The recent growth of online course offerings has progressed at a rapid pace without regard to all of the real and potential consequences. This is especially troubling since there are many more casualties (e.g., withdrawn and failing students) than with traditional methods of education. However, with caution and examination of the processes at the student, faculty and administrative levels, there are opportunities to effectively use online teaching technology while avoiding pitfalls and maximizing student success. This brief examines three areas of the role of online learning: faculty concerns and training; administrative/institutional issues; and student attitudes and performance.