AVD-Merge Exploitation and Sustainability Report: Business Strategy for Extended Blended Learning and supporting Collective Knowledge Services on the Use of AV/Data Communications as an Educational Tool

Pure distance learning offerings, which mostly are given through Internet based solutions, have disadvantages in terms of teacher-learner effective interaction and learner-learner effective collaboration within the objectives of academic programs. One solution to these short comings is the offering of Extended Blended Learning services. Blended Learning is often discussed these days; however there is no consensus on what the term actual means. In this report, the term Extended Blended Learning is used to signify education that is offered partly in the classroom, partly from a distance synchronously or asynchronously, i.e. through the Internet or through video conferencing, and partly through hands-on practice for practical training purposes. This type of academic offering combines the advantages of distance teaching in terms of time and location flexibility with the advantage of vivid face to face communication, which is one of the core elements of learning. Specifically, face to face communication is the key to the social element of learning programs, and is something that is effectively lost on Internet-based strict distance teaching solutions. The Blended Learning services proposed by the report fill in a gap in the educational market, and specifically life long and post graduate distance education that includes the necessary social dimension of education. The document includes a Feasibility Analysis, a Marketing Plan, and a Management plan for the proposed venture on the launching a Collective Knowledge service for the deployment of AV/Data communication in technical education as well as Extended Blended Learning services targeting academic eLearning market.