In the United States, the implementation of educational technology is influenced by many factors, but in elementary-secondary and higher education the recent economic recession forced a slowdown in investments.. In higher education, analog media, such as overhead projection, videos, and slides, are still heavily used. Digital media use is growing, but at a slower rate each year. Most instructors exchange e-mail with students, but smaller percentages use more sophisticated applications. Course management systems, now ubiquitous, are prompting the integration of technology into instruction. Over two-thirds of all universities offer distance education, and enrollments grow by about 25 percent per year. In elementary-secondary education, technology integration has been influenced by the “No Child Left Behind” initiative. Hence, the focus has been on the use of computers as a tool for assessment. When at school, students in grades 4-12 use computers predominately in a computer lab, most commonly to find information, visit school websites, and to take tests. K-3 students use technology to play learning games, create pictures, and practice spelling and reading. The student-per-Internet– connected computer ratio was 4.3:1 in 2004. Schools are going wireless fast. Professional development continues to lag behind teachers’ needs. The largest barriers to greater adoption and use of computers are lack of time to prepare and insufficient technical support. Virtual schools continue to proliferate and attract new students. These findings indicate that pervasive access to information technology infrastructure does not guarantee its use. Social and psychological factors impinge on educators’ use of ICT.

• Barbara Bichelmeyer(PhD, is an associate professor in the Department of Instructional Systems Technology at Indiana University, USA.)