Course Architecture Visual
Birds-Eye View of Learning Progression
8 Modules, 64 Assignments, Progressive Skills Development
DOCUMENT PURPOSE: This visual guide provides high-level overview of course structure. You'll see how 8 modules build cognitive complexity, how skills progression scaffolds from simple (hierarchical thinking) to advanced (hypergraph thinking), and how all frameworks coordinate across the semester.
Section 1: Course Metrics At-a-Glance
Modality Distribution
ICAP Distribution
Section 2: Two-Week Module Structure (Universal Pattern)
All 8 modules follow identical structure. This consistency reduces cognitive load while content complexity increases.
WEEK 1: Foundation
WEEK 2: Integration
ARCHITECTURAL PRINCIPLE: Structure stays constant, content evolves. Students master the workflow pattern by Module 2, freeing cognitive resources for increasingly complex sociological concepts in Modules 3-8.
Section 3: Visual Skills Progression (Scaffolded Complexity)
Visual Notes and Mega-Maps require increasingly sophisticated thinking skills. This scaffolding aligns with Bloom's Taxonomy and Cognitive Load Theory.
| Module | Visual Skill Required | Complexity | Bloom's Level | Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| M1 | Hierarchical | Understand | Tree diagram: Culture → Material/Nonmaterial → Symbols/Language/Values | |
| M2 | Hierarchical + Sequential | Apply | Research process flowchart with decision points | |
| M3 | Comparative Matrix | Analyze | 2×2 grid comparing socialization agents (family/peers/media/school) | |
| M4 | Cyclical + Causal | Analyze | Feedback loop: Interaction → Definition → Behavior → Interaction | |
| M5 | Multi-Level Nested | Evaluate | Micro/Meso/Macro levels with bidirectional influences | |
| M6 | Network (Simple) | Evaluate | Inequality factors (race/class/gender) with intersecting effects | |
| M7 | Network (Complex) | Create | Institutions (family/economy/education/government) mutually influencing | |
| M8 | Hypergraph (Advanced) | Create | Social change: Multiple causes → Multiple mechanisms → Multiple outcomes with feedback |
SCAFFOLDING RATIONALE: Students aren't asked to create complex network diagrams in Week 1. They start with simple hierarchies (tree diagrams), then add sequential/comparative thinking, then causal loops, then networks, then hypergraph synthesis by Module 8. Each skill builds on previous skills.
Section 4: Module Content Map
Sociological Perspective
Sociological Research
Socialization
Social Interaction
Social Structure
Social Inequality
Social Institutions
Hypergraph Project Capstone
Section 5: Bloom's Taxonomy Alignment Across Course
| Bloom's Level | Course Phase | Assignment Types | ICAP Mode |
|---|---|---|---|
| Remember | Week 1-2 reading | Norton (x.1, x.4) | Active |
| Understand | Week 1-2 quizzing | InQuizitive (x.2, x.5) | Active |
| Apply | Week 1 lab | F2F Lab Week 1 (x.3) | Interactive |
| Analyze | Week 1-2 visual notes | Visual Notes (x.2, x.5) | Constructive |
| Evaluate | Week 2 synthesis | Mega-Map Prep (x.6) | Constructive |
| Create | Week 2 lab | F2F Lab Week 2 (x.7) | Interactive |
BLOOM'S PROGRESSION: Each two-week module moves students from lower-order thinking (Remember/Understand in Week 1) through higher-order thinking (Apply/Analyze/Evaluate/Create in Week 2). By Module 8, students regularly work at Create level.
Section 6: Hypergraph Research Question Thread (M1→M8)
Each module's RQ Evolution Lab (x.7) advances students' research question from simple to hypergraph complexity:
What is sociology?
Definitional question. Single concept exploration.
How do sociologists study X?
Methodological question. Process understanding.
How does X influence Y?
Causal question. Two-variable relationship.
What is the relationship between X and Y?
Relational question. Bidirectional or cyclical.
How do X, Y, and Z interact?
Multi-variable question. Three-way interactions.
How do multiple factors (A, B, C) shape outcome D?
Network question. Multiple causes, single outcome.
How do systems (institution, structure, process) mutually influence each other?
Complex network question. Reciprocal causation.
How do multiple causes interact through multiple mechanisms to produce multiple outcomes with feedback effects?
Hypergraph question. Non-linear, emergent complexity.
HYPERGRAPH ACHIEVEMENT: By Module 8, students can formulate research questions that reflect authentic sociological complexity—multiple interacting causes, mediating mechanisms, feedback loops, and emergent outcomes. This is graduate-level thinking scaffolded across 16 weeks.
Key Takeaways for Reviewer
This course architecture demonstrates:
- Structural consistency: All 8 modules use identical 8-assignment pattern, reducing cognitive load
- Progressive complexity: Visual skills scaffold from simple hierarchies (⭐) to hypergraph synthesis (⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐)
- Bloom's alignment: Every module progresses from Remember → Create within two weeks
- ICAP optimization: 68% of points from Constructive + Interactive (highest learning gains)
- Modality strategy: 56% online (Active/Constructive), 44% F2F (Interactive)
- RQ evolution: Research questions advance from definitional (M1) to hypergraph complexity (M8)
- Content integration: 16 textbook chapters organized into 8 thematic two-chapter modules
- Framework coordination: TILT + ICAP + DEL + Bloom's + CLT all align with architectural design
SOCI 2013 Hybrid Course | Evidence-Based Pedagogy Documentation Package
To see validation data confirming this architecture, review Document #05 (Peer Review Validation Summary)