http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xfM3x3yoRwA (Zip Line)
http://soc260casestudy.blogspot.com/
http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=6430949n&tag=contentBody;housing
MULTI-METHODS USED IN SIXTY MINUTES CASE STUDY
Student INTERVIEWS (Group/Individual)
Brookhaven Sleep Deprived EXPERIMENT (Dopamine Stimulation)
Alan DeSantos UK Communications Professor SURVEY of 2000 students ( more years/in Fraternity= more use)
--- Also Process: How get pills (student group confirm)
Unfair Advantage for users?? SURVEY: students believe improves grades.
EXPERIMENT: Some students get pills/ some placebo….. Mixed Results, but researcher supports use in future!! Published this in NATURE MAGAZINE: Controversial!!
EXPERT WITNESS: National Institute Of Drug Abuse (ADDICTION, Side Effects beyond addiction)
INTERVIEW: Young (31) Harvard Economic Professor: APPROVE-I use to finish writing my book.
CONGRUENT DATA: US Fighter Pilots use type of drug this to stay awake
Finish w/ Students… Future Unknown!
EXCERPTS FROM COMMENTS ON SIXTY MINUTES PAGE
These kids are taking the drugs because of insecurity, low self-esteem, poor learning skills, and the pathetic tribal tendencies of people who want to be like their peers. Real individuals don't need drugs. There is also a cowardice in their use of these drugs because they can't face their own inner weaknesses. Take it from a professor. YOU are not your A or your F.
This story reminded me of the claims LSD was the next step in psychological evolution in the late 50s and early 60s...if I remember correctly, Timothy Leary was a professor at Harvard too.
I am a sociologist who has been researching Adderall/Ritalin use among college students for several years. For this generation in particular, students are actively weighing medical use on a regular basis. Students and I have written a show called "Ritalin Monologues" to bring attention to the issues raised in our research - we have performed it on several liberal arts campuses. On the topic of negotiating Ritalin/Adderall use during and after college, please see our co-authored piece -- Grappling with the Medicated Self: The Case of ADHD College Students. Meika Loe, Leigh Cuttino. Symbolic Interaction 31(3):303-323 (2008).
Or see this article in Contexts magazine:
http://contexts.org/articles/spring-2008/the-prescription-of-a-new-generation/
Best,
Dr. Meika Loe
Associate Professor of Sociology
Colgate University
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So how can we design a quick case study to evaluate
1) the phenomena of these drugs being used at BCTC and
2) the community awareness of this problem?
What is our hypothesis about existence of this at BCTC (through students, faculty, staff) and the awareness of people we know about this social change? (Do not limit your findings to this. Feel free to go where this research takes you (i.e. usage of this type of drugs on long work shifts).
Gil’s educated guesses:
1) Less involvement at BCTC because of several factors in story:
a) higher use in Seniors b) higher use in Fraternities, Sororities c) UK more community than commuter campus compared to BCTC (more inside social networks, inside peer pressure)
2) Community awareness of problem low (cultural lag) due to focus of problem mainly “on campus” and not usual illegal drugs even for prescription drugs.
Do these seem initially valid? What does class hypothesize thy will find?
What are the core questions?
What multi-methods can be used?
How do you gain access? (differ from Focus on students versus Focus on outsiders)
Ethics? Confidentiality?
How do you document? (confidentiality) Post to Blog. Gil will repost under his name not yours. Your post to me will be your FINAL EXAM. Everyone post something by next week.
We will meet next week to synthesize our findings on this.
