Faculty Reading Groups

CAT’s faculty reading groups are cross-disciplinary gatherings, offering faculty, adjuncts, and faculty development partners an opportunity to meet and discuss books, on a variety of topics related to teaching and learning, in a relaxed and safe environment.

Reading groups typically last three weeks (one 2-hour meeting per week) and are limited to 12 participants. Faculty may participate in only one reading group per semester. Registration is on a first-come-first-served basis. Faculty who agree to participate in a reading group receive a complimentary copy of the book. Reading groups are facilitated by a member of the CAT staff, a faculty fellow or special guest.

We hope that you’ll consider joining a faculty reading group. It’s a great way to meet colleagues from across the university, and be inspired by their ideas and teaching experiences. You’ll find this semester’s list of reading group books below each with a link to register and instructions on how to get your complimentary copy of the book.

Please note: To ensure productive discussion, participants should be able to commit to all scheduled meetings; we ask that you review your calendar to confirm you can attend before signing up.

Should you need an ADA accommodation to participate in a University event, program, or activity or need to request materials in an accessible format, please contact FIU’s Office of Civil Rights Compliance and Accessibility (CRCA) at 305-348-2785 or accommodations@fiu.edu. All requests for ADA accommodation or accessible materials for this event must be submitted to CRCA at least seven (7) business days prior to the event or at the earliest possible opportunity.

 

Making Learning, Lessons Learned: An Intellectual Memoir on Developing as a College Teacher

Facilitated by Douglas Robertson, Professor, Educational Policy Studies

Tuesdays: January 20; February 3, 17

Noon to 1:15 p.m.

Virtual on Zoom

book jacket for How Learning Works 

 

How Learning Works: 8 Research Based Principles for Smart Teaching

*Join in for one or all of the “chapter chats” above. No need to commit to every session; just join us for the times that work for you. 

Facilitated by Beth Simmons, Assistant Professor, STEM Institute

Tuesdays: January 27; February 3, 10, 17; March 3, 10, 17, 24

2:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Virtual on Zoom 

*Participate in all sessions to fulfill the Foundations of Teaching Pathway Category: How Learning Works.

 

Teaching First Year Students

Facilitated by Jessica Campusano, Instructional Designer, College of Medicine, Instructional Design & Training

Wednesdays: January 28, February 11, March 4

1:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.

MMC: PC 237

 *Fulfills the Foundations of Teaching Pathway Category: How Learning Works

 

Teaching with AI: A Practical Guide to a New Era of Human Learning

Facilitated by Jennifer Gebelein, Director of AI Integration and Faculty Success, Office of Faculty Leadership and Success

Wednesdays: January 28; February 4, 11, 18

10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

Virtual on Zoom

 

 

A Pedagogy of Kindness  

Facilitated by Christine Martorana, Associate Teaching Professor, Department of English & Writing Across the Curriculum

Thursdays: February 5, 19; March 5

12:30 p.m. to 1:45 p.m.

Virtual on Zoom

 

Engaging in the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning

Facilitated by Laura Lamour, Associate Teaching Professor, English Language Institute 

Wednesdays: February 11, 18; March 11, 25

1:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Virtual on Zoom

 

 

How Colleges Work: The Cybernetics of Academic Organization and Leadership 

Facilitated by Garamis Campusano, EdTech Specialist, Center for the Advancement of Teaching

Tuesdays: March 3, 17, 31; April 14

6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Virtual on Zoom

ai-ethics-2

 

Special Topics in AI Ethics 

Facilitated by Garamis Campusano, EdTech Specialist, Center for the Advancement of Teaching

Fridays: March 6, 20, and April 17

11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Virtual on Zoom

Below you will find a list of our previous books by year.

  • 2025

    Spring 2025

    • How Learning Works
    • Empowering Students with Hidden Disabilities: A Path to Pride and Success
    • 10 to 25 The Science of Motivating Young People
     
  • 2024

    Spring 2024

    • How Learning Works
    • Norton Guide to Equity-Minded Teaching
    • Productive Group Work

    Fall 2024

    • Keeping Us Engaged
    • Co-Intelligence: Living and Working with AI 
  • 2023

    Spring 2023

    • Radical Hope: A Teaching Manifesto
    • Designing and Delivering Effective Online Instruction

    Fall 2023 

    • Navigating Difficult Moments in Teaching Diversity and Social Justice
  • 2022

    Spring 2022

    • Ungrading: Why Rating Students Undermines Learning
    • Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain
    • The Principles and Practice of Narrative Medicine
    • How to be Antiracist

     

    Summer 2022

    Learner-Centered Teaching: Putting the Research on Learning into Practice

     

    Fall 2022

    • What Inclusive Instructors Do
    • Atomic Habits
    • The Aims of Higher Education
    • Navigating Difficult Moments in Teaching Diversity and Social Justice
    • Reach Everyone Teach Everyone
  • 2021

    Spring 2021

    • How Learning Works
    • Dare to Lead
    • Let's Talk About Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in Teaching Series  

     

    Summer 2021

    • Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents
    • Free Play: Improvisation in Life and Art
    • Using Zines to Support Learner-Centered Pedagogy
    • Equity Talk to Equity Walk: A Guide for Campus-Based Leadership and Practice

     

    Fall 2021

    • Grading for Equity
    • Changemakers: Educating with Purpose 
    • Inner Work of Racial Justice
    • Online Teaching at its Best

     

  • 2020

    Spring 2020

    • Deep Work
    • Assessing and Improving Your Teaching

     

    Summer 2020

    • Cheating Lessons
    • Teaching the Whole Student

     

Suggestions

Have you recently read something inspiring or thought-provoking?
Would you like CAT to bring back a title we haven't offered in a while?
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