Center for Teaching & Mentoring

Book Groups

Book groups bring faculty together to discuss literature related to teaching, learning, or other relevant topics in higher education. They offer a space for educational development, community building, and sharing of ideas among colleagues. Discussions often center on how to apply concepts from the books to the teaching practices of group members.  

Image feature a circle with books receding into the distance. Book Groups is written below in all caps

Reflection and Growth. Book clubs encourage reflection on current teaching practices and provide a space for exploring new ideas.

Knowledge Sharing. Discussions allow faculty to share insights, experiences, and strategies related to themes and issues in higher education.

Professional Development. Book groups provide a low-cost way for faculty to engage with new ideas and pedagogical approaches.

Community Building. They foster connections among faculty members, promoting collaboration and a sense of belonging.

Spring 2026 Faculty Book Groups

The Center for Teaching and Mentoring will provide books for How to Mentor Anyone in Academia and The Opposite of Cheating: Teaching for Integrity in the Age of AI. The book group for The New PhD: How to Build a Better Graduate Education will use an e-book version, which is available through the Walker Library. Each book group will accept nine (9) faculty members for the spring semester.

An image of the cover of "How to Mentor Anyone in Academia"

Facilitator: Julie Myatt

How to Mentor Anyone in Academia serves as a guide to those who find themselves in the role of mentor, introducing them to research-supported practices they can apply to their mentoring relationships.

Meeting format: In-person in LIB 348
Meeting dates:
February 19, 11:20 am – 12:45 pm
March 5, 11:20 am – 12:45 pm
March 19, 11:20 am – 12:45 pm

This book group is FULL.
An image of the cover of the book "The Opposite of Cheating"

Facilitator: Elizabeth Stephens

The Opposite of Cheating: Teaching for Integrity in the Age of AI invites higher education instructors to take a deeper look at how to partner with and encourage growth in students. It begins with the problem of why students cheat (and how easy it is in the AI era) and moves toward relationship-building with students and rethinking how we assess progress in the classroom.

Meeting format: Remote – Microsoft Teams
Meeting dates:
February 25, 10:30 am – 12 pm
March 18, 10:30 am – 12 pm
April 1, 10:30 am – 12 pm

This book group is FULL.
An image of the cover of the book "The New PHD"

Facilitator: William Levine

The New PhD: How to Build a Better Graduate Education prompts faculty to reconsider the purposes of graduate education (not just PhD programs) for more realistic and practical applications of the degree that affect curricula, teaching methods, advising, program requirements, etc.

This book group will use an e-book version of The New PhD, available through the Walker Library.

Meeting format: In-person in LIB 348
Meeting dates:
February 18, 11:30 am – 12:30 pm
March 4, 11:30 am – 12:30 pm
March 18, 11:30 am – 12:30 pm

Registration is CLOSED.

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Center for Teaching and Mentoring
LIB 348
615-904-8499
ctm@mtsu.edu

Book a mentoring appointment with one of our directors:
Jennifer Vannatta-Hall or Robyn Ridgley

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