Great expectations surround the new and emergent electronic technologies.
It is assumed whether implicitly or explicitly that the use of new electronic technology will result in more efficient and effective teaching and learning in higher education. The technology can be adapted readily to suit the bench marking measures and quantitative data collection requirements of the university electronic technology is considered to be transparent and neutral, simply translating data, providing a standardised output electronic technology is seen as the most appropriate media to transfer the growing curriculum content to students there is an increased demand from client groups for the use of electronic technologies in teaching and learning contexts many industry groups, particularly those with a financial interest in new technologies support and promote the use of electronic technology in tertiary education electronic technology is funded well. Many successfully awarded research and development grants in teaching and learning are based on the use of electronic technologies. The paper outlines some issues arising from the points mentioned above and in the dilemma session, these issues will be used to stimulate discussion of the shortcomings inherent in a non-problematic perception of new technologies. Introduction Universities are caught within a time of rapid political, socio-economic and technological change.