Make money (sell your courseware)

5. Make money (sell your courseware)

In Case Application 7.2, we describe how Dow Chemical utilized online learning to save millions in costs, and to generate opportunities and build trust and commitment among its employees. Charles Schwab & Co. deployed an online training system for its 5,000 call-center representatives (see Swanson, 2000). Distance learning (also called e- learning) has moved out of the office. Even sports teams and emergency workers are utilizing technology to learn new skills and stay proficient in their areas (see Shachtman,2000).

DISTANCE LEARNING RESOURCES The following is a sample of organizations and journals involved in promoting and sup-

porting distance learning: • Center for Distance Learning at Texas A&M University (cdlr.tamu.edu). This

resource center has a model classroom that can be viewed on the Web. • Lucent Foundation Learning and Development Programs at Lucent Technologies (www.lucent.com/news/foundationllearning.html). Resources include research abstracts, published articles, case studies, and brochures with tips on how to set up a distance learning course or program.

• American Council on Education ACENET (acenet.edu). This organization stays current on many important issues in education. It publishes a checklist on how to evaluate the quality of an organization's distance learning program.

• Online Certification, Education and Distance Learning (www.ocedl.com). Keeps tabs on the future of distance learning, certification, education, and dis- tance education.

• U.S. Distance Learning Association (www.usdla.org). Lists many articles, and links to relevant resources. • Distance Education Clearinghouse (www.uwex.edu/disted/home.html). Lists many articles, and links to relevant resources. • American Journal of Distance Education (www.ajde.com).

A current journal on the issues and practice of distance learning. • CADE: Journal of Distance Education (www.cade-acedca).

A current journal

C H A P T E R 7 COLLABORATIVE COMPUTING TECHNOLOGIES: GROUP SUPPORT SYSTEMS

EVALUATION OF DISTANCE LEARNING Although initially slow to gain acceptance, many corporations are taking advantage of

distance learning via Web-based streaming and through private company intranets (Stamberg, 2002). The top e-learning providers are discussed by Hickey (2002). Organizations are taking a serious look at the return on investment of distance learn-

ing (see Harris, 2003; Belange and Deannett, 2000). While the jury is still out, academia and industry are attempting to determine the true value of distance learning. Clearly,

though, corporate training pays off (see DSS in Action 7.17). Distance learning is a form of collaboration and knowledge management and can

be done in a 24/7 framework. It is critical to assess the impact of Web-based courses in terms of benefits and costs. Most student experiences are positive (see Dollar, 2000; Schell, 2000). Students tend to learn more using groupware, especially when learning spans a distance. Students in distance learning environments tend to perform better than those in traditional classrooms (Dollar, 2000). Several factors are important in dis- tance learning situations. A high level of student motivation, a strong work ethic, and intensive student support measures typically result in success for distance learners. The most important factor for achieving success in distance learning is the degree to which instructors and support staff are able to encourage students to undertake responsibility for their own learning. Clearly, collaborative technology can enhance learning perfor- mance and increase affective experiences in the context of cooperative learning

(Chuang, Bernard, and Shahid, 2002). Both students and faculty must understand how collaborative technology impacts on how they perform course work. Some issues revolve around training, determining which technology to use and how, what to distribute and when, and what standards to use for files that students submit.

Distance learning is radically changing education, and socioeconomic, technologi- cal, and economic changes must be examined as the learning behaviors and expecta- tions of learners change. There is a sharply growing demand for flexible, adaptive, time- and geography-independent learning environments (Meso and Liegle, 2000). Despite its disadvantages, distance learning continues to grow dramatically because of the increased demand.

D S S I N A C T I O N 7.17