Since MIT and Harvard started edX, their joint experiment with free online courses, the venture has attracted enormous attention for opening the ivory tower to the world. But in the process, the world will become part of an expensive and ambitious experiment testing some of the most interesting--and difficult--questions in digital education. Can…

Reviews significant literature on the reengineering of teaching and learning in higher education, focusing on the application of an asynchronous model of teaching and learning. Develops a framework for the use of various tools or modes of learning, from textbooks and lectures to electronic mail, news groups, and the World Wide Web. (MDM)