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164 Parker
participate in further studies. Technology literacy is one of the foundation blocks of
technology-enhanced e-learning. When students have inadequate technology
skills, the educator has to either refer students to generic skills course or attempt to
teach the required technology skills themselves. The lack of technological skills
among students’ hampers the learning opportunities offered by teachers and acts
as a barrier to effective learning for students. Nasseh (1996) stated that:
“The technological skills for utilization and operation of computer
applications and tools are very essential for teachers and students
who participate in computer-based distance education.”
Uys (1999) added that both the learner and facilitator need a sophisticated
level of computer literacy and use. While the online facilitator has the necessary
technological support within the tertiary educational institute the students often may
not have the same advantage. Technological literacy is one of the foundation blocks
of modern-day learning (Uys, 1999). Success in computer-based learning is often
seen as requiring additional skills of students in taking greater responsibility of their
own learning (Akerlind & Trevitt, 1999).
Technological literacy is one of the foundation blocks of modern-day learning
and technology education must prepare students to understand, control and use
technology (Boser et al., 1998). Students tend to focus on the web-based delivery
as an aid to collect information rather than using the system in a more interactive way.
Students appear to be demanding more technology in tertiary education; they are
not demanding technology as a substitute for face-to-face teaching. Students still
require support from their lecturers according to (O’Keefe & McGrath, 2000).
Laurillard (1993) established that interaction between teacher and learner and
feedback from the teacher is a core element of learning, which suggests that
successful communication is interactive, adaptive and reflective. Passerini and
Granger (1999) agreed that learning is a product of interactions in the virtual
classroom. Passerini and Granger (1999) further pointed out that in an online
environment there are several channels of communication (student-content, student-to-student,
student-to-instructor, student-to-other-hypermedia content and
student-to-other-instructors). Students in the virtual classroom, through an extended
group of online facilitators, can therefore be challenging and also knowledgeable
than the conventional student (Uys, 1999).
Retails and Avgeriou (2002) suggested the following roles of the learner in their
web-based Instructional Systems model:
• Attends lectures
• Navigates freely within the learning resources
• Explores information resources
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