E-Learning and Business Training - Essay Example

Research Proposal: E-Learning and Business Training December 4, 2006 Table of Contents Research Proposal E-Learning and Business Training 1December 4, 2006 1 Table of Contents 2 Working Project Title: 3 The Impact of E-Learning on Information and Business Management 3 Chapter 1.0 Introduction 3 1.1 Personal Reflection 4 1.2 Justification 5 Chapter 2 Preliminary Literature Review 6 2.1 Training and Resource Management 6 2.2 Education Technologies 8 2.2.1 M-Learning Consortium 8 2.2.2 AcitveLearning Campus 8 2.2.3 Tablet PCs 8 2.2.4 Cell phones 9 Chapter 3 Aims of the Project 9 Chapter 4 Objectives 9 4.1 Dimensions 10 Chapter 5 Research Approach 12 5.1 Phenomenology 13 5.2 Research Model 14 5.2.1 Likert Scale 15 Chapter 6 Ethical Aspects 15 6.1 Participants 16 6.2 Companies 16 Chapter 7 Resources and Constraints 16 7.1 Personal Reflection on Limitations and Constraints 16 Chapter 8 Structure and Contents of the Project Report 17 Chapter 9 Schedule of Activities 19 References 20 Working Project Title: The Impact of E-Learning on Information and Business Management Chapter 1.0 Introduction The topic for this research proposal is the impact of E-learning on information management in the business-training context. The way people communicate1 using technology has become known as the telecommunication industry, and as technology grows and changes, the industry that relies on information management also grows and changes. Some of these changes can be attributed to the Internet and advances in wired and wireless communications as well as network technology and information servers. These developments raise a number of new challenges for information management. The aims of this research are to describe the use of educational technologies in a business management context. That is, we seek to understand if business training methods and educational directives are supported by e-learning, adaptive to e-learning, and provide the appropriate tools, training and resources to students and business professionals that may use E-learning as a training resource. The research study expects to reveal opportunities businesses to develop E-learning training strategies. Management theory and E-Learning research are used to understand obstacles and opportunity in reaching training goals. This research proposes to identify significant E-learning technologies and their potential impact, and the values of opportunities that have an impact on the business training process with the conclusion to develop a strategy for business training development2. Business management often involves stages that overlap between the training and employee growth, as well as knowledge and information management. Business needs traditionally include: cost management, scheduling, equity and debt. When a business hires an employee, that employee must be trained, and very often there are continuous training needs, like annual diversity training or monthly sales training. The nature of the research proposal is to use input from multiple sources to understand and identify E-learning training management models. Information will be gathered from books, journal articles and individual surveys. This will allow for evidence to support activities of E-Learning in business training. 1.1 Personal Reflection I find this research interesting because the influence of technology in our education and businesses is evidently strong3. A strategy for working with technology is used in nearly every business environment, but little research correlates the E-learning technology specifically with business training management. I feel that business training is an important employee retention and organisation growth strategy. Employees that have resources, tools, and training available for their personal growth have better job satisfaction and are able to do their jobs better (this will be further identified in the literature review). E-Learning technology has been experiencing a stronger influence in the last decade. There are many academic facilities that offer on-line education, such as University of Phoenix Online. Classes and exams are developed and accessed through a medium of telecommunications, most notably the Internet but there are implications of cellular telephone use also. E learning is fairly accessible to anyone with Internet and financial resources. Furthermore, E-learning allows the user to learn on their own time, without interfering with work or family life for the most part. There are other benefits to E-learning, such as the worldview, where different cultures and nationalities can communicate and learn together. E-learning also saves money and resources by using a uniform format and being easily accessible, there are no flights to book and no facilities to rent. 1.2 Justification I think that E-learning can impact more than just the academic world. I think that, based on the paradigms of business and management training and the technologies of E-learning, a standard model can be developed. I think that businesses can save money and resources by allowing multi-national employees to be trained alike regardless of their physical location. One concept I thought of is directly pertaining to multi-national companies. Sales people who travel often may have to travel even more to go to a training event, but if they were able to download the training event directly to their cellular phone or use a newsgroup to communicate with their multi-national sales staff, there would be less travel and this could save money. Before multi-national training can be implemented, or E-learning in a business training context modelled, the mannerisms in which training information in the telecommunications context should be explored, understood, and perceptions should be established. Furthermore, the way in which information is managed for the trainee should be explored in the business management context. For the purposes of this research, information will be disseminated through theoretical, historical and primary evidence gathering. The research process is comprehensive to include a wide range of start up risks, uncertainties and challenges. These are assessed so that businesses can prepare and overcome risks for an opportunistic outcome. Chapter 2 Preliminary Literature Review The purpose of the literature review is to define the authoritative works by their context and contributions to training management strategies and E-Learning. The relationship between each authors works was considered by the manner in which it enhances or weakens the arguments of other authors in the same context. This allows the literature review to interpret, resolve and identify conflicts and correlations of the presented conclusions. The literature research is comprised of an overview of the theory and objectives in training management and E-learning, including a focus on the types of E-Learning available. This will also give an explanation of how each literature piece is relative to the topic at hand, and each piece is ordered by similarities, variations and arguments. Consideration in the use of each literature piece includes the credentials, viability and verifiability of the authors and contents. Secondly, the literature research takes into account the objectivity of each author and text to remove prejudice, generalisations or contrary statements. Lastly, the value of each author in the literature review is determined by relevancy and conclusive evidence presented by the found texts. 2.1 Training and Resource Management Adequate training measures and excellent resource access of employees is highly important. An employee without training and resources has no clear vision of the organisation’s goals, and furthermore, no realisation of personal goals. Resource access is the “provision of the necessary resources including funds, staff, equipment and materials to carry out the activities is an absolute must” [1]. First, it is important to state the employee’s who do not have access to resources necessary to the job function are not able to perform the job required. “In the absence of necessary resources, even the most motivated of people cannot perform” [1]. This creates strong discontent with the job as well as disengages the employee from the functional aspect of the job. Secondly, employee’s who have access to information of interest about the organisation are able to give more informed inputs about the job and functionality. Lack of resource access “could lead to frustration and lack of motivation and ultimately failure” [1]. As a point towards employee retention, lack of resource access has a negative impact. Yet, when employees have direction and resource access, they are able to understand and function as well as develop informed opinions on aspects of functional and managerial improvement4. Training is also an important aspect of human resources strategy. This is the outlet the organization uses to mold employees towards their job functionality. Training refers to “a planned effort to facilitate the learning of job-related knowledge, skills and behavior by employees” [2]. Employee training should empower them towards developing as a productive workforce and valued component of the organization5. Training does not only refer to classes, but also to peer training, reading, coaching, and mentoring [1]. This is an investment in the organization’s human capital6 and should give the employees the resources and show commitment towards the organizational goals7. In regards to employee retention, inadequate or ineffective training leads to confusion and disengagement, eventually losing employees and creating an additional cost for the organization. 2.2 Education Technologies The following is a review of available education technologies. This establishes what forms of technology are available. 2.2.1 M-Learning Consortium M-learning is the delivery of education through the use of mobile or portable technology. The rapid growth of information and communication technologies (ICT) makes it possible to develop new forms of this education8. 2.2.2 AcitveLearning Campus The ActiveCampus project includes ActiveClass and ActiveCampus Explorer. ActiveClass uses PDAs in the classroom to enable collaboration between students and professors by serving as a moderator for interaction in the classroom9. 2.2.3 Tablet PCs MIT and Microsoft Corporation called the iCampus (2006) research project which used them to encourage student collaboration and creative design efforts. The project is experimenting on how technology can enhance the educational process by innovating technology’s use in instruction.10 2.2.4 Cell phones With technological advances and steadily decreasing cost, cell phones are emerging as a viable option for mobile education. Although their small screen size can have an effect on the types of activities they will support, their portability and interactivity expand other options and possibilities for research in learning. Chapter 3 Aims of the Project The aim of this research project is to establish the theories behind training as a managerial strategy and examine the types of E-Learning available that can enhance business training modules. The secondary research will establish what types of E-Learning technology are available, what training management theories are, and who is using these technologies in the business and education sense. The primary research will examine students of both E-learning and traditional studies to evaluate how information in E-Learning is disseminated and the impact on the learner. Chapter 4 Objectives The primary objectives for this research are to investigate the benefits and the limitations of conventional training management theories in relation to E-Learning technologies, with special attention being paid to its approach, significance as well impersonal evaluation. The benefits of E-learning will be defined by the impact on the organisation towards the goal of cost-efficient and accurate training methods. Peter Drucker (1974) shows that management responsibilities lend to the definition of purpose, the insurance of productive and satisfactory work, and the responsible impact of the organisation [3]. The research objective correlates with the desire and aim of human resource management to develop productive and satisfactory procedures for training employees and sharing information. For the research objective, the purpose definition is to describe, analyze and implement an E-Learning training strategy that will benefit the general business. 4.1 Dimensions The three dimensions of strategy are used as an approach to the research objectives are relative to the strategic process, content and context which will recognise the perspectives and formulas, the flexibility between paradigms, and the analytical and critical limitations. The steps, formulas and agendas of each method determine the strategic process. This allows the research objective to be process-oriented. The process is important to the research objective to define the aims and differences of each method so that a comprehensive view of the resources, usage and impact of a method can be examined. There are three dimensions of the research objective: 1. Secondary Literature 1.1. Employee Training and Resource Theory 1.1.1. This establishes the foundation for training and the manager’s responsibility to employee training as it relates to the organisation’s goals. 1.2. E-Learning Technology 1.2.1. This establishes what technologies are currently being utilised in business and education as well as their functional capabilities and limitations 1.3. Companies and Schools that Use E-Learning 1.3.1. This establishes who currently uses E-learning, for example Microsoft and Dell both have Internet based training. Sometimes this training is facilitated by a coach or leader, other times it is distributed to the employee and they just do the training online. 2. Quantitative Investigation 2.1. E-Learning students (Contacted via e-mail or in-person when possible) 2.1.1. This will derive information from people who are currently using E-Learning in the academic sense. The limitation is that I do not have access to a wide variety and number of business professionals who use E-Learning, so I chose this category to establish how E-Learning is perceived by people who use it constantly for their personal education growth. 2.2. Traditional students 2.2.1. This will derive information from students who take traditional lecture facilitated courses. Again, the limitation is access to industry professionals, but students spend most of their time in a training class setting, and so this can be considered a viable test group. The traditional student is used as the comparative test group. 2.3. Perceived pros, cons, experiences and limitations of the above. 2.3.1. This is the data analysis representation based on the findings from the distributed survey. 3. Recommended Modelling for E-Learning training (based on secondary and primary findings) by answering the following questions: 3.1. Who can benefit from E-learning in the business context? 3.2. What should E-Learning consist of? Or not consist of? 3.3. Why should E-learning be implemented in business training? 3.4. When can E-Learning be used in the business training environment? 3.5. Where can businesses find resources for E-learning? Chapter 5 Research Approach Patton (1990) explains that a research strategy is a framework for research action that provides the basic direction of the study and describes particular techniques and methods. In social science, several strategies exist to conduct research, such as experiments, surveys, archival analysis, history, and case studies [4]. Here, the researcher has to evaluate and choose the most appropriate strategy, depending on the type of research question, the control of the researcher over actual behavioural events, and the focus on contemporary phenomena [5]. McDonough and McDonough (1997, 44-45) note that descriptive research aims to describe the significant events within the context itself (i.e. it provides a ‘rich account’ of the whole situation rather than minimising it) and that interventionist research intervenes by manipulating variables that can be identified and attempting to isolate the influence of one or more on the process [6]. The descriptive research method is to gather information through natural observations, surveys and interviews. This approach is designed to assemble quantitative data that answers questions regarding a population status and hypotheses testing11. The inductive approach is used to build the theory from the data gathered to explore possible conclusions. The inductive approach will be used to make recommendations based on what is currently being used, and the deductive approach will be used to define implementation strategies in the final recommendation. Inductive research uses theory, but is not bound to arrive at any particular theoretical location, while deductive research is driven by theory. Cresswell (2003) notes that the strengths of qualitative research derive from its inductive approach; it focuses on specific situations or people and its emphasis on words rather than numbers [7]. He argues that the strategy starts from the research context and develops as the event unfolds. The study helps the investigator to understand the meaning of the situation the investigator is studying. The investigator allows the people he is studying to attach meaning to their situation through their own story [9]. 5.1 Phenomenology Saunders et al (2003) recommends the ‘phenomenology approach’ when studying the social components for each processed used when analysing the data collected from participants [8]. Phenomenology is a psychosocial theoretical approach to disseminating information[8]. In its simplest form, phenomenology is the study of phenomena: their nature and meanings. The focus is on the way things appear to participants through experience or in the consciousness. The phenomenological researcher aims to provide a rich textured description of lived experience [8]. The aim of phenomenological research is to describe the everyday world as it is immediately experienced [8]. Descriptive phenomenology would attempt to study essences of phenomena as it appears in consciousness [8]. Therefore, the research strategy employed in this methodology is to provide a rich account of the training and E-learning relationship using an analysis of descriptive information [10]. This means that the final recommendation model is not known—for example, the hypothesis does not specifically detail a metric of training or E-Learning that must be fixed, instead the research hopes to gain evidence of techniques, theories, technologies and usage in relationship to developing a model for business management use. 5.2 Research Model The research methodology selected is a distributed survey. The survey was chosen because it can be deployed to many recipients with low cost and analysed within a relatively normal timeframe. Furthermore, the survey method allows for the participants to define their values regarding the variables within the survey, where other the other considered methods would have imposed the researchers values onto the participants12. The survey questionnaire was chosen for its cost effectiveness. The written questionnaire allows for a sample population to be easily reached with responses documented and easily dissected using data entry and statistical analysing methods. Because of their widespread use, questionnaires are non-confrontational to the sample population and do not force opinions or options, allowing for accurate and viable responses to be gathered with little bias or influence from the researchers or complicated research equipment. The questionnaire development will into consideration possible defects in the question distribution and has made all attempts to use common language and word organisation that is not technical or industry based with the hopes to remove the larger concerns in relation to comprehension and cognition, however, it is important to note that in any research methodology that is dealing with human responses to qualitative or quantitative questions, there remains the possibility of language bias13. Differences in the attributes to a facility location may cause data uncertainty and sample contamination due to geographies as noted above, and also students and educators, such as a willingness to participate or quality control in the management and staff of a single location. 5.2.1 Likert Scale The Likert Scale14 is used to identify consumer responses to the above questionnaire. This is done in the common format of a numerical five point scale where one shows a strong disagreement; two is a disagreement; three is a neutral response; four is an agreement; five is a strong agreement to the statements in the questionnaire. The benefit of this scaled method is that it allows for easy quantitative analysis to be made from qualitative questions because it defines respondents opinions with numerical responses. The disadvantage of the Likert scale is that it boxes the consumer opinions into specific categories, thus it does not allow for explanation or definition of the responses made. Chapter 6 Ethical Aspects These data exist in a range of formats: hard copy completed questionnaires, paper notes, and Web-based public information in digital form, contact information on electronic databases, e-mails and additional copies of electronic data. Data is often transported from place to place e.g. during fieldwork or to be worked on outside premises. This data does not pose any confidentiality / privacy problems. Participation is voluntary, and refusal to participate will involve no penalty or loss of benefits to which the participant is otherwise entitled, and will not be given to any parties in regards to personal information. The participant may discontinue participation at any time without penalty. Data may not be shared or disclosed regarding participants employment, demographic, name, address or other key identifiers. 6.1 Participants The data gathered from survey participants will be strictly confidential. This research will not use any personal information to establish views and perceptions and uses of E-learning technologies. The students surveyed will be adults, and the survey will not record any information regarding their personal history, so I do not feel there is an ethical concern in that regard. 6.2 Companies Companies that advertise their use of E-learning, such as Microsoft and IBM, will be used for secondary research purposes only, so any comments and analysis will be from public domains such as microsoft.com and IBM.com. Again, this does not pose an ethical threat to the research. Chapter 7 Resources and Constraints The resources necessary to complete this research is the development and distribution of the survey, as well as book, journal and other historical evidence. Information will be gathered from participants and from company web-sites (when applicable). The most significant limitation of this research is that I do not have the available resources and connections to survey or interview multiple companies that use or refuse to use E-learning for their business training. 7.1 Personal Reflection on Limitations and Constraints I would have liked to interview employees and training developers of companies that use E-Learning, such as Dell, IBM, Microsoft, however I am not sure how this could be effectively and efficiently completed on a broad spectrum. Therefore, I opted to survey E-learning students and traditional students. However, I believe that E-learning students would possibly be the best test group to establish how information should be disseminated through this module. This is because students spend the most time in the education environment, whether it is an E-learning or traditional environment, and therefore may have additional insights than employees who only train for a few hours a month or week would. If the resources and time were available, I would prefer to interview managers who use E-learning in their business context and managers who do not use E-learning at all, so this may also be viewed as a limitation. Chapter 8 Structure and Contents of the Project Report 1. Introductory Chapter 1.1. This will establish the Nature of the Study 1.2. Needs Assessment (reason for the study) 1.3. Rationale and Justification (why I think this research is important) 1.4. Research Scope and Plan (what I am physically going to do in this research) 1.5. Aims and Objectives (what I expect to gather from the descriptive research) 2. Literature Review Chapter 2.1. Information and Knowledge Management 2.1.1. Important concepts/theories (this establishes why any business even needs training and information and how it is distributed) 2.2. Management Training Theory (this establishes behaviours in business training) 2.3. Training Environment (this establishes what is observed in business training and why) 2.3.1. For organisation growth 2.3.2. For employee job satisfaction 2.4. Importance of tools, resources, and rewards/recognition in training 3. E-Learning 3.1. Theories (this establishes schools of thoughts educators and instructors and institutions use E-learning in the academic environment) 3.2. Description (the E-learning environment) 3.3. Technology (what is currently available, and how it impacts education, business training) 3.4. Description of Companies that use E-Learning (to show that major companies are using E-learning and what the benefits/limitations are) 4. Research Methodology, Approach and Strategy Chapter 4.1. This shows the reader how I approached the problem and why. 5. Data Analysis (of the survey) 5.1. Survey Quantitative Analysis 5.2. ANOVA 5.3. Statistical inferences (alpha, mean median, mode, percentages, histogram) 5.4. Response Matrix 5.5. Correlation, linear regressions, probability 6. Conclusions 6.1. Repeat key points from each chapter. This will not introduce any new information. 7. Recommendations 7.1. Modelling E-learning for the business training environment. Chapter 9 Schedule of Activities (Date): Preparation by fine-tuning proposal, re-examining research approach. This includes deciding on which companies that have valid and direct public access information. Using this time to think about the case study and questionnaire will help develop the final outcome more than established in this proposal. (Date): Literature Review. This needs to be researched first because much of the information that will be delivered in the surveys will be directly derived from the pardigms found. (Date) Develop and distribute surveys to both test groups. (Date): Distribute questionnaire. Data analysis of questionnaire. Focus on relationships, behaviours. (Date) Finalise and organise information. Write dissertation. 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ISBN : 0071402861 WAINA, DR. RICHARD B. (2002) Five Critical Questions in Process Improvement. Retrieved May 10, 2006 from www.chips.navy.mil Read More