Learning by television is not a new phenomenon and, as an educational medium, it has gone through some severe growing pains. Unfortunately, while advances in technologies (cable, home recorders, satellites, teleconferencing) have contributed to an increase in the number of telecourses since the mid-1970s, faculty are often unprepared to teach these courses, and the institutions involved may be inadequate or unwilling to support their efforts. The use of telecourses to present instruction has many advantages and disadvantages. The strengths of telecourses include: (1) provision of broader student accessibility to educational opportunities; (2) potential for attracting additional students and income for participating institutions; (3) possible award by cable companies of a public or educational access channel, which permits greater exposure to the telecourses available; (4) copies of taped materials can be made available to students for review; and (5) more information can be disseminated to students in less time via telecourses than in regular classes. The weaknesses include: (1) lack of continuing contact and interaction between the instructor and the student; (2) the facilitation of student drop-out; (3) some courses are technically aesthetic but lacking in substance; (4) little or no opportunity for questions and feedback; (5) textbooks are often not written for the telecourse; (6) students who register late may not receive course information on time; and (7) problems with scheduling examinations. It is recommended that institutions treat telecourses as viable alternatives to the traditional classroom situation, and that they initiate or modify certain important practices to ensure the success of such courses. (JB)