Abstract
This article examines the assumptions and methods of conventional instructional media research to gauge its sufficiency as a basis for issuing the controversial finding that media do not influence learning and as an inquiry model for documenting media's educational effects generally. Examples of complex media effects are given and emerging media application paradigms are identified to support the argument that both a new conceptualization of the media and learning question and new approaches to its study are needed. An alternative values framework for guiding research on the effects of modern interactive technologies in complex learning environments is offered.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Explore related subjects
Discover the latest articles, news and stories from top researchers in related subjects.Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
References
Becker, R. (1991, March/April). How to build an authoring environment.Instruction Delivery Systems, pp. 6–15.
Boring, E.G. (1960). CP speaks: Nothing-but and something-more.Contemporary Psychology, 5(4), 124–125.
Bretz, R. (1969).Communication media: Properties and uses. Santa Monica, CA: The Rand Corporation.
Brown, D. (1992, August 10). Large, simple trials for big medical answers.The Washington Post, p. A3.
Clark, R. (1982). [Review ofMedia in instruction: 60 years of research].Educational Communication and Technology Journal, 30(1), 60.
Clark, R. (1983). Reconsidering research on learning from media.Review of Educational Research, 53, 445–459.
Clark, R. (1991, February). When researchers swim upstream: Reflections on an unpopular argument about learning from media.Educational Technology, pp. 34–38.
Cognition and Technology Group at Vanderbilt University. (1991, May). Technology and the design of generative learning environments.Educational Technology, pp. 34–40.
Cohn, V. (1993, March 23). Taming technology.The Washington Post, Health, p. 10.
Dede, C. (1992, May). The future of multimedia: Bridging to virtual worlds.Educational Technology, pp. 54–60.
Driscoll, M. (1984). Alternative paradigms for research in instructional systems.Journal of Instructional Development, 7(4), 6–11.
Esslin, M. (1982).The age of television. San Francisco: W. H. Freeman.
Gayeski, D. (1992, May). Making sense of multimedia: Introduction to special issue.Educational Technology, pp. 9–13.
Greenspan, S., & Salmon, J. (1993, September 19). The tracking trap.The Washington Post, p. C3.
Hannafin, M. (1986). The status and future of research in instructional design and technology.Journal of Instructional Development, 8(3), 24–30.
Hlynka, D. (1991, June). Postmodern excursions into educational technology.Educational Technology, pp. 27–30.
Ideas for the classroom. (1989, September 27).The Chronicle of Higher Education, p. A19.
Jaspers, F. (1991, March). Interactivity or instruction: A reaction to Merrill.Educational Technology, pp. 21–24.
Jonassen, D. (1993, January). Thinking technology.Educational Technology, pp. 35–37.
Kangilaski, J. (1990).Medical Tribune. (Issue and page unknown).
Kantrow, A. (1980). The strategy-technology connection.Harvard Business Review, 58(4), 6–21.
Kay, A. (1991, September). Computers, networks and education.Scientific American, pp. 138–148.
Kochen, M. (1981). Technology and communication in the future.Journal of the American Society for Information Science, 32, 148–157.
Kozma, R. (1991). Learning with media.Review of Educational Research, 61, 179–211.
Lardner, J. (1982, May 14). The call of the hawk's hawk.The Washington Post, pp. C1, C4.
Lias, E. (1982).Future mind. Boston: Little, Brown.
Loftus, G. (1991). On the tyranny of hypothesis testing in the social sciences. [Review ofThe empire of chance: How probability changed science and everyday life].Contemporary Psychology, 36, 102–104.
Masys, D. (1988, November).Know thy molecular self: Power for and from biotechnology computing. Program abstract of paper presented at the Symposium on Computer Applications in Medical Care, Washington, D.C.
Masys, D. (1989). Biotechnology computing: Information science for the era of molecular medicine.Actademic Medicine, 64: 379–81.
Mielke, K. (1968). Asking the right ETV research questions.Educational Broadcasting Review, 2(6), 54–61.
Pagels, H. (1989).The dreams of reason. New York: Bantam Books.
Postman, N. (1986).Amusing ourselves to death. New York: Penguin Books.
Rabb, T. (1987, October 7). If scholars are to produce serious television, they may have to resort to purple prose—even hokum.The Chronicle of Higher Education, pp. B1, B3.
Relan, A. (1991, January). The desktop environment in computer-based instruction: Cognitive foundations and implications for instructional design.Educational Technology, pp. 7–14.
Rowland, G. (1993). Designing and instructional design.Educational Technology Research and Development, 41(1), 79–91.
Salomon, G. (1978). On the future of media research: No more full acceleration in neutral gear.Educational Communication and Technology Journal, 26(1), 37–46.
Salomon, G. (1991). Transcending the qualitative-quantitiative debate: The analytic and systemic approaches to educational research.Educational Researcher, 20(6), 10–18.
Schön, D. (1987).Educating the reflective practitioner. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Schön, D. (1988, July). Designing: Rules, types and worlds.Design Studies, pp. 181–190.
Schrage, M. (1990, January 14). Can technology grant all wishes?The Washington Post, pp. H-1, H-3.
Smarter choices (1992, April 15).The Bethesda Gazette, p. A-21. (Reprinted fromThe Mayo Clinic Nutrition Letter, 1991.)
Sommer, R. (1978).The mind's eye. New York: Delta Books.
Spangler, K. (1977).A scenario approach to assessment of new communications media. Menlo Park, CA: Institute for the Future. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED 189 674).
Spitzer, D., & Kielt, J. (1977, July). Technology assessment: An antidote for Murphy's Law.Educational Technology, pp. 20–23.
Tesler, L. (1991, September). Networked computing in the 1990s.Scientific American, pp. 86–93.
van Merriënboer, J., Jelsma, O., & Paas, F. (1992). Training for reflective expertise: A four component instructional design model for complex cognitive skills.Educational Technology Research and Development, 40(2), 23–43.
Vaughan, T. (1988).Using hypercard. Carmel, IN: Que Corporation.
West, T. (1991).In the mind's eye: Visual thinkers, gifted people with learning difficulties, computer images, and the ironies of creativity. Buffalo: Prometheus Books.
Winner, L. (1986).The whale and the reactor. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press.
Yardley, J. (1987a, February 2). The TV lesson: ‘Square One’ just adds up to fun.The Washington Post, p. D2.
Yardley, J. (1987b, October 18). First family of Detroit. [Review ofThe Fords].The Washington Post, Book World, p. 3.
Zukav, G. (1980).The dancing Wu Li masters. New York: Bantam Books.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Ullmer, E.J. Media and learning: Are there two kinds of truth?. ETR&D 42, 21–32 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02298168
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02298168