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E-Learning is a Social Tool for E-Commerce at Tertiary Institutions 157
Chin et al. (2000) reported that the online learning environment is potentially
an arena in which new practices and new relationships can make significant
contributions towards learning. However, Jones et al. (2000) identified the Internet
as an ideal vehicle for delivering of course material and providing students with
flexibility, reliability and freedom of choice. Slay (1997) agreed that there is a
current trend towards the delivery of courseware via the World Wide Web. Wells
(1999) expanded that the Internet is primarily a delivery vehicle for information,
which assists with the facilitation of the teaching and learning process.
The above-mentioned authors agreed that the Internet has an important role
to play within education. The Internet being used, as only a delivery vehicle might
not be the most effective usage of the tool, as the literature will discuss in further
sections, but as an interactive tool, it will contribute towards the learning process
as reported by Rogers (2001).
Education and Technology
Zepke (1998) argued that technology enthusiasts declared a marriage between
the Internet and education. Robson (2000) also agreed that visionary
educators have seen computers as tools to assist in educating students. Schulze
(2000) added that the quality of higher learning should be improved and teachinglearning
programs should be technology-based.
Rogers (2001) suggested that educators are concerned with the value of the
education in distance learning environments. Learners expect the learning outcome
to be of high quality, convenient, personal and interactive according to Rogers
(2001). Sutliff and Baldwin (2001) agreed that if material is presented without
personalizing it and without student interaction, students would experience difficulty
understanding the course content.
Sherson (1999) noted that the advances of the digital revolution would
encourage teachers to make effective use of digital resources and support them in
the relationship between information and education. Jones et al. (2000) agreed with
Sherson that the Internet is an ideal delivery vehicle of course material and providing
students with flexibility, reliability and freedom of choice.
According to Serdiukov (2001), modern Educational Technology (ET) is
based on computer and telecommunication technologies. Besides the huge databases
that are available on the World Wide Web (WWW or Web), it also allows
for the concatenation of educational forces. Education is a complete, dynamic
system that develops and transforms from one condition to another under the
influence of external factors further as suggested by Serdiukov (2001):
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