Reading

According to the prominent eighteenth century literary figure Dr. Samuel Johnson, “A man ought to read just as inclination leads him; for what he reads as a task will do him little good.”

College does a good job crushing any interest in reading. Students are expected to purchase high-priced texts that may be informative but are generally boring. The students are burdened with a heavy reading load that is difficult to carry. I question the value students receive from much of what is assigned for them to read.

I enjoy reading. My appreciation for reading, though, was not cultivated in college. My love for reading developed after leaving college, when I was able to choose what I read. Reading became a choice rather than a requirement.

There are many reasons to justify using assigned readings in courses. I use textbooks in my introductory courses. They contain the information students need to provide a foundation for their future studies in the particular discipline. I question, however, the value students receive from the reading I assign. In my advanced courses I do not assign a text. I have students identify what they want to learn about the subject of the course and have them identify the resources that will answer the questions raised. College is to help students learn how to learn. We need to help students learn what questions to ask and how to find the answers. By using general textbooks, we are often spoon feeding students information at the cost of real learning.