The class has to be interactive for students to learn well. Provide supplemental material from the Internet to enhance the text. I should do more of that. You don't just take the syllabus, type it up and tell students to submit assignments by e-mail. Students are forced to be much more responsible for their own learning when they learn online.
Students are more independent in an online course.
Students talk more online. Students write more online. Critical thinking skills. Forced to do more analyzing and synthesizing online. Students are more active in the learning process online.