It both solves and creates problems. For example, multi-media interactive television makes possible distance learning for social work students who, because of life circumstances, cannot attend campus based programs. At the same time electronically mediated instruction minimizes human interactions without replacing them, requires each student to own or have access to a personal computer and can discourage students' critical thinking. Technology improves student-teacher communications. Technology changes the way instructors relate to students.
Technology is cost effective for social work education programs.
Technology in its multi-media forms is currently a very expensive educational tool. The production of social work video discs is costly and requires a multidisciplinary production team. Costs to students for instructional computer software may equal current textbook costs. Technology increases dissemination of information to students and their use of it. Computer data bases and interactive hypermedia discs save students study time by storing and organizing a vast amount of information on a single disc.