Affordable e-Learning has finally arrived - What we are talking about is delivering and managing training over the Internet so cost-effectively that now, even smaller public sector organizations and businesses can even afford to take advantage of it, and for larger national or international organizations, the solutions are still quite scalable. Think of all the applications where better, more convenient and more affordable training could make a real difference - management and organizational development training, fire safety, fund-raising, grantwriting, sales and customer service training, building better and more cost-efficient jet planes, layed off worker re-training, you name it, the mind boggles just thinking about it.

Learners can now take a quiz or test over the Internet, or on a computer desktop to assess their learning, with the test results submitted via e-mail to the instructor.

Recently some of our clientele, have asked us to look into where the state-of-the-art in online training technology is now and both the present as well as the future of web-based training look very, very bright indeed. In fact, there is a now a whole gamut of online learning technology out there to choose from, from simple shareware-type programs costing under a $100 that make online and desktop quizzes, to still very affordable "next-generation" full-blown complete learning course management systems.


What makes e-Learning particularly exciting today is the convergence of powerful but still low cost technololgies like digital television on the web and on DVD with online and desk-top testing technology. A simple low-budget learning scenario might look like this: 1. The learner goes to the web and views an instructional video on the subject matter, 2. The learner then assesses his or her learning by taking a forms-based online test which submits the test results via email.
For the learner who still does not have a highband connection to watch web video: 1. The learner could watch the video-based subject matter on an instructional DVD with a special interactive menu. 2) The learner then assesses his or her learning by taking a forms-based desktop test in an “e-book” that still submits the results to the instructor via e-mail.

The technology to do this is ridiculously inexpensive, though the “hidden” costs could be in how to manually administer the management of all the web learners and their test scores cost-effectively. There would also be the additional costs of trying to develop a web-based learning delivery system with back-end database for all the learners and their scores, etc. which provides a strong rationale for working instead with a ready to go “off the shelf” e-learning system.

Again what is even more exciting is the availability of newer more affordable of “next-generation” e-Learning systems architecture that can not only deliver web video with online assessment but also media forms like Powerpoint presentations. With the help of special third-party software, you can even synchronize and deliver a video of the presenter’s talking head, with his or her Powerpoint slide presentation, and even scroll his or her text ....all on the same HTML page ..inside these systems! We recently evaluated and are now working with a course development system, complete with the training sign-up calendar and back-end database management all there...and licensed use is still incredibly affordable!

We would be happy to explore the possibilities of taking advantage of the new e-learning technology with you to help your organization move forward. Please give us call and let’s plan on getting together to discuss the details. - 425-844-8908