TEACHING PHYSICS ON LINE

Since 1986 we have offered courses on special relativity and general r elativity in a variety of formats over computer networks nationwide to a mix of high school students, high school teachers, college students , and college professors, Using ideas from many sources, we have evolv ed a highly structured format that keep students working every day and talking extensively with one another over the conference system, Obli gatory student ''Reading Memos'' bring a flood of comments and complai nts essential to evaluation of student progress and revision of the te xt. We consider possible reasons why these courses from the United Sta tes have not worked with participants in Europe, and speculate about p ossible consequences of future technological developments. (C) 1995 Am erican Association of Physics Teachers.