The role of social scientists and educators in the information revolution is to monitor the social, political, and economic consequences of increased use of technology and to research affective, cognitive, and social outcomes. Six issues provide a focus for addressing the impact of these changes. (1) An assessment of how the technological revolution will change education should consider creative uses of computers and avoid personal isolation and the "homogenization" of childhood. (2) Equal access regardless of economic status has been identified as the single most important issue of information technology in schools; currently, computers provide an information resource for upper and middle class homes and financially able school districts. (3) Research is required to ascertain how learning processes are affected as the new technology becomes integral to classroom instruction. (4) Objectives for redesigning content, materials, and strategies of social studies education need to be set in a theoretical context. (5) The extent to which students and teachers will be educated to use computers depends on a consistent definition of computer literacy. (6) Electronic learning can promote humanistic and democratic attitudes if programmed properly and used in an interactive manner. Such a review of the changing information technology will require work with business, research, and technical personnel while maintaining a critical and evaluative distance. (KC)