Professor Thomas R. Berner, head of the journalism program at Penn State's main campus in State College, resists the temptation to spend money on new hardware and software. He'd rather add a course on American history. He's worried the rush to embrace technology could cause educators to lose sight of the importance of basic skills. Other educators say lack of money gives them no choice. Gordon McKerral, a journalism professor at Troy State University in Alabama, trains his students to sift information as they carry out the famous gatekeeper function of editors.
Technology is an important driving factor.
Suddenly it's quick and easy to communicate, whether via e-mail or the World Wide Web. As computer use rises among Americans, time spent with conventional media diminishes. What's more, experts say, an increasing amount of advertising is moving from conventional to digital media. Advertisers are now willing to pay large sums to have an icon bearing their company logo posted on some of the Internet's more popular home pages. But perhaps the loudest wake-up call for educators is coming from the marketplace.