Learning By Listening - USA Today

The accessibility of information has been quite a hot topic in education since schools first began getting on the Net. The newest piece to this technological marvel is transportation. With a "right-click" and a "save as" so much of our informational world can go with us.

I'm glad to see that listening to books can help a student become interested in reading. I'm just afraid that it will become an option for those students who "struggle" with reading and are given the book on CD as a modification, rather than have them learn to read. It's possible and don't think someone won't suggest it sometime soon as some sort of compromise. I personally love books on CD for long trips, but not so much as a learning tool; a promotional tool, yes.

Combining this article with any others about academic podcasting and you have potential for some real change in the movement of information. A large concern with it all is the fact that it can not be controlled. Where, how and when they listen to the material can have a large success on retention and comprehension.

"You just need to ask intelligent questions, and you can get answers anytime, anywhere, in real time," Taylor said. "Education becomes no longer a fact-based learning process; it's search-based, cognitive. It's kind of like what happened to math skills with the calculator." I think this is the real essence of where education is headed and this is where educational technology should be playing a leading role.