Web-based Teaching and Learning - a Panacea?

Applying the WWW for educational purposes is a major eld of research nowadays. Discussions in the public arena are largely being led by wild enthusiasm for the far-reaching possibilities ooered by this new technology and there appears to be no place for an objective review. Everything seems to be possible, no limitations are in sight. The WWW and its applications are seen as the panacea for educational problems. This paper is intended to draw attention to some of the limitations and pitfalls inherent in the application of teaching and learning methods based on use of the WWW, at the same time taking a step back from the often emotional and poorly informed speculations in the mass media. The paper shows actual trends in Web-based educational research and tries to plot the location of the front-line as it stands today.