The earliest forms of instructional technology were the equivalent of standard lectures, where effectiveness is measured by the ability to present linear sequences of factual information. "Talking head" videos of classic lectures, and long online readings are both manifestations of this instructional approach. Should this be the goal for instructional software as well?

Instructional technologists assert that student discussion is a better mode of learning because it emphasizes more active involvement than passively listening to a lecture. They typically emphasize chat rooms and newsgroups as tools to enable students to interact with each other while studying the assigned material.

Scott Siddall from Kenyon College frames the new learning environment as "proximity learning."

we posit that some of the best uses of IT engage students in novel ways of learning not possible by traditional means, and that this engagement requires student-faculty collaboration, i.e. proximity learning.

Is discussion always the best mode for undergraduate students?

"a [mailing] list makes conversation easy, but focus difficult. Students don't need the opportunity to talk. What they need is something to talk about." (cite)