Welcome to the Burnaby Welcome to the Burnaby Online VentureOnline Venture

Presenter: Ada CheungPresenter: Ada CheungNovember 25, 2007November 25, 2007

Who is Ada Cheung?Who is Ada Cheung?

Burnaby school district’s Burnaby school district’s superintendent of 10 superintendent of 10 years years (*role-playing)(*role-playing)

Oversees all the schools’ Oversees all the schools’ major decisions and major decisions and activities related to activities related to education, finance, and education, finance, and growthgrowth

Founder of Burnaby Founder of Burnaby OnlineOnline

Intentions to expand Intentions to expand Burnaby OnlineBurnaby Online

What is Burnaby Online?What is Burnaby Online? Online learning of the K-12 BC curriculumOnline learning of the K-12 BC curriculum Teachers are BC certified and interact with students online via Teachers are BC certified and interact with students online via

video-conferencing, email, and/or other channelsvideo-conferencing, email, and/or other channels Students complete online interactive lessons and submit Students complete online interactive lessons and submit

assignments to teacher for assessmentassignments to teacher for assessment Currently non-profit and all technical resources provided to the user Currently non-profit and all technical resources provided to the user

if needed for no feeif needed for no fee

Cube Analysis Cube Analysis

Learning Bought Centrally: the curriculum of subjects available are established by the province of BC and are taught to students by local teachers

Learning Bought for Learner: parents usually make decision on enrolling the child into the program

Learner Buys Personally: adult learners trying to complete their Dogwood diploma chooses to enrol himself/herself into the program

Face 3:Buyer

Content: pre-packaged units and lessons of various subjects and grade levels available

Service: online support and instruction by designated teacher via email, discussion databases, or video-conferencing

Face 2:Type of Offering

Public school (K-12): home-schoolers, gifted and talented learners, elite athletes, world travelers, students with learning disabilities, students seeking alternative learning, adult learners

Face 1:Type of Market

Cube Analysis ContinuedCube Analysis Continued

Substitutes for Other Forms: students and parents can choose Burnaby Online over traditional classroom education

Works with Well-Developed System: learners with special needs may be partially enrolled online and also attending some classes in school

Imposed and Competes with Existing Systems: if Burnaby Online is more developed and expanded, it has potential to be viewed as more flexible and ideal than traditional school learning

Face 6:How Integrated is Learning

Technology with rest of Education System

Supports Export and Substitutions of Import: the city of Burnaby, BC, and Canada all support exports of technology content and services as well as import of substitutions

Despite support of export and import, the Burnaby School District seems to be slow in creating potential programs or services for export and implementing any better imports of learning technologies from elsewhere

Face 5:How Developed is Local

Market

Wired Anglophone Countries: program currently available to residents of BC, Canada

Has potential to expand into other regions

Face 4:Pieces of Global Market

Involved

Management TeamManagement Team

District Level• Superintendent• Technology Consultant

Online Support2. 2 Technical support staff for site maintenance, staff assistance, & student assistance

Program Level2. Program Principal

3. 2 Counsellors: students within Canadaand International students

3. 10 teachers who cover all grades & subjects together

SWOT Analysis: StrengthsSWOT Analysis: Strengths

Alternative to traditional learningAlternative to traditional learning Promotes life-long learning with inclusion of Promotes life-long learning with inclusion of

adult learnersadult learners Utilizes technology as medium, which is popular Utilizes technology as medium, which is popular

among children and youthamong children and youth Allows for collaborative learning (synchronous Allows for collaborative learning (synchronous

and asynchronous) while meeting needs of and asynchronous) while meeting needs of access anywhere, anytimeaccess anywhere, anytime

Funding and loans available for students’ Funding and loans available for students’ hardware and software needshardware and software needs

Allows for greater parental involvement, Allows for greater parental involvement, especially in elementary subjects, where parents especially in elementary subjects, where parents are expected to deliver instructions and guide are expected to deliver instructions and guide through materials with childrenthrough materials with children

Saves district money from maintaining a physical Saves district money from maintaining a physical school spaceschool space

SWOT Analysis: WeaknessesSWOT Analysis: Weaknesses

Current program is not profitable because students are Current program is not profitable because students are not charged, teachers need to be paid, and online not charged, teachers need to be paid, and online sources need to be continuously maintained and sources need to be continuously maintained and updatedupdated

Lending hardware or software to users increases risks Lending hardware or software to users increases risks to district’s resources being damaged or lostto district’s resources being damaged or lost

Macintosh users currently cannot access online demos Macintosh users currently cannot access online demos nor course notes and resources without requesting nor course notes and resources without requesting loans of compatible softwareloans of compatible software

Further isolating gifted or special needs learners Further isolating gifted or special needs learners through this program does not benefit their social well-through this program does not benefit their social well-beingbeing

Learning is parent-dependent, especially for elementary Learning is parent-dependent, especially for elementary subjects, where the parent is almost expected to be the subjects, where the parent is almost expected to be the teacher in delivering instructions and guidanceteacher in delivering instructions and guidance

Teacher-student relationship is weak when Teacher-student relationship is weak when communication is almost non-existent unless student communication is almost non-existent unless student makes initiative to ask for supportmakes initiative to ask for support

Quality of learning and method of delivery are Quality of learning and method of delivery are questionable, especially when online demos do not questionable, especially when online demos do not show methods of interaction and collaborative learning show methods of interaction and collaborative learning with classmates and one is puzzled as to how learning with classmates and one is puzzled as to how learning objectives are met for subjects such as, P.E., Science, objectives are met for subjects such as, P.E., Science, and Music. and Music.

SWOT Analysis: OpportunitiesSWOT Analysis: Opportunities Trends of life-long learning and Trends of life-long learning and

changing needs of K-12 students changing needs of K-12 students demand greater flexibility and online demand greater flexibility and online learning experienceslearning experiences

Program can possibly be made Program can possibly be made profitable through expansion and profitable through expansion and additional services, utilizing additional services, utilizing technologies that already exist in technologies that already exist in the districtthe district

Technology being fully integrated Technology being fully integrated across the K-12 curriculum has across the K-12 curriculum has never been widely publicized in the never been widely publicized in the local market nor international local market nor international market; information and publicity market; information and publicity can increase enrolment can increase enrolment

SWOT Analysis: ThreatsSWOT Analysis: Threats

Program may eventually be Program may eventually be considered by district as too considered by district as too costly if enrolments are limited, costly if enrolments are limited, costs of running it remains high, costs of running it remains high, and program offerings remain and program offerings remain staticstatic

Other districts may be offering Other districts may be offering similar online programs and can similar online programs and can potentially lure away Burnaby’s potentially lure away Burnaby’s target studentstarget students

Traditional face-to-face learning Traditional face-to-face learning in classrooms and schools remain in classrooms and schools remain strongly viewed as valuable strongly viewed as valuable experiences for learners that experiences for learners that cannot be easily cannot be easily replaced/substituted by online replaced/substituted by online learning learning

Target MarketTarget Market

CURRENTLY:CURRENTLY: K-12 Home-schoolersK-12 Home-schoolers Gifted & talented learnersGifted & talented learners Elite athletesElite athletes World travelersWorld travelers Learners with disabilitiesLearners with disabilities Students seeking alternate Students seeking alternate

channels of learningchannels of learning Adult learnersAdult learners

EXPANSION PRIORITY:EXPANSION PRIORITY:2.2. International studentsInternational students3.3. Adult learnersAdult learners4.4. K-12 home-schoolers & K-12 home-schoolers &

students seeking students seeking alternate channels of alternate channels of learninglearning

Business ModelBusiness Model

Offer same services to all target markets with a fee (paying for convenience of technology)Offer same services to all target markets with a fee (paying for convenience of technology) International students & adult learners would pay additional because they’re receiving service International students & adult learners would pay additional because they’re receiving service

that isn’t otherwise provided to themthat isn’t otherwise provided to them Add a marketing representative to management team to promote program to focused target Add a marketing representative to management team to promote program to focused target

markets by going overseas, advertising in various channels, going into Burnaby schools (esp. markets by going overseas, advertising in various channels, going into Burnaby schools (esp. ones with large class sizes), etc.ones with large class sizes), etc.

Expand current online program with virtual labs & discussions with real classes in the district via Expand current online program with virtual labs & discussions with real classes in the district via video-conferencing to enhance interactionvideo-conferencing to enhance interaction

Continuous collaboration amongst the management team as well as collaboration with schools Continuous collaboration amongst the management team as well as collaboration with schools and teachers posing an interest in video conferencing with online groupsand teachers posing an interest in video conferencing with online groups

CompetitivenessCompetitiveness Reason for tuition fees is to sell “convenience” of technologyReason for tuition fees is to sell “convenience” of technology Local K-12 students charged a lesser fee as well: they’re paying a Local K-12 students charged a lesser fee as well: they’re paying a

premium for convenience just like post secondary online programspremium for convenience just like post secondary online programs Exemptions apply for students with special needsExemptions apply for students with special needs Fees will generate continuous funding for program but can be Fees will generate continuous funding for program but can be

gradually implemented to allow students to experience value of gradually implemented to allow students to experience value of program as well as fee acceptanceprogram as well as fee acceptance

Market ReadinessMarket Readiness

Success/failure evident Success/failure evident with enrolment trendswith enrolment trends

Continuation/termination Continuation/termination of program service of program service expansion & hiring expansion & hiring dependent on enrolmentdependent on enrolment

3 yr term plan for time to 3 yr term plan for time to penetrate into target penetrate into target marketsmarkets

Annual reviews for Annual reviews for progress progress

Technical InnovationTechnical Innovation

Similar for-profit ventures in BC:Similar for-profit ventures in BC: Vancouver, New Westminster & Gold Trail Vancouver, New Westminster & Gold Trail

school districtsschool districts Vancouver and New West offer actual Vancouver and New West offer actual

overseas school programs & consulting overseas school programs & consulting services for profit to increase their funding services for profit to increase their funding for local resourcesfor local resources

Gold Trail offers money to parents and Gold Trail offers money to parents and students to purchase educational resources students to purchase educational resources & Internet connection upon online & Internet connection upon online enrolmentenrolment

Burnaby’s Competitive Edge:Burnaby’s Competitive Edge: Online program takes no physical Online program takes no physical

space and saves money from having to space and saves money from having to built actual schools overseas unlike built actual schools overseas unlike Vancouver and New WestminsterVancouver and New Westminster

By charging fees and not offering By charging fees and not offering money like Gold Trail, Burnaby Online money like Gold Trail, Burnaby Online proves to be a provider of quality proves to be a provider of quality online educationonline education

Other districts may have online Other districts may have online programs but no K-12 online program programs but no K-12 online program currently offers video-conferencing currently offers video-conferencing capabilities with real classrooms for capabilities with real classrooms for enhance interactionenhance interaction

Exit StrategyExit Strategy

Return to original state & Return to original state & terminate/phase out new terminate/phase out new programs & initiatives if no programs & initiatives if no signs of success within 3 signs of success within 3 year termyear term

Annual reviews will also Annual reviews will also indicate risk vs. profitability indicate risk vs. profitability ratio for short & long term ratio for short & long term directiondirection

Win-win scenario for district Win-win scenario for district & investors& investors

ReferencesReferences

Burnaby Online Program. (2007). Burnaby Online Program. (2007). About Us, Courses, and Online About Us, Courses, and Online DemoDemo. Retrieved October 31, 2007, from Burnaby SD 41.. Retrieved October 31, 2007, from Burnaby SD 41.Website: Website: http://online.sd41.bc.ca/index.htmlhttp://online.sd41.bc.ca/index.html

Kuehn, Larry. (2007). Kuehn, Larry. (2007). BC Government Promotes Privatization and a BC Government Promotes Privatization and a Market Approach to Education.Market Approach to Education.Retrieved November 12, 2007, from BC Teacher’s Federation.Retrieved November 12, 2007, from BC Teacher’s Federation.Website: Website: http://bctf.ca/IssuesInEducation.aspx?id=5950http://bctf.ca/IssuesInEducation.aspx?id=5950