Electronic Ephemera, a threat to structured on-line education

Abstract

The World Wide Web (WWW) has created a low-cost publishing medium which permits to project a virtual presence well beyond the geographic location of the publisher. Because of the anarchic nature of the WWW and because literally everybody with access to a modem and an internet account can publish there is level of unruliness about network publishing. While laudable as an example of freedom of expression, it poses problems for those, who wish to refer to these publications as examples and readings as part of electronic distance education packages. The ephemeral nature of many documents published on the WWW is diametrically opposed to the very nature of scholarship and academic education. The issue of permanency of documents needs to be addressed if the full potential of the WWW as a publish tool shall be realised.

Keywords

WoldWideWeb, Distance Education, Tertiary Education, Libraries, Referencing, Records Management

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