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Social Sciences
Special Issues
Global and Virtual Sociological Teaching—Challenges & Opportunities
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Global and Virtual Sociological Teaching—Challenges & Opportunities

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 January 2026 | Viewed by 1871

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Heying Jenny Zhan

E-Mail Website
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

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a double-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Social Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1800 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

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

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

22 pages, 686 KB  
Article
Embedding Critical Thinking in Global Virtual Exchange—Teaching Sociology Across National Borders in Virtual Classrooms
by Heying Jenny Zhan and Jing Liu
Soc. Sci. 2025, 14(8), 487; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci14080487 - 8 Aug 2025
Viewed by 379
Abstract
Global virtual exchange is a mode of teaching that can reach classrooms beyond national borders and across disciplines. This paper utilizes students’ online conversations and learning projects as primary data to demonstrate experiential learning and critical thinking processes in a global virtual classroom [...] Read more.
Global virtual exchange is a mode of teaching that can reach classrooms beyond national borders and across disciplines. This paper utilizes students’ online conversations and learning projects as primary data to demonstrate experiential learning and critical thinking processes in a global virtual classroom between students in the U.S. and China. Findings reveal that guided weekly online conversations between American and Chinese students provided experiential learning about personal and familial experiences as well as deep insights into healthcare and pension policies affecting individuals and societies. Furthermore, collaborative learning projects on healthcare and pension systems among international students embedded critical thinking in the learning process. These learning projects are comparative and thought-provoking, offering students a chance to apply a critical and global lens to the understanding of social policies and services in different social and cultural contexts. The expansion of global virtual exchange may be a byproduct of COVID-19 distant learning; it may have opened new channels for breaking geographic boundaries of learning sociology in global and critical perspectives. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Global and Virtual Sociological Teaching—Challenges & Opportunities)
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10 pages, 206 KB  
Article
Teaching Sociology Through Community-Engaged Learning with a Multinational Student Body: Garnering Sociological Insights from Lived Experiences Across National Contexts
by Katherine Lyon
Soc. Sci. 2025, 14(7), 436; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci14070436 - 16 Jul 2025
Viewed by 264
Abstract
Community-engaged learning (CEL) is a popular educational approach for sociology teaching across Canada and globally. Students in sociology courses with this experiential component can opt in to enhance their learning by working with community members and organizations in structured, low-stakes ways that forward [...] Read more.
Community-engaged learning (CEL) is a popular educational approach for sociology teaching across Canada and globally. Students in sociology courses with this experiential component can opt in to enhance their learning by working with community members and organizations in structured, low-stakes ways that forward community priorities. Evidence shows that CEL in sociology courses supports students in developing a wide variety of skills. However, little is known about how international students in sociology courses engage with this pedagogy. Drawing on 20 semi-structured interviews with international students from Asia, South America, and Eastern Europe who completed CEL programming as part of their sociology course curriculum at a large Canadian university, I show how these students engaged in unique learning practices. The findings indicate that international students draw upon their life experiences from diverse national contexts to navigate and reflect upon their CEL placement in sociological ways. These students’ voices offer rich insights for sociology educators designing course-based CEL opportunities with a multinational student body. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Global and Virtual Sociological Teaching—Challenges & Opportunities)
16 pages, 540 KB  
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
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 646
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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