How audio in eBooks can facilitate the learning process

We live in a day and age when people are looking to be entertained even when getting the most regular task done.

Have you come across people listening to music while taking brisk walks and listening to a podcast, a CD or the radio while driving? Have you ever wondered what effect does the extra touch of audio have on us?

When it comes to education; studies have shown that the right type of sound vibes help you relax and concentrate better, have your brain engage better and stimulate brain activity to just the right level without too much of taxing or over stressing.

Audio books can take the form of a word -for-word version of a book or it can be a file that is embedded into a generic eBook, with a summary of a concept. This enhancement to the regular eBook can bring in vast improvement and enrichment for a solid reading experience.

Here are some ways in which audio in eBooks can help students reap maximum results to foster well-rounded learning and engaging.

Improve language skills

Audio aids have been an age old method of assistance for those who are visually impaired and have been deprived of an average person’s learning skills. Moreover, the use of audio embedded in eBooks can now be used to assist students starting at a young age where clarification is needed to pronounce words, to keep the student actively engaged and to accelerate the learning process. Furthermore, when it comes to learning a foreign language, audio tools can be of extensive use. The distinct ways of pronunciation, the etymology, the complexities and any associated ambiguities can all be clarified in an instant.

Retain attention for longer spans

For those who aren’t vociferous readers studying, reading and above all retaining can be somewhat a tedious task. This is when audio eBooks comes to the rescue. All you have to do is have an attentive ear. So even if you are just a few hours before an exam or looking for a way to absorb a lesson that you have not quite got the grasp of at school, all you have to do is slip in your headphones and listen to the audio plugin. You will be saving yourself the time of having to read pages and pages of a textbook that will probably put you to sleep and not even let you absorb half of what you expected to gain.  

Ease of use 

Audio eBooks or audio links on an eBook can be easily accessed, no matter if you are commuting or even if you are taking a break out of the city. One other good thing about having to listen instead of read is the fact that you won’t have to have the required amount of light as when reading off a book. Instead, of you having to carry bulky textbooks, you can use your audio files on a portable device that is easy to carry around and can be accessible at anytime, anywhere.

Improves critical listening

Critical listening is not only listening attentively, but it is also evaluating what is being said. The more you practice this skill by listening to audio links in your eBook the more familiar you become with analyzing and evaluating what you hear in less time. This can be a valuable asset to students, particularly when preparing for an exam, as it’s a faster way to recap than having to turn 100 pages on a textbook.

Helps to remember facts better

Audio source can boost your learning, and the fact that it is vocal in your mind can help retain information better. You have the option of playing it over and over again, and this could also be beneficial to reiterate what is being explained in a book or the classroom.

Provides faster and more information in less time

With audiobooks and audio links, a barrage of information can be acquired in little time. This might be beneficial in the case of a slow reader. In this way, you can also fast forward content that you think is not very necessary or content that is not that important and focus solely on the area that you want to absorb. This can also save on paper that is used for the whole load so information and can give you the gist of the message and cater to the point.

Supplements a well-rounded learning experience

Audio tools can help to give an edge to the curriculum with opportunity for students to develop their creative skills. For instance, if the lesson is depicted in the form of a story, this mode of communication can help them explore concepts better and acquire content that is far more comprehensible than reading it out of a book or article. Neuroscience research has proved that each one of us is born with creative powers, some which tend to go dormant with time.  With the latest technology out there, tools such as these should be used to foster critical thinking and intellectual creativity rather than mechanical and regular insight.

Having well narrated and easily transmitted content through an audio eBook can not only help students who are already capable of absorbing and retaining information better, but will be imperative for students who are not so capable of reading and maintaining long spans of attention. As these books are not the most reasonably priced, they are seldom found in school libraries. However, taken all its benefits into consideration, it is a wise investment for learning to be well set, to adapt to evolving technology and also to engage with students who are particularly not fond of reading.