From my own perspective it worries me. The linear format of PowerPoint also concerns Wight, who says that students have asked him to do fewer PowerPoint lectures because it allows him to cover too much information and create a sort of information overload. As a result, he has been taking time to occasionally return to the chalk presentation. Streaming video is a recent and remarkable addition to the Web. With the proliferation of broadband Internet access and faster modems, video can be sent digitally to personal computers that are commonly equipped with the proper hardware for streaming video.
Software is free over the Internet.
Because it is video, students can see Fowles on the street or in the grocery store talking about the subjects at hand. While the technique is advantageous for traditional students, it is especially helpful for distance learning and Web-based students who seldom see the professor and can benefit from Fowles' extra lessons. Ed Thompson, professor of music, uses another common software program in his Introduction to Music class. Thompson has programmed HyperCard to animate listening charts that highlight the stages of a particular score so students can watch a cursor move over the illustration as the music plays, marking the various stages as they happen. Thompson also has programmed graphic icons that enable him to select a specific music stage by simply clicking on the appropriate graphic.