Recreating the BBC class calculator: A project in open science pedagogy

Recreating the BBC class calculator: A project in open science pedagogy

School:  Social and Political Science

Team Members: Tod van Gunten, Roxanne Connelly, Vernon Gayle, Kevin Ralston

Abstract

The goal of this project is to re-create an important teaching tool, the BBC class calculator, using open science principles. This tool is currently used on Sociology 1a, a large first year core course, but is experiencing the effects of “digital decay.” By re-creating the tool using open science principles, we will not only extend its lifespan (and thus its utility for our teaching) but also enhance its ability to meet our learning objectives. We use the class calculator as part of a unit on social inequalities that introduces core concepts in the study of social stratification, including different approaches to social class. Learning objectives include not only understanding of key concepts, but of the reasons why social scientists use classification in empirical research, and to encourage critical thinking about the merits of different classification schema (set of class categories). This learning objective would be enhanced by a calculator that permits calculation of class positions in different frameworks, which the current BBC class calculator does not. By making the class calculator open source, widely available and not dependent on the support of a third party organization, we hope to encourage extension and modification of the calculator to pursue varying learning objectives.