TRAINING 4 U SERVICES LTD.

Student Name

Course

Professor Name

Date: 27th November 2022

 Executive Summary
This report covers the project plan of implementing online learning platform for

Training 4 U Services Ltd, its potential challenges that the company may face and the

analysis of eLearning industry. Training 4 U Services Ltd. is a work-based learning provider

based in Luton, United Kingdom. With the growing technology, it has become important for

businesses to switch to alternative modes of learning and providing resources for learning as

well. However, to implement the online learning platform, Training 4 U must identify the

potential opportunities, threats in the online education industry as well as the internal

strengths and weaknesses of the firm. The switch to eLearning mode will also come with

several challenges and issues that are also covered in the report.
Table of Contents

Introduction................................................................................................................................4

Identification of Issues/Challenges Faced by Training 4 U Services Ltd..................................4

Internal and External Analysis...................................................................................................8

SWOT Analysis.....................................................................................................................8

Porter’s 5 Forces Analysis...................................................................................................12

Critical Analysis of the Implications........................................................................................14

Project Plan..........................................................................................................................14

Recommendations/Conclusion.................................................................................................16

References................................................................................................................................17

Appendices...............................................................................................................................19

Appendix A- Team Charter..................................................................................................19

Appendix B- S/W of e-facilitator.........................................................................................19

Appendix B- SWOT for Institutions....................................................................................19

Appendix C- Porter’s 5 Forces.............................................................................................20

 TRAINING 4 U SERVICES LTD.

Introduction

Training 4 U Services Ltd. is a work-based learning provider company established in

October 2009. The registered office of the company is located in Luton, Bedfordshire.

Training 4 U Services Ltd. assist individuals in attaining internationally recognised

credentials in their chosen fields. Students, graduates, workers, and the unemployed are all

welcome to enrol in these classes. The size of the company is considered micro as it has less

than 10 employees and a turnover of under £2 million. From the headquarters in Luton,

Training 4 U Services Ltd. offer courses in a wide variety of commercial fields. In many

cases, customers do not have to pay anything to take advantage of these seminars since they

are totally financed by the government. Training 4 U Services Ltd. outstanding success rates

mean that all of the courses may be taken privately at a reasonable cost. Every year,

approximately sixty classes are taught ranging from the introductory level to the fourth level.

The subjects broadly cover business administration, health care, social care, customer service,

team leadership etc. This report covers the project plan of implementing online learning

platform for Training 4 U Services Ltd, its potential challenges that the company may face

and the analysis of eLearning industry.

Identification of Issues/Challenges Faced by Training 4 U Services Ltd.

It is important for educational and training institutions to diversify their services

through online platform and embrace online education since it has several benefits for both

the institution and learners. How, where, and to what extent a student learns all influence

which learning approach is most effective for them (Pham et al., 2019). By "online

education," it is meant the delivery of educational processes through electronic devices that

students had ready access to, such as cell phones, laptops, and desktop computers. According
to Singh & Thurman (2019), online education provides a medium that facilitates learning by

allowing for more variety, encouraging originality, and placing the focus squarely on the

individual learner. In addition to being more cost-effective for students in rural and isolated

places, it may also help enhance equity by making education available to anybody with an

internet connection. This serves as a benefit for online learning as Training 4 U Services Ltd.

can reach out to people even in rural areas who can avail the benefits of government funded

programs.

By utilizing emerging web-based platforms and technology, distance education allows

students to learn in settings that are not limited by their location or time of day (Bilgiç &

Tüzün, 2015). Access to knowledge and education, current skill development, quality of

educational structure, ability of the education system, education to target populations, case of

emergencies training to target groups, expansion of the educational ability in new areas of

study, and affiliation with experts are all reasons why institutions select distance education

(Moore & Kearsley, 2012).

The incorporation of technology, however, is not without its challenges

for organisations. Students' mental health has suffered as a result of the disruptions to their

education caused by the prolonged closure of schools, a shortage of necessary materials for

students to use in class, and the inability to access internet resources from home (Apriyanti,

2020). Another contributing reason is institutions' outdated IT infrastructure. These obstacles

prevent the education from being fully effective. Therefore, it is essential to identify

problems if distant learning is to be implemented by Training 4 U Services LTd.. Identifying

these issues is critical for removing, eliminating, or resolving roadblocks in future

deployments of online education. In addition, there are a number of challenges that must be

overcome before pre-service educators may use what they have learned about remote learning

in their future careers.

 One of the major challenges that instructors at Training 4 U Services Ltd. can face is

that there is no one-on-one contact in an online classroom like there is in a conventional one.

Consequently, it is difficult for instructors to effectively communicate their courses to

students so that they may achieve their goals. thus, maintaining order in the classroom is a

challenging task for educators. Guidelines for maintaining a stimulating and secure learning

environment are provided to instructors via classroom management (Cooper et al., 2018).

Teachers have a hard time keeping a check on the learners and getting them involved in

virtual learning. One of the problems that teachers encountered was a lack of ability to

effectively synchronise curriculum delivery. Training 4 U Services Ltd. educators would

have to confront the difficulties in delivering the lecture as it is not possible to get attention of

students in distance learning sometimes especially when the cameras are off. Therefore,

maintaining discipline and effective learning during classes would be a challenge for Training

4 U Services Ltd.

ICT adoption will serve as another challenge for Training 4 U Services Ltd. as

shifting from traditional classes to virtual classes will require adoption of technology.

Similarly, low levels of digital self-efficacy and limited access to the internet have been

recognised as the primary barriers to ICT adoption (Kanwal & Rehman, 2017). As a result,

implementing live, online instruction presents challenges for both educators and students.

While the technology is accessible, a high-quality internet connection is not. Therefore, it is

difficult for instructors to reach all of their learners at once throughout the class session. It's

not uncommon for the gadgets to power off unexpectedly or lose connectivity with the

internet. As a result, educators have resumed instruction. Furthermore, it is found that poor

internet connection and other technical concerns are affecting around 82% of educators

(Kanwal & Rehman, 2017). According to another research, there are three main categories of

problems that arise when attempting to use information technology in education: (a) student,
(b) instructor, and (c) content development (Kebritchi et al., 2017). The importance of

teachers' intrinsic and extrinsic motivation in maintaining their usage of instruction and

digital self-efficacy over time. Furthermore, weak digital competence, lack of desire, and an

outdated physical infrastructure were named as the primary obstacles to technology adoption.

The instructors at Training 4 U Services Ltd. will require extensive training in using

the software and Smartboards for online teaching. This will add to the cost for the firm as

well and might add delay in the online shift since all instructors will need to be trained before

the change is implemented. The integration of technology in virtual teaching and learning

environment is still being measured by educational technology specialists, even if popular

tools like PowerPoint and Smartboards may be utilised for online instruction as well

(Nikolopoulou & Gialamas 2016). Instructors need guidance on how to establish a new

identity and connection with their online students, how to organise and lead productive

conversations, and how to strike a good balance between synchronous and asynchronous

strategies. Experiencing like you are part of a learning community in an online course may be

aided by the use of a variety of collaborative learning activities and the encouragement and

facilitation of student interactions and group projects. There are several factors that influence

the success and satisfaction of online students, including but not limited to the quality of the

instructors and the e-learning platform itself. Thus, it is recommended that teachers get

formal instruction in the use of technology in the classroom (Guillén-Gámez et al., 2020).

Another issue post-shift to online learning that can be faced by Training 4 U Services

Ltd. is a potential decline in their clients in the beginning. Students in underdeveloped nations

are disproportionately affected by difficulties with or limitations posed by technology

(Eltahir, 2019). Which means that Training 4 U Services Ltd. might lose its potential clients

and students due to this challenge.

 Several other barriers to the use of technology in education have been highlighted in

the existing literature; they include, but are not limited to, inefficient learner-instructor

communication, insufficient help, inadequate infrastructure, and insufficient ICT competency

(Eltahir, 2019). Training 4 U Services Ltd. will have to overcome these barriers by investing

in technology and infrastructure to provide efficiency in delivery of education through virtual

channels.

Internal and External Analysis

SWOT Analysis

The SWOT analysis is attached in the Appendix B for Training 4 U Services Ltd. For

internal factors- Strength and Weaknesses, the perspective of e-instructors is also included as

their strength and weaknesses add directly to the strength and weaknesses of the firm.

Strengths of e-instructors at Training 4 U Services Ltd.

 Time flexibility and the ability to work 24/7 serves as a major strength for the

instructors at the institution. The faculty and instructors at Training 4 U Services can

structure their time more efficiently as they do not have to travel from one location to

another to provide training. Thus, this time can serve as a strength for them to provide

courses efficiently.

 There is no geographical restriction to provide training and education by the

instructors. This serves as the strength because the instructors can work from

anywhere allowing them to have time flexibility as well. Furthermore, the

geographical restriction also works for the access of education provision as they can

target a massive number of students from every corner of the world.

 Build diversification in teaching style and abilities through the use of information

technology. The e-instructors can develop skills to use technology such as

 blackboards, virtual teaching software etc to diversify their skills and build strength

for the firm.

Weaknesses of e-instructors at Training 4 U Services Ltd.

 One of the major weaknesses is that there is a continuous need to upgrade skills. This

means that e-instructors will have to upgrade skills with the changing technology

which will require extensive training and keeping oneself up to date.

 Less teacher evaluation compared to F2F of the students as the students will be distant

and the teacher cannot supervise, control or guide students the way they would in a

F2F classroom.

 Poor interaction between instructor and students compared to F2F because the virtual

environment naturally brings less interaction between the instructor and student.

Strength of Training 4 U Services Ltd.

 One of the major strengths online platforms offer Training 4 U Services Ltd. is the

ability to develop more variety of course offerings and subjects. The firm can expand

their services to various subjects instead of specializing in just one field or program.

 The firm can also earn increased revenue as the enrolment would increase due to no

geographical limit to the reach of the virtual teaching service. Students from all over

the world can be reached through online services.

 The reputation of the firm will improve as it will be cutting edge, competitive while

keeping updated with the latest technology. Training 4 U Services Ltd. will stay

competitive in the market by employing latest trends in the teaching industry which is

virtual education.

Weaknesses of Training 4 U Services Ltd.

 Most students are likely to drop out in online courses. Poor interaction is a major

contributor to dropouts, as noted in the literature. Education, it is suggested, would amount to

nothing more than a passive transmission of information if students and teachers never

interacted. Interactions between students and teachers, as well as between students

themselves, are linked to students' choices to drop out of virtual school (Muljana and Luo,

2019). The dialogue between students and teachers is a vital part of the learning process.

Both the student's relationship with the teacher and the instructor's skills matter in

determining whether or not students will abandon the course. Furthermore, students' choices

may be influenced by how teachers address them in emails. Therefore, institutions need to be

very selective when choosing teachers to employ. Institutions also need to consider how well

the prerequisites line up with what students expect. When deciding whether or not to drop

out, a student may take into account the institution's level of educational and technical

assistance (Muljana & Luo, 2019). Even more, orientation programmes have an effect on

dropout rates. Students may choose to drop out rather than face challenges when they are

unsure of what to expect from the orientation session.

Opportunities

 The educational opportunities are enhanced because of online platforms as different

strategies can be used, various tools can be used, as well as more skills can be learned

and taught to the students.

 There is an ever-growing opportunity for online platforms of education and

institutions to reach out to a large pool of students and instructors from all over the

world. Physical classrooms require teachers and students to come to the same

classroom which means only a limited geographical reach can be attained. Whereas

for online educational institutions, there is no geographical limit to reach students and
 instructors as the instructors can be hired and students can be reached from all over

the world.

Threats

 Strong competition in the online education industry as the technology and use of

internet both has grown significantly in the recent years (Kaliski et al. 2008). In recent

years, there have been several changes to the environment for education facilitated by

technology. Companies who are at the cutting edge of their industries are always on

the lookout for innovative ways to bring their most important training to the web,

because of the internet's capacity to facilitate the quick development and distribution

of content to a worldwide audience which has led to increased competition.

 The institutions might find it difficult to recruit quality instructors as the process may

involve distant hiring as well. Both the student's relationship with the teacher and the

instructor's skills matter in determining whether or not students will abandon the

course. Furthermore, students' choices may be influenced by how teachers address

them in emails. Therefore, institutions need to be very selective when choosing

teachers to employ thus the quality of instructors serves as a major threat for the

virtual schools and institutions (Muljana and Luo, 2019).

 There is increased threat of incurring huge cost because of two major factors. Firstly,

the online institutions will have to keep their technology updated to provide quality,

uninterrupted education to distant students. Secondly, with updating of technology

comes another cost of training the teachers with new devices, software and

technology that the firm installs or employs.

Porter’s 5 Forces Analysis

The latest innovation in the market for eLearning solutions offers the greatest

economic advantages and the least total cost of ownership to organisations who adopt it.

Most available on the market LCMS include content production and management facilities,

class and course administration features, and learner-centric progress checking and

certification capabilities, consolidating benefits from the previous three phases into a single

package. Therefore, Training 4 U needs to employ LCMS to provide the best eLearning

services to the students.

These tools are intended to help content specialists with less technical knowledge

rapidly plan, develop, and roll out eLearning programmes for their students. By providing

businesses with a highly scalable platform for delivering high-impact, unique information for

individual learners, LCMS drastically alters the value of the economics for eLearning content

distribution. Learning management systems (LMSs) may be used throughout an organisation

or even just a single department, with the outcomes of individual students being connected to

the larger company's databases. Users have the ability to construct, command, and manage

material, students, and classes while also making timely adjustments to reflect new

developments.

Discussed below is the Porter’s Five Forces Analysis of online learning industry using

learning software and system such as LCMS (Kaliski et al. 2008).

Threat of new entrants- Low

Companies trying to enter the industry face steep uphill struggles due to the high cost

of acquiring the expertise and resources needed to succeed. However, the threat of entry is

low because the acquisition of building a learning management system is not as costly and

can be setup by firms that wish to switch to online learning mode.

Threat of substitute- Moderate

The most common substitutes will be other ways of learning, such as those provided

by large institutions through their extended campuses, or through what are now called classic

CD content offerings. Although these other formats do not pose a significant enough threat to

the LCMS provider to require substantial attention. It is not important that consumers would

consider these substitutes to their complete eLearning solutions due to the product's

integrated needs and strategic relevance.

Bargaining power of buyers- High

Due to the strategic relevance and influence on the organization's infrastructure, most

buyers will exercise caution when choosing an LCMS supplier. Buyers that are big

international competitors will need to consult with many different departments before making

a purchase. The supplier of the LCMS takes on a significant amount of responsibility as a

result. The existing LCMS suppliers are rather tiny, which also shows that buyer power is

reasonably strong. A buyer's negotiating power is diminished in favour of a more

interdependent relationship due to the significance of the selection of an LCMS provider.

Bargaining power of suppliers- Low

Talented people with programming and system development skills are among the

resources available to eLearning service providers. Since people with these skills are hard to

come by, they have more leverage in negotiations. Additional ingredients include servers,

routers, and PCs for constructing LCMS systems. Competitors can readily access most of

these inputs.

Industry rivalry- Strong

 It follows that competition will be strong due to the low barriers to entry and the small

and even size of the existing competitors. Even while there are chances to stand out,

competitive advantage is often lost in today's fast-paced markets. There will be intense

rivalry to get in front of the competition by providing superior complete solutions that, if

embraced by a select group of high-profile customers, may earn them a market niche of their

own. Buyers will be very picky as they make their selections from the pool of available

service providers, and the battle for top-tier instructors will also be fierce.

Critical Analysis of the Implications

Project Plan

Training 4 U needs to employ Learning Content Management Systems, LCMS, to

provide the best eLearning services to the students. Training professionals may be able to

better manage their training programmes and interact with one another with the use of LCMS

software. The platform serves as a centralised location for organising and managing both

learning sessions and participant signups. In addition, the platform's advanced features make

it easy to monitor and evaluate every aspect of the educational process.

The latest innovation in the market for eLearning solutions offers the greatest

economic advantages and the least total cost of ownership to organisations who adopt it.

Most available on the market LCMS include content production and management facilities,

class and course administration features, and learner-centric progress checking and

certification capabilities, consolidating benefits from the previous three phases into a single

package. An efficient LCMS also recognises that each business has its own unique approach

to learning design and deployment and must be flexible enough to accommodate these

variations (Kaliski et al. 2008). For instance, a multinational corporation selling and servicing
a wide variety of goods may have different training and education demands in each of the

countries in which it operates.

Implication and scope of Project

The LCMS allows content creators to build reusable content pieces, compile them

into eLearning courses or learning pathways, and make them accessible to learners or user

groups across the organisation, as opposed to producing whole courses and modifying them

for diverse audiences. Because of this, Training 4 U can create individualised content and put

it together instantly, while avoiding unnecessary repetition of development work.

Rapid advances in hardware capabilities and the underlying technological

infrastructure usually stimulate progress in related fields. For instance, when new

technologies are introduced to a market, enthusiasts are the first to buy and use them. This is

often the case with high-bandwidth wireless internet access and web-enabled mobile phones.

Next, companies try out several ideas on how to best incorporate this technology into their

existing procedures and culture. As end users gain familiarity with the technology, they are

better able to see its value and incorporate it into existing workflows. As a result of this

cyclical process, technology serves as both a facilitator and a motivator for LCMS offerings,

with good and negative consequences for the market as a whole. The impact will be

beneficial for those who are able to accurately determine where first mover effects may be

exploited. The more quickly innovations spread across borders, the more internationally

competitive businesses become. Thus, the LCMS technology adoption will allow Training 4

U to rapidly become compatible with several consumers across the world allowing students

to access study materials and use the smart learning tools from the software.
 Recommendations/Conclusion

To conclude, the aim of the report is to cover the project of switching to online

learning mode for Training 4 U Services Ltd including the challenges that would be faced by

the firm and the implications of the project. Training 4 U Services Ltd. is a work-based

learning provider company established in October 2009. According to the project plan

suggested for Training 4 U to establish online learning platform, it needs to employ Learning

Content Management Systems, LCMS, to provide the best eLearning services to the students.

Training professionals at Training 4 U Services Ltd. may be able to better manage their

training programmes and interact with one another with the use of LCMS software.

Furthermore, the eLearning industry was also analysed for Training 4 U, and it was

found that in the eLearning industry with moderately high competition that is expected to

increase, rivalry is certainly the greatest competitive force because of low entry barriers and

relatively significant buyer power. Profit margins in the eLearning industry should be

squeezed as a result of this. Substitutes and supplier power are the least significant of the

forces involved. Furthermore, from the internal analysis it was found that one of the major

weaknesses that come inherently with the eLearning platforms is that students tend to

increasingly dropout midway through the course which may result in loss in revenue for the

company. However, the company can use its strength of reaching students and instructors

across the world and expand their reach to gain more students through online learning

platforms.
 References

Bilgiç, A. and Tüzün, H., 2015. Yükseköğretim kurumları web tabanlı uzaktan eğitim

programlarında yaşanan sorunlar. Açıköğretim Uygulamaları ve Araştırmaları

Dergisi, 1(3), pp.26-50.

Cooper, J.T., Gage, N.A., Alter, P.J., LaPolla, S., MacSuga-Gage, A.S. and Scott, T.M.,

2018. Educators' self-reported training, use, and perceived effectiveness of evidence-

based classroom management practices. Preventing School Failure: Alternative

Education for Children and Youth, 62(1), pp.13-24.

Eltahir, M.E., 2019. E-learning in developing countries: Is it a panacea? A case study of

Sudan. IEEE Access, 7, pp.97784-97792.

Guillén-Gámez, F.D., Mayorga-Fernández, M., Bravo-Agapito, J. and Escribano-Ortiz, D.,

2021. Analysis of teachers’ pedagogical digital competence: Identification of factors

predicting their acquisition. Technology, Knowledge and Learning, 26(3), pp.481-498.

Kaliski, J., Kalinowski, J., Schumann, P., Scott, T. and Shin, D., 2008. Competition in the

eLearning industry: a case study. Journal of Business Case Studies (JBCS), 4(2),

pp.106-122.

Kanwal, F. and Rehman, M., 2017. Factors affecting e-learning adoption in developing

countries–empirical evidence from Pakistan’s higher education sector. Ieee Access, 5,

pp.10968-10978.

Kebritchi, M., Lipschuetz, A., and Santiague, L., 2017. Issues and challenges for teaching

successful online courses in higher education: A literature review. Journal of

Educational Technology Systems, 46(1), 4–29. Available at

https://doi.org/10.1177/0047239516661713
Moore, M.G. and Kearsley, G., 2011. Distance education: A systems view of online learning.

Cengage Learning.

Muljana, P.S. and Luo, T., 2019. Factors contributing to student retention in online learning

and recommended strategies for improvement: A systematic literature review. Journal

of Information Technology Education: Research, 18.

Nikolopoulou, K. and Gialamas, V., 2016. Barriers to ICT use in high schools: Greek

teachers’ perceptions. Journal of Computers in Education, 3(1), pp.59-75.

Pham, L., Limbu, Y.B., Bui, T.K., Nguyen, H.T. and Pham, H.T., 2019. Does e-learning

service quality influence e-learning student satisfaction and loyalty? Evidence from

Vietnam. International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education, 16(1),

pp.1-26.

Singh, V. and Thurman, A., 2019. How many ways can we define online learning? A

systematic literature review of definitions of online learning (1988-2018). American

Journal of Distance Education, 33(4), pp.289-306.

 Appendices

Appendix A- Team Charter

Appendix B- S/W of e-facilitator

Strengths
- Time structuring more efficiently.
- No geographical restriction.
- Build diverisfication in teachnig styles and
abilities.

S/W for e-
facilitator
Weaknesses
- Continuous need to upgrade skills.
- Less teacher evaluation compared to F2F.
- Poor interaction between insrructor and
students.

Appendix B- SWOT for Institutions

Strengths Weaknesses
- More variety of subjects and course offerings. - Students are less likely to complete online
- Increased revenue and enrollment. courses.
- Increased reputation as keeping with
technology through virtual teaching.

SWOT for
Institutions
Threats Opportunities
- Strong competition
- Enhanced educational opportunities.
- Difficulty in recruiting quality instructors.
- Growing trend for both online and F2F
- Increased cost of training and keeping students.
technology up to date.
- Marketing strategies to attract both students
and instructors form all over the world.
Appendix C- Porter’s 5 Forces

Threat of
new
entrants
LOW

Bargaining Bargaining
power of Industry power of
suppliers Rivalry customer
LOW HIGH

Threat of
substitute
MODERATE