In the rush to get courses online, some of the challenges of online teaching and learning are often ignored. Too often virtual learning environments (VLEs) are adopted because of their technical innovativeness and little thought is given to integrating the medium with learning objectives and pedagogical strategies, and taking into account a multicultural audience. For these reasons, global education typically lacks social and collaborative activities with the unintended consequence of feelings of social and cultural isolation. In other words, technology can separate rather than connect students. Yet, more than any other teaching medium, virtual learning environments have the potential to fully exploit theories of social and active learning through communication, collaboration and cooperation.