Final answer:
The phrase 'death by PowerPoint' critiques over-reliant and dull presentations that severely lack audience engagement. It underscores the need for moderation and interactive elements in PowerPoint-based lectures or talks.
Step-by-step explanation:
The phrase 'death by PowerPoint' refers to a scenario where presentations, such as lecture slides or talks, are overly reliant on PowerPoint slides to the point that they become monotonous and disengaging. This phrase is often used to critique sessions that rely heavily on slides filled with bullets and text, offering little to no engagement with the audience. The phrase suggests that such presentations are so dull that they 'kill' the audience's interest or enthusiasm.
PowerPoint slides should serve as a starting place for instructors to build their lectures, providing learning objectives, images, feature focuses, and discussion questions to enhance the learning experience, without overwhelming the audience with an excess of information or monotonous delivery.