Many universities and colleges have incorporated "a common reading program" for incoming first year students. Typically, a book is selected by a campus committee and introduced during summer orientation activities. Students are expected to read the book in early fall and participate in discussion groups and other activities during the fall and/or winter semesters. Our first year design and communications course at The Schulich School of Engineering at the University of Calgary participated in 2013 for the first time because the book - No Impact Man by Colin Beavan - addressed questions about sustainable living and added value to a planned design project. Students were asked to read one chapter of the book, to critically discuss this chapter in their 'chapter' groups, and assign a spokesperson to summarize their chapter with added constructive criticism for the class. This was done with the entire first year class of 725 students over 4 lecture sections.
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