• plan learning : matching learning needs to learning activities
• support learning: matching learning activities to learning resources,
• manage provision: matching market (internal / external) to learning provision
• manage learning resources: matching knowledge to learning resources

Research results that will save you time and money: The Guide contains a comparative analysis of the following widely used e-learning solutions: Aspen, Campus 2000, Centra One, Cybeo, Docent Enterprise, E-Cursus, Fad System, FormezVoo, Ganesha, Global LMS, HorizonLive, Ilearning, In.form@, ECP Interwise, Learn eXact, Leap LDS, Leap LMS, LearningSpace, LearnTone, Luvit, Pathlore, Saba, Sigal, Syfadis, Sylfide, T3W Web Conferencing, WBT Manager, WebCT, Zope. You can also commission the addition of the platform of your choice

Your complete guide to choosing an E-Learning Solution

Today, many organisations are in a phase of acquisition of new competences, moving towards more systematic implementation of learning technologies. This guide has been designed to enable cost-effective decisions. It currently includes almost 30 well-known e-learning solutions. It covers current trends in e-learning solutions: MLE & VLE, LMS, LCMS, KM, portals and services; buyer guidelines; presentation of solutions and services; comparative tables; a bibliography and a glossary.  It does not attempt to rank the solutions but to assist users to make the decision that is right for their organisations.

This evolution involves the use of tools whose purpose is to structure and support a whole ensemble of activities, tasks and training processes. These e-learning packages offer solutions in a variety of areas: support for learning activities, management of the training offer, administration of training programmes and design of learning resources.

At the same time, we cannot claim that the full potential of e-learning is being realised. On the contrary, today’s e-learning scene is characterised by uncertain steps and hesitation on the part of those seeking e-learning solutions. Part of the uncertainty comes from the lack of structured information on the offer and on the real capabilities of the products available.

Therefore, it is with the aim of providing complete and objective information on e-learning solutions that EIfEL, the European Institute for e-Learning, has produced the present Guide.

This guide offers detailed analysis and guidance for buyers and users of these solutions. It also presents a concise vision of the evolution of the offer.

An investment for effective learning management

Purchase of the guide entitles you to free updates and a community website

EIfEL corporate and Europortfolio members:   Free
EIfEL individual members:   200   (+19,6% VAT)
non-members:     400   (+19,6% VAT)

First clients

Association Française de Formation Professionnelle des Adultes (AFPA)

Auchan

Belgacom

Bell Canada

Bourse de Montréal

Centra

CERVED

CNED

Demos

EDF-GDF

ESSEC

Fédération Française du Bâtiment

France Télécom

GARF

Giunti Ricerca S.R.L.

Intellinex

Institut Français du Textile et de l’Habillement

Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell Abbruzzo

La Poste

Ministère de la Recherche

Numédia

Conseil Régional de Basse Normandie

Conseil Régional de Guadeloupe

Conseil Régional de Midi-Pyrénées

Renault

SchneiderElectric SA

Société Générale

Swisscom IT Services

Sygma Plus

Université de Bucarest

What the readers of the Guide say: “If you are serious about implementing an e-learning solution, this guide could save you a lot of time, money and effort” “Very informative guide helping us to ask the vendors the right questions” “Choosing the right solution is not an easy task. This Guide has helped us to put things into the right perspective, to let us get just what we really need”

Guide Contents

The Guide is presented from a European perspective. It examines almost 30 products currently on the European market. The platforms examined are:

Aspen, Campus 2000, Centra One, Cybeo, Docent Enterprise, E-Cursus, Fad System, FormezVoo, Ganesha, Global LMS, HorizonLive, Ilearning, In.form@, ECP Interwise, Learn eXact, Leap LDS, Leap LMS, LearningSpace, LearnTone, Luvit, Pathlore, Saba, Sigal, Syfadis, Sylfide, T3W Web Conferencing, WBT Manager, WebCT, Zope.

The Guide consists of four parts and several annexes.

• The first part presents an analysis of e-learning solutions available at the beginning of 2002. It describes three aspects of the main market trends: the evolution of the functionalities, the scale of implementation, and the integration of the solutions in information systems.
• The second part is a guide for buyers of e-learning solutions. It puts the accent on those solutions which permit the acquisition of information about the market.
• The third part is a synthesis of the products, designed to facilitate reading the comparative tables.
• The fourth part is a detailed analysis of the products in the form of comparative tables. Two series of tables are presented: the first concerns learning management systems (LMS), the other, virtual classrooms.

The central part of the work is the comparative analysis of products. More that 200 criteria are used for the presentation by table, including the following:

• General characteristics: name, version, languages of use, price, publisher, support and associated services.
• Roles, domains and organisations: the capacity of the product to adapt itself to specific organisations with the functionalities for adaptation, increased workloads, and personalisation.
• Organisation of the learning activities: functionalities allowing the creation of training paths, communication activities, synchronous sessions, taking into account standards of performance/competence.
• The learner's point of view: general functionalities of welcome, personal tools for the learner, collective learning tools.
• The trainer's/tutor's point of view: functionalities of welcome and organisation of work, tools of delivery and learning support.
• Creation and management of learning resources: authoring tools and tools for management of learning resources.
• Standards and specifications relating to learning resources and learning activities.
• Management of training provision: electronic catalogue, registration and administration, management of resources, budget management.
• Technical architecture: server, user, security.

A dictionary specifies the meaning of the criteria and is detailed at the beginning of each table.

The report contains several annexes: contact details for the publishers and distributors in Europe, a bibliography and a glossary.

The guide thus offers both a detailed analysis of what the e-learning solutions offer and a concise vision of the evolution of this offer.

Contents of the Guide

1 - SUMMARY                                                                                                                              6

2 - STATE OF THE ART AND CURRENT TENDENCIES                                                                        9

2.1 - What are learning management technologies?                                                        9

2.2 - The extension of e-learning solutions features                                                      10

2.3 - The scope of e-learning projects                                                                            14

2.4 - The technical integration of solutions                                                                     16

3 - BUYER'S GUIDE                                                                                                                     22

Technical diagnosis                                                                                                          26

Organisational diagnosis                                                                                                  27

The value of features                                                                                                      29

Vendors life-expectancy                                                                                                  31

Not choosing an e-learning solution                                                                                31

4 - SUMMARIES                                                                                                                         43

5 - COMPARATIVE TABLES                                                                                                         74

ANNEXE                                                                                                                           122

Publishers and vendors addresses                                                                                122

Index                                                                                                                              123

Bibliography                                                                                                                   127

Organisations with a direct interest in learning technologies standardisation            127

Glossary                                                                                                                         128

Learning management solutions:

Table LM1:   general characteristics

Table LM2 :  roles, domains, organisations

Table LM3:   organisation of learning activities

Table LM4:   the learner’s point of view

Table LM5:   the trainer’s/tutor’s point of view

Table LM6:   creation and management of learning resources

Table LM7:   norms and specifications

Table LM8:   catalogue, registrations and administration

Table LM9 :  technical architecture

Virtual classrooms solutions:

Table VC1:   general characteristics

Table VC2 :  roles, domains, organisations

Table VC3:   organisation of learning activities

Table VC4:   the learner’s point of view

Table VC5:   the trainer’s/tutor’s point of view

Table VC6:   creation and management of learning resources

Table VC7:   norms and specifications

Table VC8:   catalogue, registrations and administration

Table VC9:   technical architecture

Table LM4: Learner’s point of view

This table presents the learner’s interface.

Interface

All the solutions provide learners with a unique identifier for all training programmes.

Personal documentation describes the capacity for saving and storing learner’s personal documents [*: a directory; **: a document management / retrieval system].

Configuration test indicates possibility of testing performance and compatibility with the system of the user’s computer

Passwords describes password management [*: learners can modify their passwords themselves; **: there is a system for retrieving lost passwords  with confidential key].

NB: all solutions provide password access control.

Accessibility indicates the possibility for people with disabilities to use the tool.

Off-line mode

Learning activities indicates the possibility of learning off-line while still fully benefiting from integration with the platform (information update, transfer of tracking data).

Diary synchronisation indicates the possibility of synchronizing the platform diary with a personal diary or assistant.

Development plan

Training portfolio indicates the possibility for a learner to maintain a record of past, current and future training activities and programmes.

Learning logbook indicates the possibility for a learner to maintain a record of his/her learning goals, structured in terms of competence, diplomas and certifications to be achieved, objectives or prerequisites.

Learner's personal tools

All platforms provide learners with the possibility of monitoring their own progress through their learning plan.

Learning diary describes the learner’s diary [*: consolidates information relative to several training programmes or modules; **: the learner has the right to edit the diary].

Training diary indicates that a learner has information about his/her training programmes integrating dates and tasks.

Comparison with the group indicates that a learner can monitor his/her own progress in regard to the other learners – this is not the mere replication of the features available to the tutors.

Assignment notification, indicates the possibility for a learner to monitor the status of his/her personal (or group) work through a workflow: sent, read by the tutor, marked, scored, correction available/sent, etc.

Full text search indicates that a learner can make a full text search on the learning documents and resources available for the training programme.

Collaborative learning

Document-communication integration indicates that a learner can comment on and annotate documents [*: low visibility – e.g. contextualised mail system and/or a record; **: high visibility – e.g. comments placed on a ‘public’ document (a web page), textual and/or graphical].

Autonomous group creation  indicates the possibility for a learner to create his/her own special interest group without having to ask the permission of an administrator.

Authoring indicate the capacity for a learner to create documents and to publish them.

Table LM4: Learner’s point of view