Outsourcing Online Courses and Programs (HLH)

Created by William J. Allen (Arkansas State University) on August 18, 2008

As best I can determine my university has entered into an agreement with a private company to produce and market online programs and perhaps individual courses. As described to me by a colleague, a professor will tape a semester's worth of lectures, using PowerPoint to create main points. Once these lectures are recorded the company takes over. A company person with a higher degree in the field, will serve as go-between for students and the professor. The professor will never be in direct contact with the students. The success of the venture lies in marketing by the company; create very high enrollments in order to produce impressive income for the institution and the company.

I wonder how many universities have signed on the dotted line with such companies. I also wonder how many such companies are out there.

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So many good syndication resources. Why outsource?

Submitted by Glen McNiel (TheGeneCollective) on August 20, 2008 - 3:13pm.

There are so many great resources for making online learning profitable. I can't see why the university would want to outsource this to some weird marketing company.

First of all, you've got excellent virtual classrooms like: Wiziq.com. Where live classes can be held, and even charge admission to.

Then, as I'm sure you're very familiar with, the Course Mangement Systems like Moodle. Screen capture software can be used for lecture content, which can simply be recordings of live classes done in WizIQ or something similar.

Add to this, a marketing classes that teaches how to turn great educational content into a profitable business like Brian Clark's "Teaching Sells" and you've got the basic stuff.

I can see how it'd be beneficial to have a marketing company promote you. But not for production, syndication, or anything else.

Just my two bits. I'm just an IT and Marketing guy.

- Glen McNiel: IT manager and Webmaster of Genewize Zero Limits

Submitted by William J. Allen (Arkansas State University) on August 20, 2008 - 8:14pm.

I fully agree with you. I was wondering if other schools were involved. I have heard that a university in Louisiana had signed with them. I think the very simple aim is to pull in as much money as possible as quickly as possible. BTW, the company is HEH Associates, not HLH as I typed in the original post.

I find it extremely difficult to find information on the higher education part of HEH.

		Outsourcing Online Courses and Programs (HLH) Created by William J. Allen (Arkansas State University) on August 18, 2008 As best I can determine my university has entered into an agreement with a private company to produce and market online programs and perhaps individual courses. As described to me by a colleague, a professor will tape a semester's worth of lectures, using PowerPoint to create main points. Once these lectures are recorded the company takes over. A company person with a higher degree in the field, will serve as go-between for students and the professor. The professor will never be in direct contact with the students. The success of the venture lies in marketing by the company; create very high enrollments in order to produce impressive income for the institution and the company. I wonder how many universities have signed on the dotted line with such companies. I also wonder how many such companies are out there. agreements \| enrollments \| higher degree \| Instructional Design \| Instructional Technologies \| Marketing \| online classes \| private company \| private enterprise \| private sector \| public policy \| university William's blog Login or register to post comments 464 reads So many good syndication resources. Why outsource? Submitted by Glen McNiel (TheGeneCollective) on August 20, 2008 - 3:13pm. There are so many great resources for making online learning profitable. I can't see why the university would want to outsource this to some weird marketing company. First of all, you've got excellent virtual classrooms like: Wiziq.com. Where live classes can be held, and even charge admission to. Then, as I'm sure you're very familiar with, the Course Mangement Systems like Moodle. Screen capture software can be used for lecture content, which can simply be recordings of live classes done in WizIQ or something similar. Add to this, a marketing classes that teaches how to turn great educational content into a profitable business like Brian Clark's "Teaching Sells" and you've got the basic stuff. I can see how it'd be beneficial to have a marketing company promote you. But not for production, syndication, or anything else. Just my two bits. I'm just an IT and Marketing guy. - Glen McNiel: IT manager and Webmaster of Genewize Zero Limits Login or register to post comments Reply Submitted by William J. Allen (Arkansas State University) on August 20, 2008 - 8:14pm. I fully agree with you. I was wondering if other schools were involved. I have heard that a university in Louisiana had signed with them. I think the very simple aim is to pull in as much money as possible as quickly as possible. BTW, the company is HEH Associates, not HLH as I typed in the original post. I find it extremely difficult to find information on the higher education part of HEH. Login or register to post comments
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