| With the proliferation of technology and the | | | | learning still requires you to read and discuss |
| seemingly staggering pace at which it seems to | | | | communication still requires you to write. But what |
| reinvent itself, you may be wondering whether or | | | | about e-mail? E-mail is writing except that it is in |
| not reading and writing have the same importance | | | | the digital form. And video, although more |
| today as they did 50 years ago. After all, it | | | | interactive, is not something that is easily |
| appears as though everything is based on | | | | reference. For instance, if you're working on a |
| short-term gratification, soundbites, and video. | | | | particular paper on the subject that you are |
| There seems to be very little room for the | | | | passionate about and you need some quick |
| old-fashioned way of communication. However, | | | | information, it is still faster to go to the library or |
| consider for a moment that the ability to read | | | | simply, go to your bookshelf pick up the relevant |
| and write is something that everyone still needs | | | | book that you need and then cite a particular |
| to have at least in some small fashion due to the | | | | passage or quotation. The video or audio clip does |
| amount of information that we get inundated with | | | | not allow you to do this. |
| a daily basis. Indeed, it appears as though the flow | | | | Something else to consider of course is the fact |
| of information that we are exposed to is | | | | that reading and writing are still the Main ways |
| increasing daily basis and as such we need to be | | | | that we get our ideas across and how to other |
| able to not only take it in but we also need to be | | | | people. The Internet just makes it that much |
| able to interpret it correctly so that we make the | | | | easier. And if you have any designs on an |
| correct choices for our current lifestyle. Even | | | | academic career then the more you can write |
| something as simple as shopping for groceries | | | | the better you can read and understand, the |
| requires both the skills. | | | | better chance you will have. Until there is a way |
| However, some may say that with the rise of | | | | to beam images and information directly into our |
| e-book readers such as the iPad and Kindle, that | | | | brains, reading and writing will be around for very |
| even education is becoming digitized and more | | | | very long time. |
| interactive. While this is true, the basic skill of | | | | |