The changes precipitated by today's computer-based technologies are perhaps no more keenly felt than in the field of education, where technological innovation signals fundamental transformations in the manner in which educational programs will be delivered to 21st century students. Online learning is providing higher education institutions with an entirely new modality for educating learners free from the constraints of time and location, but the transition these institutions must undergo to adapt to online program delivery involves many complex issues, some with ramifications that are not yet fully understood. Distance education leaders and faculty can play an important role in assisting higher education institutions navigate an institution's transition to online education, but in order to fulfill this role, must maintain an ongoing fluency with the issues, including their ramifications, surrounding current technology innovations and their application to online education. This article presents and briefly discusses some of these key issues, and calls for distance education leaders and faculty to maintain an ongoing fluency in the application of technology to online learning so that they may play a meaningful role in shaping the future of higher education. (Contains 10 notes.)