Engaging Students Across Disciplines: “One Book, One Community”

Engaging Students Across Disciplines:“One Book, One Community” Shauna A. Morimoto, Sociology Necia Parker-Gibson, Mullins Library http://onebook.uark.edu/

“If the writing be sincere, competent and multi-partisan, the more widely it is read, the better for the whole community. Its consumption by general readers is a fair measure of social consciousness, of the desire to meet critical issues rationally, and of unwillingness to evade them.” • (Waples, 1933).

One Book, One Community • Annual community-wide book read • with author lecture and related events • All ENGL 1013 students read the book • We hope that many more students will read the book and engage in the conversation • Copies in Mullins, and also on Ipads and Kindles for checkout • Goals of the program: • Engage students and faculty • Spark discussion on a contemporary social issue • in and out of class • Debate, enjoy, and reflect on common text • Increase social and intellectual capital in our community

Coming This Fall The Working Poor: Invisible in America by David K. Shipler Pulitzer Prize winning author tells the stories and struggles of low-wage workers in the U.S.

Our Purpose at Teaching Camp Read the book! Adopt the text for your class! Engage with the campus and community!

The Best Part Is-- The One Book One Community Committee has scheduled speakers and events To help you incorporate the book and supplement your class materials

For example: If you teach a freshman class, chances are your students are already required to read the book If you teach upper division students, there may still be ways to tie the Book to your content.

One Impetus-- • David Shipler will be on campus for two days (October 24-26) • He’ll make public presentations • 6:30-8 p.m. in the Union Ballroom • at the Fayetteville Public Library at their Gathering of the Groups lunch

We also develop programs such as: • Book groups in the University, public libraries, and in dorms • Presentations from known local experts at various times and venues • Films screenings, play performances, art and song contests! • Related specific events : • a Law and Poverty colloquium at the Law School • an Art and Economics series with Crystal Bridges

But I teach [blank]ology! How does The Working Poor relate to [blank]ology?

Making Connections: Let’s brainstorm! Philosophy Math Narratives Agriculture Ethics Food Behavioral economics Sustainability Consumerism Profits Environmentalism Market Family life Politics Climate change Economy Education Health and health care Jobs Money Status

Tell us! Please write on the card: Your discipline What you are teaching in the fall; the titles and a bit about what you’ll cover in the classes The level of your classes Your expected class sizes

Adopt the book: It’s a win-win Relevance increases engagement and learning Discussing common problems from different contexts pushes knowledge forward Our Community expands as we push knowledge forward

The Committee Membership has varied, and is too many to list here, but includes faculty, staff and community representation No, we didn’t surf. And it is a much more varied group than this!

Committee co-chairs Kevin Fitzpatrick, Jones Chair in Community, Sociology and Criminal Justice dept. David Joliffe, Brown Chair in English Literacy, Englishdept. Focused on community and literacy, respectively and mutually

The Rules Recent non-fiction Available relatively cheaply 300 pages or less Living, engaging author, available and not $$$ Potential for related events

A Topic is Chosen Appeals to a broad range of population Useful for classroom discussion and assignments Politically or socially interesting or challenging

Books are gathered • By committee members • By community members • Through solicited recommendations • By serendipity • Reviewed by as many committee members as possible • Self-reviews and published reviews considered • Returned with recommendations • Decided, unless there is another imperative input • May go from 40 titles to 1.

Cited sources • Waples, D. (1933). Community Studies in Reading: 1. Reading in the Lower East Side. The Library Quarterly.3, 1: 1-20 • Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/4301940

Engaging Students Across Disciplines: “One Book, One Community”