From the hand-cranked mimeograph to digital video, educators have touted each technological advance as the key to improving education. Yet often our students seem no better educated today than they were in the days of ink wells and feather pens. How can we use technology to achieve real gains in student performance?

In this new encyclopedia, the only book on educational technology designed for the nonexpert, scholars in the field describe, in jargon-free terms, how educational practices have shaped our uses of technology--and vice versa. They discuss the traditions that are the core knowledge base of the field along with the theoretical, commercial, and social perspectives. In a variety of educational contexts--kindergarten through postsecondary education, corporate and industrial training, and distance education--they evaluate the latest technologies and products. Most importantly, they provide clear insights into educational technologies both as delivery systems (two-way microwave video, for example) and as content design strategies (like web-based instruction).