Same thing with the Internet. Web pages are generally passive. Forums and News Groups are places where folks can engage one another in discussion. Sometimes it is light and chatty. Sometimes there are in-depth exchanges or debates that develop ideas and make real intellectual progress.
Information is exchanged, and questions answered.
Courses are in forums, also. Well, it is an easy, convenient, and functional way to do it. But for accessing lots of messages in lots of forums, you may prefer the speed of using a News Reader. Then choose News and Options. You can experiment with different settings for various options, using the help system as a guide.