The streaming of video and audio via the web has potential for use in practical lessons where events need to be recorded.

At present, for more hands-on subjects, teachers bring students together to show them a specific technique. But in the future, on-demand 15- to 30-second video streams could be made available to students, before, during and after a teaching session.

With video, there is a reduced need for a teacher to repeat a live demonstration and students can view the lesson whenever they want. As far as the recording of events is concerned, live lectures can be viewed remotely – especially if they are given by a key speaker.

A recorded lesson could, for example, comprise video and PowerPoint slides. And the lecture could include bookmarks, so that it can be rerun and started at one of several points.

Arts students could particularly benefit from the recorded event format. Fashion shows and other arts-based shows could be recorded and viewed on the web.

Other uses of video and sound include facilitating group work between students of different institutions and allowing pupils to create video diaries.

Schools could also make use of student knowledge. Most pupils are used to interacting with video games, a large number of which are now less limited by technological constraints than by the imagination of designers.

While parents might not be comfortable with the idea of a university instructor using games in the lecture room, lecturers are now conversant with computers and appreciate the web as a learning aid.

As part of such development, lecturers are coming to terms with the potential for using games to assist learning. Obviously, the choice of game is important and it is best if the game has been designed by educators for students to learn.