A series of quick polls during recent class sessions revealed a jarring reality regarding student engagement with the library. Across more than 60 undergraduate and postgraduate students polled that I teach this semester (Semester 2, Session 2025/2026), over half confessed they had never borrowed a book. This lack of engagement was further highlighted in a class of 31 undergraduates (you know who you are!), where more than half admitted they had not yet borrowed a single textbook this semester when I did a quick survey in the middle of semester. This immediately raises the question of how many books they actually read each semester. While younger generations may prefer e-books over the physical copies favoured by Gen X like me, the lack of engagement with library resources is striking. When asked if they rely primarily on class notes to understand core concepts, the majority answered yes. This trend is alarming.
Reading books does not make one a “nerd.” Yet, students are becoming overly reliant on lecture notes, which are merely summarized shortcuts of a lecturer’s own reading. Lecture slides are designed to guide, not to replace actual reading. True intellectual growth and critical thinking are unlocked only through active, independent reading. While many students believe notes are sufficient for good grades, true learning requires active cognitive engagement. Relying solely on summaries leads directly to “The Spoon-Feeding” Trap, where students rely on someone else’s digested knowledge rather than processing information themselves.
When I was an undergraduate, I had lecturers who never wrote a single word on the whiteboard nor provided lecture notes. This approach forced me to read textbooks before class, preparing notes and questions that I would ask during class. Without that preparation, passing those courses would have been almost impossible. In courses with multiple references, such as history or philosophy, I was pushed to read extensively, even when the material was difficult to grasp. Coming to class prepared significantly enhanced my understanding.
For example, when first introduced to operant conditioning, I wondered how it applies in real life. This intellectual curiosity prompted me to seek out books by B.F. Skinner. I discovered his 1948 utopian novel, Walden Two, which depicts a community structured entirely around positive reinforcement. The book inspired the founding of the Twin Oaks Community in Virginia in 1967 (which still exists today). This community designed a society that avoids punishment, instead using a “labour credit” system (a form of token economy) where less desirable jobs are reinforced with higher credits. Reading Walden Two alongside his non-fiction works, Beyond Freedom and Dignity (1971) and About Behaviourism (1974), helped me understand these principles, but also to recognize behaviourism’s limitations. After grappling with the Western perspectives on reward and punishment, I realized I needed a philosophical counterweight. This intellectual curiosity led me to seek out and read Malik Badri’s The Dilemma of Muslim Psychologists (1979), a pursuit encouraged by some of my own lecturers, the very same ones who never wrote anything on the whiteboard nor used any lecture slaid.
The process of reading both Western and Muslim thinkers proved invaluable, opening my mind to truly multi-dimensional understandings of psychological concepts. The deepest insight came from realizing the stark contrast with strict behaviourism: from an Islamic perspective, rewards and punishments are fundamentally rooted in Allah’s Mercy. It is important to note that continuous worldly success can sometimes be a test (istidraj) rather than a straightforward reward. This concept immediately introduced a profound ethical and spiritual nuance, challenging the behaviourist premise that outcomes are simply tied to behavioural reinforcement, irrespective of any higher moral or spiritual value.
Personally, I believe reading provides the crucial context, history, and nuance that bullet points on a PowerPoint slide always leave out. I view reading not as a chore for exams, but as a path to personal growth. I am a strong believer that reading pushes students from surface-level learning toward meaningful learning, transforming them from passive consumers into active learners. Even in our fast-paced AI era, where reading a book from cover-to-cover might feel like a lost art, there is just something magical about getting lost in a good book. That feeling of being transported to another world is something a quick summary video simply cannot match!
It was great to see the quick poll (and maybe a little “friendly” nudge!) got some students thinking. A few even came to me eager to know how to boost their reading habits. Remember, just like building muscle at the gym, improving any skill requires consistent action, not just a burst of motivation. While reading does require a little “cognitive stamina” (think of it as a mental muscle!) it is absolutely something we can build. The key is turning that initial excitement into an easy, stress-free, and sustainable habit.
Here are a few starting actions:
● Start small: Read just 5 to 10 pages a day of a textbook or academic chapter instead of attempting to finish a whole book in one sitting. If thick textbooks or journal articles are intimidating, start with non-fiction books related to the courses that you are taking.
● Create a friction-free environment: With the distraction of smartphones and short videos from TikTok and Instagram, having a quiet, dedicated reading time is crucial. Put your phone in another room and dedicate a specific 20 minutes daily for reading (e.g., right before bed or during a transit commute).
● Utilize UTM resources: As a student paying tuition fees, it is wasteful not to fully utilize UTM library resources, including its digital collections. UTM’s library offers vast e-book and digital database collections accessible right from our smartphones.
So, here is the final nudge: notes are fantastic for acing exams, but books are the actual fuel that prepares students for the marathon of the real world. I challenge you (my students especially), just read one book this week! Go visit the library (physical or digital. No excuses!) and help me happily update my current “research findings” on student borrowing habits.
On a completely unrelated note (wink, wink): after a decade of teaching undergraduate educational psychology, I am still waiting for the first student to casually drop a reference to B.F. Skinner’s books. Seriously, please break my personal observation streak! Don’t let me think the behaviourists were right about a lack of reinforcement! Oh no… maybe they are still correct after all!
