Some subjects, such as foreign languages, are particularly suited for online learning. When it comes to beginning speakers, virtual multimedia classrooms can often accomplish more than limited class time. Traditional classroom teachers at Michigan State University have discovered that online learning is so powerful that they are incorporating it in their brick-and-mortar language courses. Here's a blurb from a recent Michigan State press release:

"Say the word "hybrid" and what may come to mind first is an environmentally friendly, fuel-efficient car.

But for students at Michigan State University, it means an innovative blend of traditional classroom instruction and online learning that is changing the way they acquire proficiency in reading, writing and speaking a foreign language.

Students in an upper-level German course co-taught by doctoral student Angelika Kraemer, for example, are using blogs, wikis, podcasts, chats and interactive comprehension activities to improve their understanding of the language."

Even the military uses software programs to help officials become fluent in foreign languages. Just about any online or traditional language course could be improved by incorporating some of these proven virtual learning techniques.