Robert Danisch recently argued that online learning “doesn’t teach people to think”, highlighting the importance of teacher-learner imitation for learning, and how such imitation is “impossible” in online settings. Online learning cannot possibly encourage the “wrestling and questioning” of concepts and build important “know-how” skills, he continued. We contend that this view is short-sighted, that online courses can build such skills and more, specifically through quality online course design that reflects active learning principles. In fact, online courses can arguably do so more effectively than would be feasible in face-to-face settings.
