Podcasts Vs. Parents

It is a longstanding rule of successful parenting: Parents who read to their small children will result in children who have more vivid imaginations, do better in school and become more successful adults. But now parents may be relieved of at least some of their reading duties because an increasing number of children's tales are now available in podcast form. NPR reports.

Questions...

•Are we witnessing the death of reading? Why or why not?

•Can children--or people in general--learn as much through the spoken word as they do through reading? Is one superior to the other? Why?
•Are books in podcast form as good as books on paper? If half the MC101 class had the textbook on paper and the other half had the text in podcast form, would each half of the class do equally well on tests?

•Would you rather have your textbook in podcast, ebook or paper book form? Why?