This paper describes a cybercourse model that was designed and created by infusing the following four beneficial telecomputing activities into a World Wide Web-based learning system: collaborative learning; demonstration; interactive discussion; and problem solving. Differences between the regular Web-based distance learning system and the innovative model are compared and contrasted, using the contrast perspectives of active learning versus passive learning and mindful teaching versus thoughtless teaching. The advantages (i.e., no time and space limit, synchronous and asynchronous communication, and linear and nonlinear learning) and disadvantages (i.e., difficulty in documenting student performance and in tracking student access to Web sites) of the model are discussed. The following issues related to applying the Web as a distance learning medium are considered: (1) the effectiveness of electronic conversations versus face-to-face conversation; (2) the effect of field dependence/independence on student performance; and (3) the quality of the information available on the Web. Two figures representing the regular model and the innovative model are included. (DLS)