociology, College of Arts & Sciences, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA 30302, USA
Interests: comparative social policies; global aging; immigration; sociological teaching

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue will focus on three major themes: (1) teaching sociology from global/comparative perspectives; (2) the use of online or virtual classrooms in global sociological teaching; and (3) sociological pedagogy and new technological applications in sociological teaching. We therefore welcome the submission of papers that address these three themes and various aspects of sociological teaching.

This Special Issue invites scholars who have taught various sociological courses to contribute papers with a global and comparative lens. This may include papers that discuss pedagogy or issues related to sociological teaching from a global perspective, either in face-to-face, hybrid, or virtual modes. The focus of this Special Issue is on the dissemination of insights into sociological teaching using global comparative perspectives.

Online or virtual global classrooms are a mode of teaching that has rapidly grown since the COVID-19 pandemic. Virtual classrooms enable students and faculty from all corners of the globe to communicate, study and discuss various social issues in the same virtual space. This Special Issue will explore the challenges and opportunities related to the use of virtual classrooms across the globe. The forum in Morocco in July 2025 will connect scholars who have had experience teaching sociology in virtual classrooms.

Sociological pedagogy and new technological applications in sociological teaching will also be adderssed in this Special Issue, as the sharing of teaching experiences and lessons among sociologists will advance sociological teaching online or offline. This Special Issue therefore also welcomes the submission of papers that explore innovations in digital teaching or assessment tools, including virtual quizzes, e-portfolio coursework platforms, or novel uses of virtual learning environments.

Dr. Heying Jenny Zhan
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • sociological teaching
  • global perspectives
  • virtual classrooms
  • pedagogy
  • critical thinking
  • new technology

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

16 pages, 424 KiB  
Article
The Impact of Virtual Exchange on College Students in the US and China
by Hongmei Zhang, Jian Wu, Yanju Li, Chad Marchong, David Cotter, Xianli Zhou and Xinhe Huang
Soc. Sci. 2025, 14(5), 281; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci14050281 - 30 Apr 2025
Abstract
Virtual Exchange (VE) has emerged as a promising alternative to traditional physical exchange, experiencing exponential growth in recent years to enhance students’ learning outcomes. However, the ways in which VE can effectively and mutually benefit diverse student populations remain unclear. This study introduces [...] Read more.
Virtual Exchange (VE) has emerged as a promising alternative to traditional physical exchange, experiencing exponential growth in recent years to enhance students’ learning outcomes. However, the ways in which VE can effectively and mutually benefit diverse student populations remain unclear. This study introduces a specifically designed VE project utilizing the “Zoom-Sandwiched Cross-Chapter Concept Map” model and investigates its impact on college students enrolled in an introductory-level course in the US and China. The ten-week VE project incorporated both academic and cultural components. While our previous publication focused on the academic component and its benefits on student academic performance, this article emphasizes the cultural component and the integrated nature of the project. Our results demonstrated the effectiveness of this project in promoting students’ career readiness competencies, particularly teamwork and communication skills. Additionally, our comparative data highlighted how this project significantly improved the behavioral dimension of Intercultural Communication Competence (ICC) and influenced career & self-development for Chinese students while fostered leadership skills among US students. The VE project presented in this article provides valuable guidance for integrating VE into curricula across various disciplines, helping to shape future VE initiatives globally. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Global and Virtual Sociological Teaching—Challenges & Opportunities)
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