Following the pioneering work of Randy Garrison and colleagues, online teachers in the US and internationally see their discussion boards as communities of inquiry (CoI) which promote sustained communication and higher-level learning. The CoI approach to online discussions is based on John Dewey's conception of education in which teachers and learners are participants in activities working towards a common goal. Teachers in CoI have three main roles: discussion design and organization, discourse facilitation, and direct instruction. Issues have arisen in research on CoI concerning the effectiveness of each role, of communities of inquiry themselves, and of online discussions generally in promoting sustained communication and higher-level learning. The author argues that there is a more fundamental issue at stake; namely, that as currently conceived and practiced, CoI are only loosely based on Dewey's analysis of the concept of education. Furthermore, he demonstrates with examples from his own research how "new modes of practice" based more firmly on Dewey's "new order of conceptions" can help CoI achieve their goals.