[quoting message from different thread] Even in its basest incarnation multimedia can be better than a more traditional medium, but only so long as it the multimedia is interactive. Books are much better at displaying text and graphics than computers and VCR's are much better at displaying video. Nothing is more boring than sitting through two hours of video or wading through twelve chapters of a book to get to the information you wanted. The idea behind multimedia is that you are in control of how the information is presented and how you want to view it.
With specific reference to these points, it is important to recognize that multimedia as a medium is NOT better than the traditional mediumÑhow we use it is what is critical. And the control issue is one which has received perhaps more research and debate than anything else over the past 20 years of CAL/interactive multimedia.
Those with gray hairs and yellow teeth will always remember the continued claims that new technology will solve all educational problems. I say BEWARE. And anyway, once we are all ensnared by the web, it all be a different ball game.