Who invented eLearning?

Every day, millions of students taking online college courses act in much the same way as their bricks-and-mortar counterparts. After logging on, they move from course to course, and do things like submit work in virtual drop boxes and view posted grades — all from a program running on a PC.

It may seem self-evident that virtual classrooms should closely resemble real ones. But a major education software company contends it wasn't always so obvious.

Now, in a move that has shaken up the e-learning community, Blackboard Inc. has been awarded a U.S. patent establishing its claims to some of the basic features of the software that powers online education.

The patent, awarded to the Washington, D.C.-based company in January but announced last month, has prompted an angry backlash from the academic computing community, which is fighting back in techie fashion — through online petitions and in a sprawling Wikipedia entry that helps make its case.

Critics say the patent claims nothing less than Blackboard's ownership of the very idea of e-learning. If allowed to stand, they say, it could quash the co-operation between academia and the private sector that has characterized e-learning for years, and explains why virtual classrooms are so much better than they used to be.

The patent "is antithetical to the way that academia makes progress," said Michael Feldstein, assistant director of the State University of New York's online learning network and one of the bloggers who has criticized the company.

Originally posted AP Article at CBC.ca

Intelligently designed eLearning programs boost sales

ELearning was once considered just a cost-cutting tool driven by human resources departments wanting to lower training costs, but if it is intelligently redesigned it can become a method of finding and retaining customers and boost customer loyalty.

“Traditional eLearning programs are excellent for keeping finance professionals in touch with new compliance requirements and products, but the technology is now playing a greater role in branding and sales,” said David Becker, senior eLearning consultant with IT consulting group iFocus. Branded eLearning has emerged from marketing departments as a way of influencing consumer decision-making, building trust and establishing a brand as an ‘authority’ in its category, according to Becker. “In the current financial services environment of choice and competition, service providers are looking for ways to differentiate themselves and build stronger relationships with staff, partners, customers and third parties

“There is a hunger for quality investment information, and providing this in a convenient and engaging way strengthens relationships with potential and existing customers.” But Becker warned that audiences would not respond if the branded eLearning was blatantly sales-driven. “They have no time for marketing guff. It has to be something they actually value. “That means researching your audience and identifying where in the sales cycle customers need instruction versus emotional engagement.”

Becker said a survey of nearly 200,000 consumers to have done an eLearning program, conducted by Next Century Media, identified a ‘gratitude effect’ in branded eLearning such that 90 percent of respondents viewed the associated brand more favourably. One third of respondents also reported being more likely to purchase the product. Companies to have used eLearning intelligently this way include Barnes & Noble, Fidelity, Wells Fargo, Merrill Lynch, Goldman Sachs, Bank of America and the World Bank.

Author: Alex Dunnin

Online learning 'levels the playing field'

"Online learning levels the playing field," the state superintendent told MEC forum attendees. "Education shouldn't be predetermined by geography." Online learning also can be used by businesses, according to Bounds. "It's a very inexpensive way to roll out training for your employees," he said.

The proposed plan also would redesign the current ninth-grade Discovery course, changing it to STEM - science, technology, engineering and mathematics - applications.

"Every student in Mississippi will take an online course," Bounds said. Through STEM applications, students will be exposed to rigorous technology-application tools, he said, which they will use to solve real-world, industry-specific problems and complete an online course.

The Effectiveness of Online Training

Online training is known by numerous names and acronyms—computer-based training (CBT), web-based training (WBT), cyber-training, distance learning, e-learning, etc. By whatever name, online training is a method of delivering training through an electronic medium without the immediate presence of a human instructor. By taking advantage of technology, online training can be more cost effective by delivering more knowledge in a more flexible and efficient manner.

There are distinct advantages to online training that may apply to your organization. With an online training course you have the ability to consolidate education and training across geographical and time constraints. Courses can be delivered to people in different offices without the expense of travel and with less interruption of work schedules. For individuals with busy schedules, online training courses offer the flexibility of being available when the people are able to take the training.

This flexibility is the strongest facet of online training and the flexibility extends beyond scheduling. For many people, an online training course supplies material in a more palatable manner then instructor-led courses. This certainly isn’t true for everyone, but the power of online training to help many people makes it an important tool for your training program. Online training is self-paced and includes interactive tutorials, questionnaires, case studies, self-assessment, and other features that easily assimilate to individual learning styles. Because people have more control over their training experience, online training offers the opportunity to learn in a non-stressful environment.

An online training course combines the advantages of uniformity in training and self-paced training. The basic course is the same for each trainee (while still offering you the chance to tailor instruction more easily) but can be delivered to different people at different times. While a human instructor is only available a limited time, online training materials don’t “go home” and trainees can review the subject matter as needed or desired. Support can be supplied via e-mail or phone.

Online training most likely will not require any additional equipment at your location. Training is delivered through existing computers and an Internet connection. Most online courses will run through any Internet browser on any operating system. You will need to dedicate newer and powerful computers to the training is the course has graphics, sound or video. Don’t make the mistake of using old castoff computers as your training computers. That will just make your trainees frustrated.

Still, being in an electronic format alone does not ensure that training is effective. How do you make the online training course effective for your people? To be effective, an online training course must be interactive without being messy. Bells and whistles are not always a benefit if they overburden the user. The course material and its interface should be streamlined. So, while you can incorporate video and audio instructions, interactive simulations, testing modules, and the like, the question you should be constantly asking is: “does this add to the substance of the course?” Does the way information is being portrayed supplement the learning object of a particular topic. If it does not add to the real content of the course and increase the knowledge of your trainees, then all of the flash and pizzazz will end up being more distracting than helpful. Likewise, always be sure that the learning interface, navigation graphics, and control buttons are easily understood and useable.

The self-paced flexibility of online training can also be a negative as well as a positive. Flexible should not mean unstructured. Yes, people can take the training when it fits their own schedule, but that schedule should still be a structured, set time, not just starting and ending when they feel like it. Thus, you probably want to have the online training course only available on computers inside a dedicated training room. Assign specific times for trainees to come for training in an environment where they can train undistracted. Really, your online training environment should be similar to an instructor-led training environment—a room conducive to learning and concentration where trainees can get the most out of their time.

When designed and carried out systematically and in an organized manner online training can be highly effective. Either as an addition to or a replacement for the face-to-face classroom environment, online training can be a strong part of your organization’s training environment.

About the Author: Peter Peterka is a Six Sigma Master Black Belt for Six Sigma us and has implemented Six Sigma in a variety of organizations. For additional information for Six Sigma Online Training please contact Peter Peterka at http://www.6sigma.us/.

IceRocket Reports eLearning Online Education Posts by Bloggers

Popular Blog search engine IceRocket reports today that less than 1% of blogs and rss feeds by news publishers are about LMS, eLearning and WBT. As an emerging sector of the online business market, LMS companies are just now becoming part of the internet zeitgeist.

Below, you can see the report of averages taken from IceRocket today, 24 August 2006:

As companies learn to adopt eLearning over traditional classroom based training, this trend is expected to rise summarily. Due to the cost effectiveness of eLearning and Web Based Training (WBT) it is expected that the market for these types of products and services will grow exponentially over the next decade.

The EU eLearning Conference 2006 has opened own blog and wiki

The EU eLearning Conference 2006 was held in Dipoli (Espoo, Finland) during the opening week of Finland’s EU Presidency in July 2006. The conference brought experts from the fields of technology, education and training, research, industry and governmental organisations together to discuss the European vision on the role of technology in promoting lifelong learning, innovation and desirable change.

The event has opened own Conference blog and Conference wiki. Conference blog includes reportages from the event. The Conference wiki is based on the same principles as the world's largest encyclopedia, Wikipedia. From wiki you may find also some of the presentations of the conference. People can add new contents in the Conference Wiki related to the theme of the EU eLearning Conference.

The Conference was organized by the European Commission DG Education and Culture, DG Information Society and Media, and Lifelong Learning Institute Dipoli at Helsinki University of Technology and was held in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, Finland.

New Mexico Summit to Focus on Distance Learning

The New Mexico Learning Network Planning Summit, a chance for New Mexico leaders in higher and public education, government and economic development to come together to plan a new direction for distance learning in the state, takes place Thursday and Friday, Aug. 3 and 4, at the New Mexico State University Albuquerque Center, located at 2444 Louisiana Blvd. NE.

New Mexico leaders in eLearning will help determine how the New Mexico Learning Network can best increase the availability and quality of distance learning options to state residents.

“An eLearning model can meet immediate student needs in rural areas, but can also better prepare all students to work effectively in a digital world,” said Jerónimo Domínguez, UNM vice provost for Extended University. Domínguez and Debby Knotts, manager of UNM New Media and Extended Learning, will be among the participants.

Some states have implemented requirements for students to take an eLearning course prior to high school graduation to prepare them for success in the digital realm, said Brian Ormand, NMLN project director.

Ormand said that working groups will be formed from summit participants and that a report of their findings will be released.

e-Learning Expo to Be Held Next Month

E-learning Expo Korea 2006, an international exhibition featuring a variety of elearning policies and products, will be held at KINTEX in Koyang, Kyonggi Province from Sept. 27-29.

The ministries of education and human resources development and commerce, industry and energy said yesterday that they jointly organized the exhibition to publicize domestic eleaning policies abroad and activate the domestic e-learning industry.

Lee Jong-suh, vice minister of education and human resources development, and Kim Jong-gap, vice minister of commerce, industry and energy, signed an agreement to jointly host the international event and make joint efforts for globalization and specialization of exhibitions.

About 100 Korean institutions and companies and 20 foreign institutions from 10 countries, including Britain, Germany, Japan and Australia, are to participate in the event. The exhibition will feature a variety of e-learning services and policies of participating countries, including elearning products covering education at elementary, middle, and high schools and universities.

Greater Arizona eLearning Association Hosts Seminar

The Arizona Telecommunications and Information Council and GAZEL, the Greater Arizona eLearning Association, will host the sixth in a series of educational seminars Aug. 24 from noon to 2:30 p.m. at the University of Advancing Technology, 2625 W. Baseline Road in Tempe, and via videoconference in Tucson at the University of Phoenix Williams Centre Campus, Room 104, 300 S. Craycroft Road. Lunch will be served at both locations at a cost of $15. Telephone and Web conferencing is available through www.gazel.org, the GAZEL Web Site.

LMS, eLearning and WBT: Is it right for your organization?

When determining whether an LMS e-Learning solution is going to be a good fit for your company, department or clients, there are several factors that you should consider when shopping around.

• Efficiency: How long will it take to deliver the LMS Solution? What is the learning curve? Do you need your own IS department to deliver the system internally or is there a managed LMS e-Learning solution that is web based (WBT – Web Based Training)?


• Implementation: What will the learning curve be for your organization or company? Does the LMS or e-Learning product come with support from the vendor? What is your total ramp up time to deliver your LMS?


• Training Content: Is the LMS SCORM compliant? How easy is it for instructors to create courses, exams, etc? Is there pre-packaged course content for your industry or education sector in the e-Learning solution?


• Integration: Does your LMS offer offline, traditional classroom scheduling? Does it integrate with Licensing and CE credit (Continuing Education Credit)?


• Delivery Method: Will WBT work for your organization? Do you need a managed and hosted solution to ensure uptime and full support through the lifecycle of your Online University?

Most companies can very quickly assess these factors to make the best choice for their environment. However, the bottom line for many companies when choosing an LMS, e-Learning solution or Web Based Training package is cost.

Companies will want to look at their own budgets and recognize the long lasting impact of buying into an LMS. Firstly, what may seem like a considerable investment in the short run may pay off down the line as long-term cost of support, integration and pre-packaged training may reduce overall long-term expenses if bought up front. Secondly, a comparison between a WBT, e-Learning or LMS solution vs. traditional classroom training, conferences and seminars may shed some light on the issue as these can be very costly over time for an organization.

According to Michele Webb, who has over 20 years in the Oncology Healthcare field:

[LMS] is less expensive to deliver almost regardless of the participant population. For example: in populations where the participants number 100 or more, e-learning [LMS] had clear cost advantages and as the population number increases, so does the cost advantage. Cost advantages were still measurable in groups of 100 or less and even with classes as short as one hour in length. In a corporate study conducted by Caterpillar, they determined that e-learning was 40% less expensive than the traditional classroom models.

(Source: Comparing Costs: eLearning vs. Traditional, Michele Webb, pub 2005 by ArticleCity.com)

Unleash The Power Of eLearning

eLearning is becoming a very popular topic among people in this age. The idea of eLearning is to popularise an indepth, convenient, interactive mode of education through the Internet.
Scientific research reveals that the best way of learning methodologies are the mix and match of 3 modes namely Instructor Led, Web Based and Computer Based. The popular terms are ILT, WBT and CBT.

The more demand of career orientation in this highly competitive professional world and the simultaneous problems of routine study system through the formal mode of education (ILT) have left us with the only option of eLearning. The reach of the Internet to the furthest corner of the world has really eliminated the geographical distance.

The forums and online helps have made eLearning real time. The laptop has given one the flexibility to enhance his skills even while traveling.

The time-bound schedule of ILT has put it slightly below in the common mode of learning. The lack of updations and upgradability in case of CBT has not allowed it to top the list even having the flexibility of carrying heavier graphics and movies.

Rather now the people are becoming aware of even today’s updates through Internet. The convenience factor in eLearning has been fueled by the factor of “learning at one’s own pace”. The dollops of at his own residence has made eLearning more dependable way of education.
Now, what are taught in eLearning? The answer in one word is “Anything”. Some may teach Computers, some management, some again cooking and mixing. There are sites today, who are teaching even plantation and e-security.

Lets assume, you are tired at the end of the day and your strain has become a stress on you, which has started affecting your personal life badly. Don’t you feel to get a course in Stress Management? Well, with eLearning you can take that course at home!

The prometric certifications have been continuing for long. Many educational portals have come up in the recent past including some top shots coming up with their eLearning mode.
eLearning caters to the need of the age group between 6 and 65. If a housewife does not find time or a senior executive of a multi-national firm feels shaky for attending courses with the junior people, eLearning is the only solution for him or her to accomplish further education and enhance the knowledge base.

In conclusion, eLearning has broken the limitations of traditional education and expands education beyond the walls of schools and institutions. If knowledge is King, then eLearning is definitely Queen!

About the Author: Susan Wong owns a network of online book related sites, including onlinebooksecrets.com and onlinebooksecrets.info. Visit her sites today for more free articles and resources.