ABSTRACT
Since the late 1990s internet-based teaching (also known as e-education) has emerged as a potential rival to traditional classroom learning. The former normally involves having access to a secure site on the internet where a graded series of lessons is available, which have assignments sent and returned by email. Although online courses are now offered by many institutions, it is by no means clear that they offer real advantages compared with classroom education. Little research has been done so far on their effectiveness, but this essay sets out to examine the arguments on both sides and attempts to draw conclusions from them.
