A method for asynchronous, web-based lecture delivery

Computer-based distance education has been growing enormously in recent years due to advances in key technologies: telecommunications, computer technology, graphical user interfaces, and the Internet. Distance education materials can be presented either synchronously, creating the illusion of a classroom on the computer, or asynchronously, allowing the students access-on-demand. We describe the development of a system to solve part of the asynchronous education problem-delivery of pre-recorded multimedia lectures via a web browser. We built a demonstration system using off-the-shelf technology making it possible to make presentations using commercial tools and to display them on standard systems. We designed the system with lectures composed of "slides" accompanied by audio commentary. These presentations can be delivered via low-speed modem links-an important consideration in places without a well-developed infrastructure. We also believe that computer-based education is often so complicated to use that operation interferes with education. In order to avoid this, we evaluated a prototype system to obtain feedback about difficulties in operation and to correct them