Chapter 17, e-Learning

Outline
17.1 Introduction
17.2 e-Learning Technologies and Infrastructure
17.3 e-Learning Overview
17.4 e-Learning Solution Providers
17.5 Training Marketplaces
17.6 Information Technology (IT) Training Online
17.7 Traditional Education Online
17.8 Studying Online
17.9 Educational Supplies and Resources Online

 2001 Prentice Hall, Inc. All rights reserved.

 17.1 Introduction
• E-learning
– The use of the Internet and related technologies for the
development, distribution and enhancement of learning
resources
• Provides students and professional with skills for
career advancement, enabling busy people to learn
new technologies
• Experts believe it to be the fastest growing
education industry, expecting it to double in size
between 2000 and 2002

 2001 Prentice Hall, Inc. All rights reserved.

 17.1 Introduction
e-Lea rning SWOT Ana lysis

Strengths Ability to offer education to large numbers of students from distant

locations.
Lower costs (travel, instructor fees).
Shorter courses mean less time commitment necessary from corporate
students.
Lower cost means education is more accessible to people with limited
financial resources.
Use best instructors making best courses available to all.
Weaknesses Large commitment to technology needed from universities, corporations offering e-
learning courses.
Lack of face-to-face contact with students.
Current technology does not support low-cost, high-bandwidth, synchronous student-
teacher interaction.

 2001 Prentice Hall, Inc. All rights reserved.

 17.1 Introduction
Opportunities Ability to reach the world instantaneously with the latest news and
technologies.
Ability to train sales force and employees about product advancements.
Access to courses from a variety of universities.
Decrease long-term education expenses by shifting learning programs to the
Web.
Threats Lack of student interest.
Equipment and technology requirements restrict adoption of e-learning.
Lack of human interaction deters the learning process.
Most corporate instructor-led courses last 4-5 days, comprehensive
coverage of some topics could be lost in a shorter e-course.

 2001 Prentice Hall, Inc. All rights reserved.

 17.2 e-Learning Technologies and
Infrastructure
• Video-conferencing technology
• Streaming audio and video
• Redundant storage space
• High-bandwidth required to broadcast courses
over the Web
• Computer-based-training (CBT)
– Interactive educational software presented on floppy disks
and CDs
– Allows students to take a self-paced course in any number of
subjects
– Since no downloading is necessary, bandwidth is not a
concern with CBT courses
 2001 Prentice Hall, Inc. All rights reserved.
 17.2 e-Learning Technologies and
Infrastructure
• Web-based-training developers must consider that
their courses will be used on varying operating
systems and platforms
• Cross-platform
– Products are accessible by many different operating systems
• Asynchronous courses
– Can be taken any time, are self-paced and will not have the
benefit of a live instructor
– Courses must minimize student confusion by providing a
basic interface and clear, concise content
– Students should have the ability to communicate with each
other using chat programs and message boards

 2001 Prentice Hall, Inc. All rights reserved.

 17.2 e-Learning Technologies and
Infrastructure
• Storage space is a major concern for e-learning
vendors
– Each course requires a database of information that can be
downloaded by the students
– Audio and video require additional server space
• Synchronous courses
– Occurring in real time
– Audio and video with live instructors will require even more
resources to ensure that systems function properly when the
courses are delivered
• Learning Management Systems (LMS)
– A database which can be accessed by employees and
students, providing course outlines, explanations, pre-
requisite information and courses
 2001 Prentice Hall, Inc. All rights reserved.
 17.3 e-Learning Overview
• Learning marketplace
– Connects students and teachers to courses on the Internet
• Businesses design e-learning opportunities to
supplement their current products and services
• Online universities offer both accredited and non-
accredited courses
• Online learning also includes classes for people
interested in developing new skills or entertaining
hobbies

 2001 Prentice Hall, Inc. All rights reserved.

 17.3 e-Learning Overview
• Opponents of e-learning
– Fear of an increase in the digital divide
– Copyright infringement
– Online learning reduces social interaction among children
– Lack the socialization aspects of a traditional education
– Web-based training is not always designed by skilled
educators

 2001 Prentice Hall, Inc. All rights reserved.

 17.4 E-Learning Solution Providers
• Build customized courses for businesses
• Monitor the success of the training to determine
the company’s return on investment (ROI)
– The ratio of cost savings and increased revenue to money
• Providers:
– DigitalThink
– Centra
– Saba
– SmartForce
– THINQ.com
– Click2Learn

 2001 Prentice Hall, Inc. All rights reserved.

 17.5 Training Marketplaces
• Training marketplace
– A forum for companies that need training but do not want to
pay the development and implementation costs of designing
their own program
• Allow companies to select the material they need
and pay per course

 2001 Prentice Hall, Inc. All rights reserved.

 17.5 Training Marketplaces
e-Lea rning URL Fea tures
So lutio n Pro vid er
Saba www.saba.com Offers consulting services,
solutions implementation,
hosting services, scalable
corporate education services and
performance management.
WBT Systems www.wbtsytems.com TopClass, WBT System’s
signature product, offers design
and development services for
Web-based training.
VCampus www.vcampus.com Provides e-learning platform
with customizing capabilities. A
tour of VCampus and a
demonstration course are
available through the site.
SmartForce www.smartforce.com Offers customized e-learning
solutions and support services.
THINQ www.thinq.com Provides customized Web-based
training through Thinq Learning
Consulting services.

 2001 Prentice Hall, Inc. All rights reserved.

 17.5 Training Marketplaces
Click2Learn www.click2learn.com A database of products and services
to help individuals and companies
find the courses they need. This site
also has a skills assessment feature
that helps customers evaluate their
e-learning needs. Companies
wishing to develop their own
training can use the Click2Learn
Toolbook product to develop and
sell courses on the Click2Learn
site.
Headlight.com www.headlight.com Design, development and
deployment of training courses
based on corporate needs.
Consulting services are also
available.
PBS Adult Learning www.pbs.org/adultlearning Licenses and distributes online
Service learning courses to colleges,
universities, etc.
Caliber www.caliberlearning.com Builds online courses to meet
corporate needs, provides
distribution methods and consulting
services.

 2001 Prentice Hall, Inc. All rights reserved.

 17.6 Information Technology (IT)
Training Online
• Provides the advantage of hands-on experience
• Students can learn new languages and techniques
and apply them directly while at the computer
• Training Providers:
– Knowledgenet.com
– Wavetech.com
– Ameritrain
– CyberStateU
– CodeWarriorU
– Net-Scene
– Quisic

 2001 Prentice Hall, Inc. All rights reserved.

 17.6 Information Technology (IT)
Training Online

Quisic Corporate Programs. (Courtesy of © Quisic. All Rights

Reserved.)
 2001 Prentice Hall, Inc. All rights reserved.
 17.6 Information Technology (IT)
Training Online

Quisic Corporate Programs. (Courtesy of © Quisic. All Rights

Reserved.)
 2001 Prentice Hall, Inc. All rights reserved.
 17.6 Information Technology (IT)
Training Online
URL Pro d uc ts a nd Servic es
www.knowledgenet.com View demonstrations of KnowledgeNet including
KnowledgeNet Live (e-learning classroom setting, dual-band
communication, etc.); KnowledgeNet Express (experience
Microsoft and Cisco training sessions); KnowledgeNet
Custom (view custom designed training session);
KnowledgeNet Mentor and KnowledgeNet Labs.
gocertify.earthweb.com Provides IT training and certification from a variety of
vendors.
www.wavetech.com Offers instructor-led training, self-paced study,
computer-based training, certification, etc.
www.ameritrain.com Provides hands-on computer training.

 2001 Prentice Hall, Inc. All rights reserved.

 17.7 Traditional Education
• Elementary
• High school
• College and adult students
• Accredited and non-accredited universities over
degrees online
• In the future wireless applications may allow
classes to be taken while commuting to and from
work

 2001 Prentice Hall, Inc. All rights reserved.

 17.7 Traditional Education
University
University of Dallas
Colorado State
East Carolina University
Concord University
Suffolk University
Jones International
University
Kaplan
Capella University
 2001 Prentice Hall, Inc. All rights reserved.
URL Pro g ra m s Offered
imba.udallas.edu e-Commerce,
Telecommunications
Management, Information
Technology and Sport
Management
www.biz.colostate.edu MBA and Management of
Technology
www.dcs.ecu.edu MS Industrial Technology,
MS Occupational Safety,
graduate and undergraduate
courses
bw.concordlawschool.com Juris Doctorate,
Executive JDSM
www.suffolkemba.org MBA
www.educationalbenefit.com MBA
www.kaplancollege.com MBA, Paralegal Studies,
Legal Nurse Consulting,
Criminal Justice and Law.
www.capellauniveristy.com MS, MBA, PhD
 17.8 Studying Online
Sc ho o l URL Purp o se

Stanford eskolar.com Designed for healthcare professionals, allowing them

to meet patient needs and continue their education.
NYU NYUOnline.com Delivers customized content packages to business
organizations.
Columbia Fathom.com Provides articles, interviews, lectures and additional
resources in technology, business, law, etc.
UCLA OnlineLearning.net Offers both accredited and nonaccredited continuing
education courses.
UPenn Pensare.com Hosts an e-learning center, now offering “Strategic
Business Plan Analysis.”

 2001 Prentice Hall, Inc. All rights reserved.

 17.8 Studying Online

Tutor.com’s whiteboard. (Courtesy of tutor.com, Inc.)

 2001 Prentice Hall, Inc. All rights reserved.

 17.9 Educational Supplies and
Resources Online
• Books, videos and other materials offered at a low
cost
• Financial aid applications
• Used book/ book-buy-back sales
• Online services:
– eCampus.com
– Varsitybooks.com
– Bigwords.com
– Addall.com
– Bookfinder.com
– FreeScholarships.com

 2001 Prentice Hall, Inc. All rights reserved.