Responsibilities and Challenges Associated

with Managing DL Programs in a

Corporate/Non-Educational Setting

Presented by:Naima Haviland, Rosemarie Pilarczyk and Nakera

Rahming-Saldana

Distance Learning

Distance Learning is the the process of using technology to learn where the Instructor and learners are in physically separate locations.

Distance Learning involves using technology for learning, and with technology evolving at its current pace, the bounds of distance learning is virtually limitless whether synchronously or asynchronously. Laptops, desktops, mobiles, i-pods, blogs etc, can all be used for distance learning.

Purpose of Distance Learning in a non-

educational settingDistance learning provides an alternative means of training/ instruction to employees as well as customers/consumers. Companies use distance learning to introduce new products or to simply upgrade their worker skills and keep them up to date on the rapidly changing technologies.

Consumers and Distance Learning

• Online use of social technologies are now at the forefront of many companies. In the past companies used marketing specialist and their own ideas of what people wanted but today the consumer has changed their roles from a passive receiver of information to an active participant. The term “customercentric” describes this new phenomenon.

• “This groundswell of people using technologies to get the things they need form one another, rather than from companies, is now tiling the balance of power from company to consumer.” Pg 36(Bernoff and Li, 2008)

Benefits of Corporate Distance

LearningThe corporate world/non-educational setting has seen numerous benefits to providing learning via the web.Companies have noted the following benefits:

• Economic savings by converting traditional methods to distance learning• Improved consistency and scalability with content• Individualized learning• Convenience and cost• Recordkeeping and testing• Customization and language• Standardized delivery• Self-paced learning• Variety of available content

Workers Benefits of Corporate Distance Learning Programs

Workers have experienced numerous benefits to distance learning.– The ability train off the clock– Flexibility– Material can be viewed as often as they like– No travel time– No cost– Paced Learning

Policies regulating Distance Learning

in the Corporate World• In distance

learning policies are essential as they provide guidelines to facilitate program development and delivery.

Policies regulating Distance Learning

in the Corporate World

Policies regulating distance learning in the non-educational setting include:– Governance/Administration– Instructors– Legal– Technical– Content

Responsibilities associated with

management and administration of distance learning in the Corporate

WorldEvery organizational setting requires responsibilities with the management of distance learning, including the corporate/ non-educational setting.These responsibilities include:

• Ensuring equipment is up and running• Providing support to learners and facilitators• Upgrading equipment• Receive copyright permission• Ensuring content meets the needs of the learners

Challenges associated with management and

administration of distance learning in the Corporate

WorldUnlike Higher education or the K-12 setting, the

corporate/non educational settings seem to face greater challenges when it comes to managing and administering the distance learning programs.These challenges include:

• Unqualified Facilitators• Content not geared toward various learners due to lack of time to evaluate learner needs• Equipment cost• Training and supporting facilitators may be raher difficult• Inadequate support for students due to small staff• No evaluation of course• Copyright Permissions

• Lack of manpower

Conclusion

References• Epper, R. M. 1999. Excerpts from State Policies for Distance Education; A Survey of the States. State

Higher Education Executive Officers (SHEEO). Accessed online Jul. 21, 2008 from http://www.sheeo.org/sheeo/pubs-excerpts-from-technology-survey.html

• A Policy Framework for Distance Education: A Case Study and M. King J.W.,Nugent C. Retrieved July 22, 2008 from http://www.ed.psu.edu/acsde/deos/deosnews/deosnews10_10.asp

• Bernoff, J. & Li, C. (2008) Harnessing the power of the oh-so-social web. MIT Sloan Management Review, 49(3), 36-42.

• • Bruce, R. (2008) Online from Kazakhstan to California. Occupational Hazards,70(6), 61-65.

• Catallo, C. (2008) Reaching Consumers in the Virtual World. Marketing Health Services, 28(2), 22-27.

• Hall, B. E-learning for multiple generations. (2008) Chief Learning Officer, 7(7), 18.

• Livingston, D.(2008) Health Service Marketing Made Easy. Marketing Health Services, 28(2), 28-32.

• Meister, J. (2008) The CEO as chief blogger. Chief Learning Officer, 7(7), 58.

• Strother, J. ( 2002). An assessment of the effectiveness of e-learning in corporate training programs. The International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning [Online} 3:1. Available: http://irrodl.org/index.php/irrodl/article/view/83/160

• (2006) Video and web 2.0 drive business. AV Magazine, 6, 6.