Do something special

E-learning is young enough that there is still plenty of scope for outperforming the opposition. Even if you are not able to offer the scale of content of the major publishers, you could certainly advance the state-of-the-art with a more restricted portfolio. If I knew where the greatest scope was for advancing e-learning, then I certainly wouldn’t broadcast it, but here are a couple of general areas for improvement. First, in the area of applications training, there’s a need for content that is task rather than product-based, that explains how a range of products and technologies can be exploited to advance a whole business activity. Secondly, so much more can be done to build intelligent learning materials that are truly personalised and respond to an individual’s unique requirements.

Alternatively, you could move away from interactive self-study and design courses that use a much wider array of methods. Adapt the materials you’re already using – books, handouts, whatever – and combine them with real-time seminars, individual and group assignments, tutorial support and online assessments.