The paradoxes of online academic work

This article discusses paradoxes of online teaching and scholarship. The authors define online academic work as the achievement of learning, advancement of knowledge, or scholarship while connected to a network of computers, a local or wide area network, an intranet, or the Internet. Discussion of technology is based on personal observation, discussion with colleagues, and a literature review. The questions raised are organized into four fundamental paradoxes: (a.) for faculty, more freedom equals less freedom; (b.) for teaching, more work is perceived as less work; (c.) for learning, more accessibility leads to less human touch; (d.) for administrators, desire for less spending causes more spending.