Cost Analysis of Elearning A Case Study of A University Program.pdfVIP

Cost Analysis of E-learning: A Case Study of A University Program Tim L. Wentling Ji-Hye Park University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Due to the advantages of e-learning, more and more schools and companies are adopting e- learning and increasing their investment in it. The increased investment has brought the need to demonstrate the cost-efficiency of the investments. Tthis study reviewed the literature related cost drivers of e-learning programs and analyzed the cost-efficiency of the HRE Online program at the University of Illinois. Breakeven analysis revealed that the minimum enrollment should be twenty-three to attain the cost-efficiency. Key words: cost analysis, cost-efficiency, e-learning In an age of severe competition and turbulent change, survival is a pivotal problem which organizations confront. Organizations have tried to find ways improving employees’ performance, and training has been regarded as one of the most important strategies to solve the problem. In addition to the accelerated importance of training, rapid development of technologies and computers has changed methods of education and training and caused the blossom of e- learning programs. The use of technology-based training and electronic training (e-learning) is one of major trends in the field of HRD (Bassi, Benson, Cheney, 1996; Bassi Van Buren, 1998). Various terms are being used to name these emerging training methods, i.e., asynchronous learning, distributed learning, online learning, web-based learning, computer- based training, e-learning and distance learning. Asynchronous learning focuses on the difference of time when learning occurs; online learning, web-based learning, e-learning and computer-based learning emphasize the learning technology and tools used; distance learning concentrates on the difference of places where a learner and a teacher exist. Regarding the interrelation among th