One of Newman University’s newest faculty members has published his first book.
Assistant Professor of Graduate Education Angelo J. Letizia, Ph.D., authored Performance Based Funding in Higher Education, The State of Truth in the Information Age.
“The book began as an idea when I was doing my dissertation, but my dissertation ultimately went in a different direction. The editor from Lexington Books contacted me after she saw a presentation of mine at a conference and liked to know if I was interested in doing a book for them. I pitched my idea that I had put on hold from my dissertation, and they agreed,” Letizia said.
The book exams modern society’s fast-paced communication and its impact on education policy.
“While the book focuses on policy, the book is ultimately about truth, and the meaning of truth in an age where instantaneous communication, electronics, the internet and social media can obscure what is true. Essentially, I call for truth creation, not discovery. This is also a collective and political effort to create truth,” Letizia said.
Letizia has been teaching in the Newman University MSED program only since August. He is also the ESOL program coordinator. He came to the university from the east coast where he was working as a K-12 teacher while earning his Ph.D. Originally from New York, he and his family are enjoying Newman University and Wichita.
“I put out applications all over the country and was hired by Newman. So far, we love the Midwest — great schools and great people. [Director of Graduate Education] Dr. Gina Marx and [Administrative Assistant] Cindy Corn have especially opened their hearts to me and my family. Everyone has been so nice and welcoming.”
Marx said she believes her newest faculty member is a rising star.
“Dr. Letizia has been a great addition to our Graduate Education department. He is young, eager to learn and a hard worker. He is brilliant in his understanding of theory and concepts, and our students are benefiting from his deep thinking,” Marx said.
Letizia is already working hard on his second book. He hopes to have it written by May.
“I recently signed a contract with Palgrave-McMillian. The book is geared to a wider audience, mainly to K-12 teachers, teacher educators and college teachers. The book is a book on instructional methods in the classroom, but framed in the back drop of civic practice and the information age.
“Too many instructional books look only to raise academic achievement. The book I am writing aims to help teachers promote democracy and civic behavior in their classrooms while utilizing the resources of the information age,” Letizia added.
Lexington Books, the publisher of Letizia’s current book, offers the work in traditional format and as an eBook.
About the book, from Lexington Books:
This book examines the touted aims of higher education policies over the past thirty years. The focus on job creation and increased graduation rates has distracted educators, students, and surrounding communities from an educator’s traditional and valued role as the promoter of democracy and critical citizenship. Letizia contends that institutions of higher education must redirect and promote their policies so that this aim is achieved and acknowledged. Recommended for scholars of Education, Sociology, Political Science, and Philosophy.
During the launch of Performance Based Funding in Higher Education, the publisher is offering a 30 percent discount when ordering using the code LEX30AUTH16.
