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From: Jack Ring [mailto:jring@amug.org]

We are dealing with a generation that has spent 6000 hours each on MTV
and on color, animated, audio'd video games and youall are focusing on
the pro/con of PowerPoint? Next year is 3D video games and DIY movie
editing on your Mac.

Ken's points are well taken but do not address how to get these topics
into a stream of educement that works best. Books are good if they
foster images and issues in the mind. Vu-foils and dancing bear
pedagogues are fine if they foster images and issues in the mind.
Neither can touch CBT for installing factoids like the multiplication
tables in the mind. And since Communication is by far the most
important capability for a person to have in this ever increasing
complexity why would you not want each person to have as many
communication technologies, tools, systems, concepts, principles and
theories as you could possibly get them to experience?

The better question than "PowerPoint or not?" is "How much PPT and When
and What Else?"

(if that was more than 2 cents worth, send me Change.).

Jack Ring
Never (mis)take Know for an answer.

From: Edryce Reynolds [mailto:edryce@juno.com]

The "what else" besides PowerPoint and other easy-to-digest ways of
"presenting" TO ME is STOP IT! Find creative ways for STUDENTS TO DO IT
THEMSELVES. The most successful classes I have ever had are those in which
I provided opportunities for members to do their own research on topics in
the class and make their OWN presentations. We take too much responsibility
for "their" learning. Each of us remains responsible for our own learning.
Making jazzy presentations may work at conferences (though very little is
remembered, even there) but I think we should use such teacher-run
presentations sparingly--like 5% to 95%. This is just my experience. I am
not lazy, either!

Edryce