The subdomain of the external environment examined in this article is mediated information, not only that

information that is intentionally educational (e.g., a computer-based lesson) but also other information
that may not have an explicit educational goal (e.g., in popular books, television programs, etc.). This
review does not directly address information embedded in what are sometimes called authentic situations
(Brown, Collins, & Duguid, 1989), but it complements learning in such situations. Nor does this article
examine the larger social environment within which mediated interactions occur (Perkins, 1985).
Although it may be the above contexts, and the ways media are integrated into them, that have the
greatest impact on how people think and learn, these broader contexts will only be referenced here. The
primary focus of this article is finer grained. It will examine the specific episodes within which a
learner interacts with mediated information to influence learning.

NOTE: media is becoming more and more important.