more recently microcomputers and PDAs in the K-12 classroom. The U.S.
Congress added support to this approach with the passage of the National
Defense Education Act as a reaction to Sputnik in 1957 that resulted in the
placement of overhead projectors in many K-12 classrooms to improve instruc-
tion. While Clark’s (1983) research suggests that technology as a mere delivery
device does not enhance learning (separate from the associated instructional
strategies), school districts continue to purchase additional technology and new
technologies to improve student achievement with little if any documented
return on the investment.
While many researchers agree with Clark and have abandoned the media
comparison research agenda to identify learning gains attributable to technol-
ogy, a question still remains as to what effects technology might have on
instruction and the classroom environment. In this chapter, we will examine
how a technological innovation affected changes in the instruction and the
classroom environment that subsequently resulted in improved student achieve-
ment and performance