This descriptive-interpretive qualitative study analyzed educational technology scholars' written discourse with the goal of promoting sustainable terminology usage in the educational technology field. The study analyzed 105 conceptual definitions extracted from 191 doctoral dissertations on various forms of technology-based learning, including online learning, distance learning, e-learning, Web-based learning, virtual learning, computer-supported learning, open learning, computer-aided learning, and computer-assisted learning. Through critical discourse analysis, the study developed a framework called "Technology-based Learning Environments" (TLE) which focuses on understanding the nature of technology-based learning contexts by examining key aspects such as space, time, agents, levels of operation, rules, power, and culture. The study suggests that the TLE framework can be useful for improving both the design of learning environments and research into the effectiveness of technology-based learning settings from a sustainability perspective.