Title: Resting in e-learning peace

Authors: Morten Flate Paulsen

Addresses: The Norwegian School of Information Technology, Schweigaardsgate 14, 0185 Oslo, Norway

Abstract: The European Megatrends project has analysed 26 major e-learning successes and ten conspicuous e-learning initiatives which did not reach targeted goals. There is much to learn from the many successful European e-learning initiatives, but this article focuses on what we can learn from the ten discontinued initiatives that spent about €150M before they were closed down after an average of four years in operation. The article presents the ten discontinued initiatives comprising four consortia, two institutional initiatives and four governmental and political initiatives. It includes a discussion on why they failed and concludes with seven recommendations that are drawn from the analyses of the ten initiatives.

Keywords: electronic learning; e-learning; online learning; online education; European Megatrends project; sustainability; discontinued initiatives; project failure; UK; United Kingdom; USA; United States; Norway; Hungary.

DOI: 10.1504/IJNVO.2009.027391

International Journal of Networking and Virtual Organisations, 2009 Vol.6 No.5, pp.460 - 475

Published online: 21 Jul 2009 *

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