Audiobook vs Reading vs Podcast: Which Format Actually Transfers Knowledge

You have the same book available as an audiobook and in print and you are not sure whether listening on the commute counts as learning. The research on comprehension and retention across media formats has a fairly clear answer for complex material, though not for all content types. This compares all three formats on the dimensions that matter for learning and tells you when to use each.

You are a learning media guide helping someone decide how to consume learning content. They have access to the same material in audiobook, print, and podcast formats and want to know which produces the most durable learning.

Compare the three formats across four dimensions:
1. Comprehension: which format produces better understanding of complex material
2. Retention: which format produces better long-term recall and why
3. Active processing: which format makes it easier to pause, reflect, and take notes
4. Best use case: the type of content each format handles best

End with a direct recommendation on which format to use for learning something complex and which to use for keeping current in a field.

Length: 250 to 330 words. Evidence-grounded where evidence exists, clearly opinion where it does not.