This paper explains how a sociology teacher used a Guided Design approach to teach students in an introductory college level sociology course about the process and content of sociology and about problem solving. In a Guided Design approach, topics are presented as problems which students can solve by using prepared reading materials and by gathering additional information. Frequent feedback is offered to students as they follow 12 basic steps--gathering information, identifying the problem, stating objectives, stating constraints and assumptions, generating possible solutions, making a decision, analyzing, synthesizing, evaluating the solution, reporting results and making recommendations, implementing the decision, and checking results. The problem in the sociology course discussed in this paper centered on controversy over a basic competency test required for high school graduation. Students in the sociology course were directed to divide into groups of six or seven and assumed the roles of members of a committee set up to answer test-related complaints by educators, minority parents, and community members. After the students generated several possible solutions to the test crisis, they received a final round of feedback from the teacher, decided which solution to implement, and prepared a final report for which they received a group grade. Student evaluations of the course indicated that they felt the Guided Design approach to be interesting and valuable. Further, comparison of test scores and essay assignments of students who participated in Guided Design indicated that they did just as well in terms of quality and better in terms of quantity of substantive knowledge than students in a course taught by more traditional methods. (DB)