COMPREHENSIVE ANALYSIS

on E-Learning

COGNITIVE

E-LEARNING

LANGUAGE

LEARNING-CURVE

BRAIN POWER
 FOREWORD

The current covid-19 crisis has had an impact on all sectors of the
economy. While this pandemic has been a huge challenge to many
Carl Boutet businesses, this has brough forward opportunities for many as well.
Founding Advisor The education sector has been entirely shaken up due to the crisis.
New Frontiers Consultants
However, this sudden shift away from the classroom has been an
important step towards digital education in Nepal, creating
numerous opportunities for E-learning platforms.

That is why I am particularly proud of the young team at NFC, whose

projects are looking to make a difference. Smart recommendations
that are meant to help your company remain relevant, explore new
frontiers, and develop Nepalese economy.
I hope you will receive these thoughtful recommendations with the
same eagerness as they were created by the team.

Wishing you health & prosperity.

NEW FRONTIERS CONSULTANTS


55.6%
Internet user in Nepal according to
Miniwatts Marketing Group on
internet world stats
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Overview
Online learning is particularly new in the context of Nepalese
education system which has been brought forward as a necessity
by the covid-19 pandemic. As the traditional education institutions
remain closed, people are understanding the need as well as the
ease of E-learning. According to a report by Miniwatts Marketing
Group on internet world stats, the internet user in Nepal is 55.6% of
the total population as of May 2020. Another Nepali article,
however, claims that the internet penetration had already reached
63% by 2017 (Nepali Telecom, 2019). With more than half of the
country's population connected to the internet and many already
understanding the benefits, there is a good scope for the
development of E-learning platforms in Nepal.
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Challenges associated
with e-learning
Lack of motivation and engagement: As the learners are
studying from home, it is easy to lose focus. The lack of human
interaction with instructors and peers makes it difficult for some
people to remain engaged.
Lack of support: Absence of physical interaction with the
instructor might make the learners feel dubious in case of
difficulties.
Misconception about technicality: People often get discouraged
thinking they are not up to date with technology to navigate
through the courses easily.

In relation to service providers:

Lack of resources: Lack of sufficient investment or trained
professionals for high quality service will be of concern. Modern
e-learning tools require large scale investment in technology.
Need for constant improvement and innovation.
Competition from both domestic and international platforms.

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 Introduction to
Viewfinders
Academy
Viewfinders operate as a video powered social media
branding company equipped with a unique blend of
multimedia. Viewfinders Multimedia Academy is a part
of Viewfinders Productions that provides multimedia
courses. They plan to develop into an online platform
dedicated towards providing skill-based education.
Viewfinders Academy aims to provide an interactive
environment for students and instructors along with
utilizing their available resources such as: studio and
technical expertise for formative experience for the
students.

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 Problem Statements:
1. Exploring the possibilities related to content delivery, where opting
for either live content for better interaction, or using recorded content
by utilizing the available resources.

2. Interaction & engagement between the students, instructors, and

the platform.

3. Monetize the platform and find the best revenue model.

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Live or Recorded content?
Advantages and positive aspects of both methods:

Synchronous learning (Live content) Asynchronous learning (Recorded content)

Platform
Interactive: There is better interaction and Control: The platform will have more control over the
communication between the students and instructors content materials and allows them to utilize their
with real-time discussions. available resources.
Recent developments: The content will be up to date Lower cost: The cost is lower for the platform as the
and will cover the recent developments in the same content can be monetized many times and
respective course. there are less technical issues as well.

Students
Dynamic learning: It allows more dynamic exploration Flexibility: The learners are free to access the course
of topics and ideas. Students get more guidance from at anytime and anywhere as per their requirement.
the instructors and can get answers to their questions Availability and self-paced: The content is available
in real time. when the students want and they can cover the
Customized content: The students get to set the pace content as much as they want.
for the course. The instructor can emphasize on the
subject matter which is difficult for the students and
discuss more on the topic of interest of the students.

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 Advantages and positive aspects of both methods:
Synchronous learning (Live content) Asynchronous learning (Recorded content)

Instructors
Evaluation: Interaction with the students in real time
allows the instructors to evaluate themselves and
change their delivery methods as per the requirements
of the students.
Less pressure: The content delivery is not in real time
so, the instructors have the freedom to make
mistakes, add new materials, and consult others.
Time: Instructors have flexibility with the time
schedules during content delivery.

VFA must evaluate between these two and analyze on the basis of costs and benefits. If interaction is the important aspect for the
company, live content is more attractive. Moreover, many other platforms provide recorded content as well, so, going with live content
can be a differentiating factor for Viewfinders. However, if flexibility and control is of higher importance, recorded content is the way to
go.
It is also crucial to add that according to the “2020 Online Education Trends Report”, for the fourth consecutive year, flexibility and
convenience have been the top factors for students opting for online education.

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 Our
Recommendation
NFC suggests that VFA continue with live content
as of present and shift towards recorded content
after a certain period of time. The shift can be
gradual, with more recorded courses being
introduced as time progresses. Of course, the
company can also choose to use both types of
content simultaneously in the future.

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 Why does live content
make sense now?

1. Flexible schedule of people: Due to the pandemic, many people are working from home and
school and colleges are closed with travel not being a possibility. So, having flexible schedules
makes it easier for them to arrange time for live classes.

2. Trust building: More interaction with the students helps the platform build trust and a loyal
customer base. The interactive environment will improve familiarity among the students,
instructors, and the platform. This allows the platform to connect with their audience on a personal
level.

3. Opportunity of growth: The platform can use the connection with students to make changes in
any required aspects to improve. The feedback from the students can be a valuable insight to find
out which courses are more desirable than others. The platform can then find out the lacking
element and adjust their approach accordingly.

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 Why shift to
recorded content?
1. Increasing number of students: As the number of students increases, the
overhead cost associated with live classes will also increase. It will be easier
and cost effective to provide recorded content which can be monetized
frequently.

2. Availability of students: As the pandemic begins to settle down, people

will be less flexible with their schedules and more engaged in their life, so,
preference for recorded content that is readily available to them whenever
possible will increase.

3. Resource utilization: The platform will be able to use their technical

expertise to create better content materials and grow their abilities creating
synergy in their diversified portfolio.

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The shift towards recorded content brings forth a need to address the aspect of interactivity between the students,
instructor, and the platform. The following methods can be adopted by VFA to improve interactivity in the
recorded contents:

Social and collaborative learning: Facilitating social interaction between students and instructors through discussion
platforms, focus groups, message boards, live chats, etc. for the students to discuss on topic with each other and the
instructors. They can also share their understanding of the course and pass remarks on each other.

Transforming dull subject matter into amazing e-learning experiences using interesting content, interactive videos,
and creative use of resources.

Responsiveness: Creating an encouraging environment for students to ask questions regarding their confusion or
doubts and providing immediate response to queries as much as possible. For example: A dialog box where students
submit questions which promptly emails it to the respective instructor.

Instructor teaching style: Credibility along with the teaching style of an instructor is important. In an online platform,
it can be difficult to engage with the instructor, so an instructor must be a good communicator with an interesting
personality, keeping students from being bored or distracted.

FAQs: Creating and sharing ‘Frequently Asked Questions’ forms to the students which cover most of the common
queries regarding assignments, quizzes, and technical difficulties.

Gamification: Adding gamification elements into the learning content can incentivize learners by encouraging
competition among them. Providing tangible awards for performance can result in increased learner engagement and
fun. For example: Duolingo uses gamification elements in their language learning platform.

Microlearning: It is a means of learning that moves away from traditional, lengthy training sessions towards specific
learner content delivered in small, short bursts.

Contests/ competitions: The platform can organize contests and competitions which can be as simple as a game
within a course or an event comprising students from many related courses.

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 Monetization methods
1. Pay per course model:
In this model, users pay for access to a specific course which teaches them a specific
skill. This is a classic revenue model adopted by many E-learning platforms.
The key to making money with the pay per course E-learning business model is to
create standalone courses which solve your customer’s major problems. This model
works great for new businesses as it allows them to test the product and the audience
reaction to them. This model works well with both live and recorded content.

2. Indirect revenue model – Advertisements:

Revenue can be generated by selling online advertising space on the website or by
promoting and/or merchandising the e-learning product and/or related services.
Advertisements and sponsorships from a certain brand or a store can be a great source
of revenue for Viewfinders because of their courses focused nature (Totally skill-based
courses).

3. Product bundling:
This includes selling multiple courses as a bundle at a fixed price. This is one of the
successful models that the majority of online learning platforms use. Similar courses
can be grouped together as basic, intermediate, and advanced level for a topic. It is
also possible to group different but complementary courses together such as: photo
editing and social media branding.

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 4. Freemium:
Freemium model refers to a strategy where a certain part of the course is free, and the students
must upgrade to paid status for the rest of the course. This gives the opportunity for the platform
to attract their audience’s attention, and the students to get a glimpse of the course to make an
informed decision.

5. Tailored training approach:

The platform can also develop tailored online courses that are focused to the training needs of a
corporate client. This involves partnering and providing specified courses for a certain company
to train their employees.

6. Co-operative approach:
This approach involves cooperating with other institutions or service providers in developing
content materials. Another way is to take commissions from the courses developed by other
parties offered through the platform.

The platform can introduce a new subscription model in the future, creating a hybrid revenue
model. In a subscription model, for a monthly recurring fee, students get access to the entire
library of lessons and courses. Both pay per course and subscription option can be given to the
students. Subscription based models can be adopted by Viewfinders as this model works well
with platforms that cater to a specific market. It ensures higher retention of students and a good
passive income source. This can be possible once there is a huge collection of courses available
for the students.

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Additional Suggestions:
Certification: The platform can collaborate or affiliate with universities or established institutions for a stronger certificate for students.

Survey: It is very important to conduct surveys and gain feedback from the students. The importance is more during the introduction and
growth phase. This is the time to gain feedback from the audiences to make better changes in the platform.

Credibility of instructors: It is very important to maintain credible instructors with relevant experience. It is the platform’s duty to maintain
a standard for the instructors and make sure they deliver good content and are available for helping the students.

Evaluation: How can VFA measure the effectiveness of the E-learning platform?

The Kirkpatrick Model which was initially created to measure

the effectiveness of training programs can also be used to
measure the effectiveness of the offered courses in 4 levels:

Level 1: Learner Reaction – Was the course relevant, useful, and

worth my time? (Measured using a survey.)

Level 2: Learning – Did the course lead to an increase in

skill/knowledge? (Measured through exams, quizzes, and tests
within the course.)

Level 3: Application of learning – Was there a performance

improvement or change in behavior based on the learning?
(Measured using a survey.)

Level 4: Result – Was there a tangible and demonstrable value

after the completion of the course? (Measured using a survey.)

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 Conclusion
In a nutshell, NFC recommends Viewfinders Academy (VFA) to adopt a developmental strategy by
gradually shifting from live to recorded, in terms of content delivery. They should continue with
synchronous learning methods with live content delivery, to better understand their market, build
trust, and focus their resources on creating higher quality content for on-demand courses. As the
pandemic settles down, the platform should gradually shift to recorded content delivery adopting
various interaction enhancement methods. The platform can monetize the courses using pay per
course model with advertisements and sponsorships from certain brands or stores. Freemium
model is also an attractive option to compliment the revenue stream from the pay per course
model. Upgrading to a hybrid model with a subscription option as the collection of courses
increases is recommended by NFC. Finally, the platform must focus on surveys and feedback from
the students to evaluate the effectiveness of particular courses and the platform.

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Reference
BestColleges. (2020). 2020 Online Education Trends Report.
Educational Technology. (2018, September 6). Kirkpatrick Model: Four Levels of Learning Evaluation.
Retrieved from
https://educationaltechnology.net/kirkpatrick-model-four-levels-learning-evaluation/#:~:text=The%20Kirkpatrick%20Model%
20is%20probably,based%20on%20four%20levels%20criteria

Elucidat. (2019, June). Elearning best practices. Retrieved from

https://www.elucidat.com/elearning-best-practice/

Miniwatts Marketing Group. (2020). Internet World Stats. Retrieved from

https://www.internetworldstats.com/stats3.htm

Nepali Telecom. (2019, March 12). Internet users in Nepal increases rapidly, penetration reaches 63 percent. Retrieved from
https://www.nepalitelecom.com/2018/01/internet-in-nepal-users-rapid-increase.html

uscreen. (2018, September). The 2 Most Profitable Types Of eLearning Business Models. Retrieved from
https://www.uscreen.tv/blog/elearning-education-business-model/

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 Our working team:

About us
A solution driven company that focuses
Carl Boutet Er. Bikalpa Dhakal Krishna Bhattarai on tapping into the complete business
MBA BE-Computer Engineering MBA potential of Small and Medium
Founding Advisor IT Consultant Consultant
Enterprises (SMEs). Our team works
with individuals and businesses to
ensure best results.

We believe that entrepreneurs can be

driving agents in bringing changes in
Manish Shrestha Pratish Shrestha Rupendra Aryal
MBA BA- Fine Arts PGD- Innovation, BCA the economy of Nepal utilizing their
Consultant Consultant Consultant competitive business advantage. With
the aim of helping entrepreneurs, NFC
assists emerging and existing
enterprises which can also encourage
to retain the youths within the country.

Babita Sharma
MBA
Consultant

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New Baneshwor, Kathmandu 44600
contact: +977 9849032526
www.newfrontiers.biz | info@newfrontiers.biz