Learning What You Need to Know: Using a Common Book as a Fulcrum for Shared Experiences among Diverse Populations

This paper describes our efforts at designing and evaluating a shared research experience for undergraduate students centered on a common book. We present an approach and analysis centered on the use of a common book in an undergraduate research experience, including choosing a book, crafting activities (both inside and outside the classroom) around book readings, and evidence of the effectiveness of the methods in selection and use. The experiences highlight the value to educators seeking to include a common book as part of a research course or experience—but also value for anyone seeking to use a common book as an integral part of teaching efforts. We present our initial efforts at moving from a co-located to a distributed experience through the use of Facebook, Google Groups, and other technologies.