Recommended Video: Inequality
The Powerpoint prepares students for the information in the short video “Making Sense: Rich Shopper-Poor Shopper.” The video focuses on how the retail market reflects the larger inequality in the society. Those retailers “chasing the value customer [low-end] and those that are in effect pursuing the high-end customer are doing the best. Those in the middle are really getting squeezed at both ends.” There are notes below each slide. To view simply choose "view" and then select "notes page".
Interactive Questions: Medical Sociology
Purpose: These questions may help demonstrate the levels of inequality that exist in the college classroom. After documenting those inequalities consider raising questions about how ability to purchase needed goods and services could effect time devoted to classes and assignments. For example, students who have less access to financial resources or earn lower salaries may have to work more hours leaving less time to study. There are also questions that address social mobility, specifically expectations about salary after graduation and about whether students expect to do better than one or both parents. The questions are formatted to be copied and pasted (all at once) into the polleverywhere.com system. Once you have created an account, simply choose "create poll" and paste all questions into dialogue box. Scroll to the bottom of questions (reviewing them as you go) and click "create".
- In the past year, have you (or your household) fallen behind in rent or house payments? Yes, No, Don’t know
- In the past year, was there a time you could not afford needed medical care? Yes, No
- In the past year, were there times you could only pay the minimum on credit card balances? Yes, No
- In the past year, did you sometimes go hungry because you could not afford food? Yes, No
- This semester, were you late getting textbooks for class because you could not afford them? Yes, No
- Think about the amount of money you make per hour of paid employment--How much work time in minutes does it take you to earn the money to purchase 10 gallon of gasoline at $3 dollars and 50 cents per gallons for a total price of $35. 2 hours or less, 2 to 3 hours, 3 hours and 1 minute to 4 hours, more than 4 hours, not applicable
- Think about the amount of money you make per hour of paid employment--How much work time in minutes does it take you to earn the money to purchase ink cartridges for a color printer for a total cost of $80. Less than 4 hours, 4 to 8 hours, 8 hours 1 minute to 10 hours, 10 hours 1 minute to 11 hours, more than 11 hours, not applicable
- Use three distinct words to describe what it means to achieve the American Dream?
- What is the annual salary you expect to be offered for the first job you take after earning a college degree? less than $30K, $30K-$39K, $40K-$49K, $50-59K, $60K or higher, Not Applicable
- What is the annual salary you would like to be offered for the first job you take after earning a college degree? less than $30K, $30K-$39K, $40K-$49K, $50-59K, $60K or higher, Not Applicable
- What is the dollar difference between what you expect to be offered and would like to be offered? No difference, less than $10k, between $10K and $20K, between $21K and $30K, more than $30K difference.
- Do you expect to have a million dollars in cash and investments some day? Yes, No
- When you get to be your mother’s age, do you expect to earn more (taking inflation into account) than she does now? Yes, No, Mother does not work
- When you get to be your father’s age, do you expect to earn more (taking inflation into account) than he does now? Yes, No, Father does not work