The document discusses how the way people receive and share information has changed from linear formats like newspapers to non-linear new media formats using multiple complementary sources. It argues that PowerPoint presentations in university lectures are an example of this shift, as they allow professors to incorporate visual elements like photos and videos to engage students in a non-linear way. This may help students better understand and remember the material compared to traditional chalkboard or overhead styles, benefiting visual and connected learners.

1. Lolita Wong
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2. As time progresses, how people receive and
distribute information has changed drastically. Times
before the Digital age, media was generally organized
in a linear information format. For instance, readers of
a newspaper would start from the beginning of the
article and continue to read till the end without
interruption of other sources media.

3. However, ever since the Digital age, people are
shifting towards non-linear format known as new
media, where people combine various
complementing sources of different media to provide
a better understand of the context.

4. We can see this transference occurring in our classes
every day. An increasing amount of lectures and
presentations are switching over from the traditional
chalk board and overheads to contemporary
PowerPoint presentations. This migration may result
in various beneficial results toward students’ overall
performance in class.

5. As a university student myself, how a professor
presents his or her lecture greatly affects my
engagement as well as the knowledge that I am able
to absorb from the lecture. Some may think that
PowerPoint presentations are a distraction as more
focus and attention will be put towards the visual
presentation instead of listening to what the presenter
has to say. However, as a new media, presenters can
create PowerPoint presentations with “media content
to fit their individual interests and needs” (Sterin 201).

6. The need for PowerPoint presentation is
definitely evident as students change their study
habits accordingly to the advancement of
technology. PowerPoint presentations can be
adjusted easily to what the audience demand
unlike traditional media platforms.

7. The media content may include visual aid like photos
and videos relevant to what is being taught. These
visual aids allow the audience to access media
“content in a nonlinear manner” (Sterin 201). The
relevant pictures and videos can create a superior
impression on what is being taught, especially to
those who are visual learners. Students may relate
the various media to the text of the PowerPoint which
requires attention and engagement in the lecture to
know what to which piece of media matches which
piece of text. It creates superior impression in the
memory because the media may serve as a stimulus
of remembering what was taught during that lecture.

8. They are able to benefit from these resources placed
in the PowerPoint as they are able to explore further
through hyperlinks since “linked knowledge grows
exponentially” (Sterin 201). PowerPoint plays an
increasing large role for presentations and lectures
as they are often clearer, legible and outlined despite
it being non-linear.

9. It assimilates into our changing ways of social
communication by allowing the integration of various
data sources resulting in a more transparent, cool
media. Lectures are hot media because they often
lack the involvement of students; utilizing the
traditional overheads which are also hot medium will
only encourage the lack of participation of the lecture.

10. It forces students to see the medium but it does not
engage the students enough to voluntarily participate
actively. By introducing a cooler medium with greater
stimulus, a PowerPoint presentation, students will
often be more inclined to listen and focus on the
lecture itself as participation becomes necessary as
not all information are directly given though the
medium. Therefore by using PowerPoint as the
medium, students bring greater attention and
participation thus impacting their overall experience
in a lecture or presentation.

11.  Works Cited
 Sterin, J. Charles. "Chapter 7/ The Dynamic New
Media." Mass Media Revolution. Pearson Education, 2012.
201. Print.