Abstract:

Today’s students are searching for dynamic engagement in the classroom that provides methods of cross-curricular knowledge applicable to their real-world experiences and their professional and educational goals. The history of the common reader concept spans cultures, centuries, and platforms, with some of the earliest proponents, Edmund Spenser and John Milton, advocating for a common text that should form the basis of all workable knowledge for a populace in promoting respectable, well-read societies. In essence, the goal of a common reader is to provide a sense of connection and engagement, as a diverse set of readers extrapolate meaning from a common textual artifact. Common reader programs are not new to the university system, but bringing a common reader program to the two-year college system offers unique opportunities that come with their own set of struggles. This presentation will explore the development and execution a common reader program for an urban, two-year college; the benefits of common reader programs for supporting student engagement; how common reader programs enhance student retention rates; and how to use a common reader program to create dynamic, diverse large-scale campuswide events to engage the student body, the campus faculty and staff, and the wider community we serve.

Keywords:

Engagement, common reader program, experiential learning, two-year college, community college, special programs.