Online learning is playing an increasingly important role in Singapore's higher education institutions as many find it to be not only convenient but also more effective than traditional classroom instruction. Proponents of online learning argue that it is convenient and effective because students can attend classes and courses whenever and wherever they want, which allows them to easily plan a schedule that works for them, suited to their way of learning. However, supporters of traditional classroom instruction think differently. They explain that traditional classroom settings would allow students to be more engaged, stay more interested, and understand more information. Students can ask questions and get immediate answers. They would also benefit from a classroom environment where other students can ask questions about something they may have missed. Additionally, classroom instruction is more effective for students and teachers because the environment is generally ideal for concentrating and learning, and materials are usually available to facilitate the learning process. Last but not least, teachers in the traditional classroom environment would be able to interact more with students and get to know them better in order to conduct more effective and personalized lessons for them. This paper concludes that online learning is not as convenient or effective as believed by many. Traditional classroom instruction would lead to greater effectiveness and convenience than online learning. This document presents local and international case studies to support traditional classroom instruction. A case study from Nanyang Technological University (NTU) in 2001 examines the effectiveness of online learning... half of the paper... classroom instruction is more effective than online learning. Online interaction can be used as an additional tool to enhance learning, especially for students who tend to be reserved in class. In developing online courses, we should realize that some courses may be more challenging for students who persist in the online environment. Developers of such courses need to carefully analyze what specific topics may hinder persistence and supplement instruction with face-to-face advising, advising, or tutoring. While an online course offers a comparably effective learning alternative, we should recognize that online learning has unique advantages and disadvantages. .ntu.edu.sg/home/sfoo/publications/2001/2001libres1_fmt.pdf