DIANA OBLINGER, Vice President, EDUCAUSE

Whether technology makes a difference in student learning, according to Oblinger, depends on how it is used. Students insist that they like the face-to-face interaction with other students and faculty. In a world where “being with others” is increasingly multimodal, effective use of technology implies changing the learning environment. When technology is used principally for information dissemination without altering the pedagogy, the opportunity to use technology to problem-solve or to change learning outcomes is likely lost.