This can absolutely apply to a more general audience, I'm simply concentrating on the issues in a gifted classroom.

Will check out your link. Appreciate the feedback!

The software definitely has its uses, which I'll be exploring in the next couple of articles.

Regading overheads, I think they're simply faster and more flexible, although certainly not when pre-printed. A transparency can be moved around, set at portrait or landscape, and allows for student input as I build it. They can then be displayed on a wall, brought back later and modified for further lessons. Best of all, I can make cool drawings Of course, all of these things are possible with PowerPoint, they're just simpler with a transparency.

It truly is about choosing the best format and I'll be addressing that this week. I love your spork analogy!

I agree with the issues you list regarding teacher use of ppt but blame the person and their expectations more than the software (which can and does play its part). What I don't see is overheads as a better solution. They seem to have many of the same issues (especially with people using pre-printed transparencies in what amounts to a ppt format).

A lot of it comes down to intent and choice for me. The teacher ought to be giving considerable thought to what content is delivered well in a presentation format and what is not. Sadly, the issue seems to be that ppt has become the swiss army knife of content delivery and it is not even a spork.