Over the last ten years e-learning has rapidly emerged as a potentially effective mode of higher education, but it is still unclear what factors are important in the design of an effective e-learning course. e-Learning has been described as being a "disruptive technology" that changes how learning is approached in higher education (Garrison and Anderson 2003). The extensive changes in the technologies over the last decade have the potential to influence the way we engage with knowledge, but the potential will only be realised if we integrate this with an understanding of learning, and design the use of e-learning technologies accordingly within different contexts (Laurillard 2005). This paper explores the influence of the areas of technology, pedagogy and context on e-learning practice in higher education. Three vignettes relating to e-learning are presented which represent the shifts in technology and the tensions and influences of this on context and pedagogy. These vignettes provide the background context within which to discuss the design of an e-learning alignment guide (eLAG). This guide is a navigational tool, which offers e-learning designers a perspective on navigating the e-learning topography. It is devised to assist practitioners when navigating the changing and complex terrain of e-learning and teaching. The key finding of this paper is that technology, pedagogy and context need to be closely aligned in order to realise the potential of e-learning in higher education.