ABSTRACT
Most of the chapters included in this collection focus specifically on the role of media in formal learning contexts, learning that occurs in the classroom in an institutional setting dedicated to learning. The emphasis is on specific media applications with specific content to assess learning outcomes linked to a formal curriculum. By contrast, the purpose of this chapter is to review research on the role of media, in particular, mass media, and learning outside the classroom, outside the formal learning environment. It focuses on the way in which media contribute to learning when no teacher is present and the media presentation is not linked to a formal, institutional curriculum with explicitly measurable goals.
