These exercises will involve integrating class activities and information gathered from The Measure of America. The exercises will utilize http://www.measureofamerica.org/of the Social Science Research Council. Students will be expected to find and use interactive tools from these websites and directed links that will allow each student to gain understanding of “stratification data” and “opportunity structures.” Students are expected to submit responses corresponding to the following bulleted items as indicated in the course schedule:

These are the items that need to be addressed for the interactive assignment.

• What is the “human development index?” How is this index different from the opportunity index? Define, note scales, and discuss methodology or steps of how each index are determined; be specific.[20]
• Locate human development levels [Use the “Mapping America” tool]: (a) where you spent most of your childhood – identify if it was urban or rural; (b) an area in a different part of the state where you grew up; (c) a rural area in a different region of the US, not where you grew up; (d) an urban area in a region of the US, not where you grew up. Be sure and give specific numbers; that is, specify well-being indices. [10]
• Continue with the “Mapping America” data and compare two locales regarding sustainable development (choose at least half of the 12 data points); which population is adversely affected, statistically, in terms of well-being? [15]
• Calculate your human development score based on the household you are in or grew up in – specify. (Use the “Well-O-Meter”). [5]
• Determine the opportunity index for selected areas: (a) where your parents live; (b) where you would consider or like to live (different from where your parents live); (c) the area of the least opportunity; (d) the area of most opportunity. Note what indicators account for differences. [10]
• Utilizing the Measure of America data of key findings and trends found in 2018 regarding “opportunity,” what is associated (possible correlation) between high and low opportunity? That is, what factors affect opportunity outcomes the most?[15]