Trickle Down Engagement in First-Year Common Reading Programs

Abstract

Common reading programs provide first-year students with common experiences that facilitate their engagement in the academic and social domains of college life. We investigated how the levels of engagement in common reading programs (e.g., recommended the book to students) by individuals in academic support roles (e.g., instructors, advisors, student life personnel) predicted students’ engagement in the book and book-related activities, as well as students’ retention of book content. We will discuss the importance of trickle down engagement (e.g., from instructors to students) in the success of common reading programs and offer practical recommendations to increase engagement in common reading programs. Citation: Coleman, T., Saucier, D., & Miller, S. Trickle down engagement in first-year common reading programs. Paper submitted to the 35th Annual Conference on the First-Year Experience, Orlando, FL.