regarded as incorrect ; medium is preferred . ( Berube , 1993 , p . 846 )
The Importance of Media and Technology in Education
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Why is so much attention paid to media and technology in education ? First , with respect to media , there are many issues of concern to students , parents , educators , governments , and society at large . For example , important questions are asked about the effects of different media on the cognitive and moral development of children . With respect to technology , people want to know whether various new technologies are more effective for teaching and learning than more traditional classroom approaches , whether some technologies are more motivating than others , or at the very least , whether technologies can be used to increase access or reduce costs within education . Questions about the impact of media and technology in terms of increasing access to education and reducing the costs of education are especially high on the agendas of politicians and government agencies around the world . In the USA , the Panel of Educational Technology of the President ' s Committee of Advisors on Science and Technology ( 1997 ) included as one of its six major strategic recommendations that technology be used to “ Ensure equitable , universal access ” ( p . 5 ). Another part of the same report called for realistic budgeting for technology-related expenditures within schools , noting that the much-touted return-on-investment for educational technology was a long-term prospect .
Another reason for the attention being paid to media and technology in education reflects commercial or corporate interests . Although printed material continues to be “ the dominant medium format ” in schools ( Molenda , Russell , & Smaldino , 1998 , p . 3 ), a recent Presidential report in the USA recommends that “ at least five percent of all public K-12 educational spending in the United States ( or approximately $ 13 billion annually in constant 1996 dollars ) should be earmarked for technology-related expenditures ....” ( President ' s Committee of Advisors on Science and Technology , 1997 , p . 5 ). Similar investments are underway throughout the world , in both developed and developing countries . It is no wonder that global corporations such as AT & T and Sony are investing in large-scale educational technology initiatives .
Still another reason for the focus on media and education stems from sharp disagreements about the value of media and technology in education . Enthusiastic endorsements of new media and technologies in education are easy to find in news reports , political speeches , and other sources . Many of these proclamations seem overly-optimistic if not hyperbolic . Consider this quote from Lewis Perelman ’ s 1993 book titled School ’ s Out :
Because of the pervasive and potent impact of HL ( hyperlearning ) technology , we now are experiencing the turbulent advent of an economic and social transformation more profound than the
3