Catching information technology by the tail for problem-based learning.

While computer-based resources are appealing, there is currently little evidence that they are superior to less expensive, traditional educational technologies and thus their introduction will be slow until we learn how to benefit from them. The lesson learned from the orientation of problem-based learning is that communications aspects of the new technologies may be much more important and should be, at least currently, the focus of attention. Thus, rather than concerning ourselves with the tiger, since communications do not require particularly sophisticated equipment, the important approaches now appear to be to give students experience with the means to access and exchange information; with those skills they should be reasonably prepared to survive in the Information Age and take advantage of what technology has to offer in the future.