More than 500 student teachers marched on the Department of Education today to protest over Ireland's first online teaching course.
Speakers at the protest in Marlborough Street said such a course was not the equivalent of intensive full-time taught graduate or postgraduate courses.
President of St Patrick's College Student Union, Mr Jonathan Tiernan said: "It is an insult, and an attack on the teaching profession."
Students from Marino College, Froebel College and St Patrick's College, Drumcondra turned out to protest.
The Internet course provides the same syllabus as other teacher-training courses but without the student having to attend college full-time.
The online 18 -month teacher-training course offered by Hibernia College is fully accredited by HETAC, the Higher Education and Training Awards Council.
One post-graduate student attending the demonstration from St Patrick's College said: "It's not the course itself I object to, it's the way it's being taught. It's not practical to train as a teacher at home on your computer."
Ms Aoife Hayes of Marino College said: "We resent the online students getting the same qualifications as us when they are doing the course part-time. We have to do it full-time and have had to give up our jobs."
The Department of Education recognises the Hibernia College qualification for primary teachers.
Hibernia College's executive chairman, Dr Sean Rowland said that the protest would have no effect on the course. "E-learning has arrived and it's not going to go away," he said.