E learning business plan development

E-learning business plan development

author: Eric Kluijfhout, [email protected] 

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E-learning business plan development

Refresher Course for Senior Executives Program“Entrepreneurship development and -training in a global

perspective”: e-learning strandUganda, 18-29 October 2004

by Dr Eric Kluijfhout

Outline

• Define your pedagogical approach• Define your business model• Define (inter)national opportunities and threats• Define institutional opportunities and threats• Define student attractors and deterrents• Review your pedagogical model• Review your business model

Strategic aims of e-learning

• To replace (part of) traditional teaching and learning: substitution (same methodology)

• To change (part of) traditional teaching and learning: innovation (different methodology)

• To radically change the core business and its supporting organization: transformation

Relation to ‘traditional’ teaching

• In addition and parallel to traditional means of teaching and learning: extended classroom

• To replace part of the traditional curriculum and teaching setting: blended learning

• Completely time and place independent : distributed learning

Step 1

• Define your pedagogical approach in terms of strategic aims and relation to traditional teaching

Step 2

• Describe your e-learning business model in terms of activities and actors

• Define who will be paying for what activity

Analysis and design framework

LevelDimension

MacroNational

environment

MezzoInstitutionalenvironment

MicroLearning

environment

Pedagogical

Technological

Organizational

Some e-learning movers at the global and national level

• Innovations in ICT, creating opportunities• Competition in the global knowledge society• The life long learning paradigm • Demands for accessibility and cost-efficiency• ……………………………..

National pedagogical dimension

• National educational system– School types– Curriculum and accreditation system– E-learning policy

• Status of learning and knowledge– In general– Towards distance- and e-learning

• Pedagogical tradition and teaching practices– General– E-learning specific

National technological dimension

• National telecommunications network infrastructure– Coverage and capacity– Accessibility and reliability– Costs

• Technological support infrastructure– Quality, quantity and costs of ICT products and services– Specific e-learning support infrastructure

• Technology-orientation– General national level of technology-penetration– General attitudes towards technology– Attitudes specific to e-learning

National organisational dimension

• General school system and support structure– Size, capacity– Funding– Professionalism

• National e-learning environment– National e-learning policy– National e-learning support structure

Some e-learning inhibitors at the national level

• Lack of vision• Vision not backed by action and funds• Misconceptions and short-term (political) views• Lack of national organizational and technological

infrastructure• Inability to absorb and localise technology• Resistance to change in general• Failed pilots• ……………………….

Prerequisites at national level• Realistic national e-learning policy• E-learning innovation programmes and funds• Telecommunications infrastructure• Internet services providers• Reliable hardware and software suppliers• ICT training and manpower providers• Distance teaching/e-learning association(s)• Pre- and in-service teacher training programmes in

e-learning• Openness to (technological) innovation• Best practices examples

Step 3

1. Take your pedagogical approach and business case in mind

2. Define the 3 major opportunities at the (inter)national level

3. Define the 4 major threats at the (inter)national level

4. Identify any show-stoppers for your pedagogical approach and business case

Some e-learning movers at the institutional level

• Client, stakeholder, and market demands• Extending services and reaching new target groups• Fear of ‘being left behind’• Drive for excellence in teaching and learning• Efficiency-considerations• Standardising the training offerings (e.g. between plants,

within a professional sector)• Monitoring: logging of learning results• Initiation often by enthusiastic individuals!• …………………………

Institutional pedagogical dimension

• Curriculum– Level, depth and scope– Orientation: general/vocational/professional– Pedagogical approach– Pedagogical vision on e-learning

• Student background– General knowledge, skills, attitudes, learning styles– General demographical, economical, ………– E-learning specific knowledge, skills, attitudes

• Teaching culture and practices– General– E-learning knowledge, skills, attitudes

Institutional technological dimension

• Connectivity:– Internet, Extranet, Intranet– Capacity, connectivity, quality– Continuous or dial-in

• Hardware and software:– PC’s (quantity, quality, access)– E-learning support software

• Accessibility:– E-learning resource materials– E-learning support services

Institutional organisational (support) dimension

• Institutional e-learning strategy/policy:– Pedagogical grounding– Technological grounding– Capacity building for management, teachers, support

staff and students– Funding

• E-learning support structure– Pedagogical– Technological

Some e-learning inhibitors at the institutional level

• Inhibitors at the national level • Being shielded from political, economical and social

developments (ivory tower)• Lack of vision and understanding• Misconceptions (too optimistic or pessimistic) about e-

learning possibilities• Lack of management support• Inflexible organisational structure and practices to

accommodate e-learning requirements• Lack of funding (in equipment and staff)• Resistance to change (individual and/or organisational)

Prerequisites at the institutional level

• National (system) support• Vision and realistic expectations• Enthusiastic individuals and role models• Management support• Flexible organizational structure and practices• Budget• Institutional innovation record• Capable staff in various (new) roles

Step 4

1. Take your pedagogical approach and business case in mind

2. Define the 3 major opportunities/strengths at the institutional level

3. Define the 4 major threats/weaknesses at the institutional level

4. Define any show-stoppers for your pedagogical approach and business case

Some e-learning movers for students

• Flexible learning: independent of time and place

• Learning at the work place• Just-in-time learning • Access to international study programmes• Saving on study/training logistics• ……………………………………

Learning environment pedagogical dimension

• Applied e-learning modus: – Substitution/innovation/transformation– Extended classroom/blended

learning/distributed learning • Suitability of e-learning modus to:

– Learning goals– Pedagogical approach

Learning environment technological dimension

• Hardware and software:– PC access– E-learning support software

• Connectivity:– On-line or dial-in– Capacity

• Access to e-learning facilities: – Learning resources– Learning services

Learning environment organisational dimension

• E-learning help(-desk) function

Some e-learning inhibitors for students

• Lack of effective ICT facilities/connectivity• Lack of ICT skills• Lack of self-study skills/discipline• Poor course design leading to ineffective learning• Poor tutoring• No added value (e.g. on-screen page-turning)• Insufficient (social) interaction opportunities• Perceived inferiority of e-learning• ………………………….

Student prerequisites

• Sufficient ICT facilities and connectivity• Basic computer skills• Openness towards e-learning• Self-directedness and study discipline

Step 5

1. Take your pedagogical approach and business case in mind

2. Define the major attractors for your students

3. Define major deterrents for your students4. Define any show-stoppers for your

pedagogical approach and business case

Step 6

• Review your pedagogical approach• Review your business model