ASU author, alumni receive textbook award

The Textbook and Academic Authors Association has released the names the 2022 Textbook Award winners: Arizona State University Professor Emeritus Chuck Corbin (and co-authors Darla Castelli, Ben Sibley and Guy Le Masurier) received the McGuffey Award that recognizes textbooks and learning materials whose excellence has been demonstrated over time.

According to the association, the longevity in the marketplace is strong testimony to the quality of a title. To be nominated, a text must have been in print for more than 15 years. "Fitness for Life" (seventh edition) earned the honor in the K–12 category.

"Fitness for Life" previously earned the association's Textbook Excellence Award for current outstanding text and learning materials. The first edition of "Fitness for Life" was published in 1979 by Corbin and co-author Ruth Lindsey. Published by Human Kinetics, the text is now in its 43th year and is used in schools throughout the United States and the world. 

The McGuffey Award bears the name of William Holmes McGuffey whose influential primers first appeared in 1836 and helped bring the United States out of illiteracy. McGuffey's "Eclectic Readers," usually referred to as "McGuffey's Readers," were in print until 1921.

The Textbook and Academic Authors Association judges used four criteria in determining award winners: pedagogy, content/scholarship, writing and appearance/design.

The 2022 judges indicated that "Fitness for Life" has resulted in “a sustained movement within physical education toward lifelong activity with the goal of achieving and maintaining physical, mental and emotional health, and wellness." The judges also acknowledged research that shows the “long-term effectiveness of the program.” 

Castelli is a professor at the University of Texas-Austin; Sibley is a professor at Appalachian State University; and Le Masurier is a professor at Vancouver Island University. Sibley and Le Masurier were also ASU doctoral graduates.