This review paper focuses on likely reasons for the rhetoric-reality gap in the use of educational information and communication technology. It is based on the assumption that the present challenges being experienced with educational ICT might be avoided in the future if we look at the current challenges from a different perspective, by revisiting past research to gain insights from the history of innovations in educational technology. Seven major lessons emerging from the review could inform future directions so that the future does not simply replicate the disappointing results achieved thus far. We argue that the vision for ICT has been unrealistically ambitious, and review reasons to justify this point of view. We suggest that setting more attainable goals, based on the actuality of educational contexts, might be a more pragmatic way to go in a future of constantly changing educational technology.