Users can move through the information presented in any order they choose. The navigation tools in the program facilitate exploration and users can move around the program quickly. Users will also gain a sense of the wealth of data presented as they move from scene to scene or idea to idea. Instant access to this substantial body of information on CD-ROM puts the users in a position that is parallel to that of actual audience members at a live performance. Like audience members, users are able to synthesize materials and draw their own associations and conclusions about the performance.
Users guide their own exploration and create their own meanings.
This process can offer insights about how people attach meaning and value to their experiences of performance. It is the next best thing to being there. This program explores some of the more interesting ways that performances work in society and tries to debunk some of the errors and over-simplifications that can be encountered in literature on African art. Key themes and issues recur throughout this section, so their interrelationships and associations become an important element for teaching students to think about performance in many contexts. Teachers and students can create their own presentations using the Bookmarks feature.