Alternative Assessments

Sitting down in your favorite chair next to a warm, crackling fire in the fireplace enjoying a good, intellectually stimulating book is a form of relaxation.

Well, in today's world, that book is commonly replaced with a phone, tablet or other electronic device, playing a mind-numbing game of Candy Crush or an application with a similar objective.

When considering this, has reading become an activity of the past?

The skill of reading, which used to be a sign of knowledge and education, is becoming underrepresented and unappreciated.

Personally, I know that I do not read as much as generations before me. When I finish reading my textbook, articles or homework assignment, the last task I want to complete is reading for fun.

In my mind, it is more relaxing to lay in my bed and watch Netflix then thumb through the seemingly endless pages a book possesses. Does this mean I do not appreciate the content and knowledge a book possesses? Of course not, but I find it easier to relax and unwind when I can observe the content rather than decoding it in my mind.

Part of the association that books are a thing of the past is my generation is known as the instantaneous generation. While this may seem like a negative connotation, I believe it does have some positive considerations.

Since we expect everything to be available at all times, it creates high expectations that content needs to be assessable and available when the need arises. When this option is available, research processes become seamless and desirable.

This spurred the creation of eBooks. When a specific fragment of information needs to be unearthed, it is more efficient and simplistic to simply search for that key phrase, thus, shortening the research process and making physical books obsolete.

While eBooks are a promising alternative, audio books provide an innovative reading experience. Personally, I prefer to listen to an audio book than read a book a majority of the time. I do enjoy reading, but it is much more enjoyable to take a break from reading and being read to-maybe it is a reminder of my early childhood years.

An audio book offers so many more options. I can listen to it in the car while I drive, in a dark room, in a waiting room ... this list goes on. In the end, it just offers a wider array of opportunities opposed to the traditional reading style.

However, there are times that I prefer a physical book over an electronic copy. Even though the eBook textbook is always cheaper than the paper copy, I always purchase a paper copy. There is something about having a physical book to flip through that allows homework to be expedient and just feel right. This is not to say that I cannot efficiently use an eBook for my classes, but the physical copy is what I prefer.

While sitting down next to a warm, crackling fire with a good book may be a dying hobby, there are plenty of alternatives that exist.

Instead of sitting in the lounge chair with a book, you will find me with my earbuds in, listening to words on a Page becoming a storyline of content and knowledge.