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Since the internet became public accessible in the 1990's, the demand for online gaming has steadily increased. A June 2004 survey conducted by the NPD Group, a marketing research firm, reported that online gamers between the ages of 13 and 44 spend an average of 6.1 hours per week gaming using online systems that include the following formats: PC/Macintosh, Sony's PS-2, and Microsoft's X-Box. Additionally, NPD found in another survey that the average time children among the ages of 5 to 12 spend playing video games is 4.2 hours per week. In both instances players are overwhelminly male. Indeed, nearly half of the children in second study began playing video games between the ages of 4 and 5, with 20 percent beginning at age 3 or younger. Without a doubt, our children are "plugging in" and learning through electronic sources. By the time these children reach school age, their brains are trained and conditioned to electronic stimulation.

When compared to traditional methods of instruction, electronic stimulation creates higher user expectations. Electronically conditioned users demand various levels of challange that build on each other to intensify the experience. These users demand a fast paced variety in both format and content. When faced with presentations without technology and other multimedic elements, these same users fail to focus and, at times, become restless or disruptive. Hence, education must embrace technology.

Technology allows the educator to target several learning styles with one presentation. The use of technology might easily incorporate visual, audible, and tactile capabilities. Technology has the ability to engross and captivate students in ways that most educators cannot. Inherent in the intended design, its use might provide either random or systematic structure as required by the learner. Incorporating technology might initially be time consuming and in some instances costly. Although isn't this often true when learning any new and complex system? Nonetheless, technology is versatile and well worth the effort for both educator and student.