A forum for faculty interested in deep discussion of works on teaching and learning

This semester we will discuss Mano Singham’s new book,  The achievement gap in US Education.  The YSU Faculty Book Club is open to any interested faculty member.  CATALYST has purchased copies of The achievement gap in US education for the first 10 faculty who enroll in the YSU Faculty Book Club and commit to pre-reading assigned chapters and participating in a series of six, one-hour discussions about the book.  For others who would like to participate but who enroll too late to receive free books, here is ordering information:  Singham, M (2005) The achievement gap in US education. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield Education,  ISBN 1-57886-217-5,  paperback, $24.95 from publisher.  

Mano Singham, is Professor of Physics and Director of UCITE (University Center for Innovation in Teaching and Education) at Case Western Reserve University.  A pioneer in the use of active learning strategies and leading proponent strategies for enhancing students’ learning of underlying concepts as well as basic content information, Mano looks at achievement problems at all educational levels in this new book.

From the preface to “Achievement gap”:
…despite decades of study and efforts at resolving this (the achievement gap) dilemma, we have progressed very little toward finding a solution.  There is no magic bullet because no single reason or collection of reasons can be fingered as the cause.  This failure is enormously frustrating for everyone involved.  Why is this problem so intractable?...I know that I am not alone, that there are many people out there who share my belief that the desire to learn is not extinguished in our students, but only dormant….This book is an appeal to all those who love learning for its own sake to join together and help make that feeling universal.    

We hope many faculty will be interested in this opportunity to share ideas and insights with colleagues, and we hope to continue the YSU Faculty Book Club with a new title each semester.