There have been continued efforts in exploring how educational technology impacts human learning and performance. Through a synopsis of the trends and perspectives on educational technology in five countries by using the STEEP (social, technological, economic, environmental and political) framework, the authors discuss the direct influence of national policies on educational technology implementation and research, the constraints of the local STEEP elements of culture on the adoption of and research on innovation and change, and the strategies and reforms that different countries have adopted to prepare the next generation for the constantly changing, globalized twenty-first century. Limitations and future research following this work are discussed.