Designing an online class guided by the principles of learner-centered instruction at the postsecondary level is a daunting challenge for new professors facing the demands of a tenure track position. This paper presents the findings of a pilot project on two junior faculty members' experiences with online course development and teaching in a university setting. The purpose of the study was to identify and describe those experiences in ways that would be useful to academic administrators, and in ways that would provide a robust basis for conducting a larger descriptive study. The professors' responses to the following research questions are provided: How do the professors describe the experience of planning and teaching an online course? How do the professors perceive the demands of teaching a class online compare with the demands of teaching a similar class face-to-face? How do the professors understand the context of online course development and teaching? Findings are discussed in terms of interaction, importance of students' expectations, and pressures in regard to tenure documentation. The study found that an online environment presents challenges unique to the technology, and the recommendation is made that university administrators must recognize such challenges in order to encourage pedagogically sound online instruction. (Author/AEF)