Detailed Analysis of DMU's Distance Learning Course Proposal

This report provides an analysis of a distance learning course proposal, focusing on the changes in the education system and the increasing importance of distance learning. It details a proposal by DMU (De Montfort University) concerning distance learning for overseas students. The analysis includes a SWOT analysis, examining the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats associated with the proposal, as well as an application of Michael Porter's Five Forces model to assess the market dynamics. Recommendations are provided to address the identified weaknesses and threats, such as improving technical support and differentiating the course offerings from competitors. The report also suggests website improvements to enhance cultural sensitivity, build trust, and improve communication with potential students. Ultimately, the report aims to provide a comprehensive evaluation of the proposal's feasibility and potential impact.

Running head: Analysing of Distance Learning Course
Analysing of Distance Learning Course
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

1Analysing of Distance Learning Course
Executive Summary
The report has discussed about various changes, which have come in the education system.
The biggest change is distance-learning process. This process include of teaching from one
place to many other places, it done with the help of the technology. The report contains the
details of the proposal, which the DMU has proposed to the management about the distance
learning of overseas student. Lastly, the report contain all the different analysing tools, which
has used in regard with the proposal. Some recommendation also given to the university
about the how they can remove the weakness and threats, which are associated with the
project.

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Table of Contents
Introduction................................................................................................................................3
Discussion..................................................................................................................................3
Part 1......................................................................................................................................3
PART 2...................................................................................................................................6
PART 3...................................................................................................................................7
Conclusion..................................................................................................................................7
References..................................................................................................................................9

3Analysing of Distance Learning Course
Introduction
The country is developing so does the education system of the country. Education
system have been developing as the country is developing. Distance learning one of the part
of education system, which is gain its importance in the last few years (Gunawardena and
McIsaac 2013). This system help the university to give more courses to all over the student
by the help of technology, it let them to get more customers, which they cannot get in their
main campus. It also a good for the students as they can do course as per their needs, as it
distance course so they can do as per their timing so it provide them a flexibility in the
education system.
Discussion
Part 1
SWOT Analysis of the DMU
The university want to expand their business between the overseas students and to
achieve that it have come with a proposal of distance learning of some different courses for
the overseas student. To know the impact a swot analysis has done of the proposal, which
made by the university (McDONALD 2016). SWOT stands for strength, weakness.
Opportunity and threats. The analysis has laid below:
STRENGTH
1. It has a good name in the education industry so this will help them to get
students from overseas easily.
2. The university will give ample number of courses to the student, which is not
available easily in one place so these will give an edge over the competitors.
WEAKNESS

4Analysing of Distance Learning Course
1. Lack of personal touch will be there so student may find difficulty in the
course
2. Distance learning have more videos lecture so it will be very hard to give
supervision to each student individually.
Opportunity
1. Expansion of own system should be done instead of distance learning
programme
2. Induction training and other training can be done to increase the knowledge of
current training staff
Threats
1. Lack of technical support can be a threats to the plan
2. Many university and students do not take distance education system as the best
learning process. So it can make the plan a bad if it is not able to implement
properly

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SWOT DIAGRAM
Recommendation that can provided from the above about the weakness and threats, is that it
make research and should adopt better quality of the technical team, which remove the issue
of technical problems, which may occur in the distance-learning programme. They can make
a separate department related to this so that the problem will be able to resolve easily and
quickly.
STRENGTH
1. GOOD NAME OF THE
UNIVERSITY
2. AMPLE NUMBER OF
NEW COURES
WEAKNESS
1. LACK OF PROPER
COMMUNICATION
2. LACK OF
SUPERVISION
OPPORTUNITY
1. EXPANSION OF
UNIVERSITY
2. TRAINGING METHOD
FOR DIFFERENT
TEACHING STAFF
THREATS
1. TECHNICAL
SUPPORT CAN BE
ISSUE SOMETIMES
2. NOT CONSIDERED AS
A PROPER COURSE

6Analysing of Distance Learning Course
PART 2
The tool named Micheal Five Porter Model does another analysis of the plan. This model
help to know the different aspects of the market behaviour (Dälken 2014). The model has
shown below:
 Threats of new entry – This show how an organization can enter in to the
market. It is been shown by how easy to enter into the market (Harding 2017).
The more profit the industry has the more new entry of organization is there.
 Power of Suppliers – It show how easy the price can be manipulate by the
suppliers of the goods (Johnston and Bate 2013). As the price directly affect
the cost and profit of the university so it help them to know the how the
suppliers tend to change their price
 Competitors in the market – This help to know who the competitors in the
market are. It shows what kind of competition the market has and how it can
affect the university business.
 Customers power – This show who easily customers can manipulate the price
of the company, how they can decrease the price as this will directly affect the
profit of the firm, this help them to get an overview of the pricing strategies in
the market (Noe et al,.2017).
 Substitute of the product – This signify the other courses which are available
in different university and how easily the student can change from one
university course to another university course (Smith 2013).
The objective, which can be analysed from the above are
1. Research should be done before implementing the proposal

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2. New courses should be different with the courses which are provided by other
university
3. Teaching staff should have all types of knowledge which are required by the
course
PART 3
Changes, which are required in the website regarding the culture and trust, is that it
can add a form in the website, which should contain all the norms of the university. In
addition, any individual who have any issue with any culture or trust can raise their query
there and can write what are the issue which is been founded (Lockwood 2013). The
management of the company will directly see this form and after seeing this the management
will take necessary action, which required to taken to resolve the issue. It can add a feedback
option, which help the individual to give their opinion upon the changes, which required in
the norms, and this will help the university to make more correction in the norms.
To get a better communication with the new potential customers it should add some
pop up which help the customers to get a directly link with the university. As when an
individual went to the website of the university than a pop up will appear, and it will take
them to the details of the courses. That been provided by the university and there one admin
help option will be there, in which an individual can post all the query related to the course
and can get feedback easily. This will also help the university to know more about what are
the problems, which faced by the individual related to the courses and all, and accordingly
they have to resolve it.
Conclusion
The report concludes, as an education system should develop as per the country. The
distance learning is one of the biggest development in the education industry. The report

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contain details of the proposal, which made by DMU about the distance-learning course. The
plan has evaluated in different planning so that a proper result or impact of the plan can made
by the university.

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References
Dälken, F., 2014. Are Porter’s five competitive forces still applicable? A critical examination
concerning the relevance for today’s business (Bachelor's thesis, University of Twente).
Gunawardena, C.N. and McIsaac, M.S., 2013. Distance education. In Handbook of research
on educational communications and technology (pp. 361-401). Routledge.
Harding, S., 2017. MBA management models. Routledge.
Johnston, R.E. and Bate, J.D., 2013. The power of strategy innovation: a new way of linking
creativity and strategic planning to discover great business opportunities. Amacom.
Lockwood, F. ed., 2013. Open and distance learning today. Routledge.
McDONALD, M.A.L.C.O.L.M., 2016. Strategic marketing planning: theory and practice.
In The marketing book (pp. 108-142). Routledge..
Noe, R.A., Hollenbeck, J.R., Gerhart, B. and Wright, P.M., 2017. Human resource
management: Gaining a competitive advantage. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Education.
Smith, R.D., 2013. Strategic planning for public relations. Routledge.
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