E-learning and Business Plans: National and International Case Studies. Eds. Elaina M. Norlin and Tiffini A. Travis. Lanham, Md.: Scarecrow Press, 2008. 222p. alk. paper, $60 hbk (ISBN 9780810851955). LC2008-003163

Electronic learning, known as e-learning, is an increasingly common supplement or alternative to traditional on-site learning. Technology over the last decade has continued to improve the ability to share knowledge effectively and learn new or improve upon existing skills. There has been an explosion within the e-learning industry in the variety of services available for nonprofit or commercial use. Many educational, corporate, and nonprofit institutions have already invested in some type of e-learning systems, some of which choose to develop their own system.

The book E-learning and Business Plans: National and International Case Studies is really geared toward organizations that are considering new e-learning systems, and for this purpose it would be a very useful resource. However, this would also be a worthwhile read for those with an e-learning system already in place.

This book is split into two sections. The first includes the first four chapters and provides background information about e-learning in the twenty-first century. A wealth of information about e-learners is covered, such as user demographics, cultures and associated learning styles, current uses of e-learning systems, motives for using e-learning, and more. The statistics throughout the book are primarily from the early to mid 2000s. The fourth chapter rounds out the first section by outlining the process of creating a business plan and establishing a solid base for the following chapters. There are several practical examples in chapter four that would effectively apply to any new project, hence the chapter title "Business Planning 101: Starting a New Business Venture."

The second section makes up the bulk of the book and consists of case studies from the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. Each of the case studies focuses on specific topics that progressively build upon each other in terms of planning, management, marketing, and collaboration, among other topics.

There is a nice variety of case studies in which useful information can be gleaned and applied to various e-learning circumstances. Some specifically deal with libraries, such as the chapter about Golden Gate University’s method for developing an e-learning vision. Others provide a perspective from a nonprofit organization, such as the chapter by the Criminal Justice Team in Hatfield, England, that describes their experience with integrating and managing personnel in their e-learning system. There are also corporate examples sprinkled throughout the book that provide a different flavor periodically. E-learning systems are not cheap, but if they are well designed they can reduce the cost of programs, as the last chapter, entitled "Maintaining Quality Education While Reducing Costs" by Wayne State University, demonstrates.

There are a few redundant sections, such as chapters two and ten, which discuss similar hybrid models. Other overlapping examples include chapters four, six, and eight, each of which touches on management of personnel. However, the repetition is primarily due to the nature of this book and how the content of the case studies is structured. They occasionally repeat information to provide context to an institution’s experience, but these areas are often brief.

While there are other books on this topic, the editors have done a good job in pulling together a wide range of experiences into one book. Each author has experience in the areas in which he or she has written. The graphs, charts, and tables are all appropriately used and adequately support the text. This book contains adequate bibliographies at the end of each chapter with a rich and well-developed index at the end.

The one disappointing aspect of this book is the lack of discussion about backup systems for e-learning, such as what to do when technology fails. The case studies discuss the pitfalls or problems they have experienced, but they do not always provide details of their solutions. For example, the last page of the last chapter is the only place that briefly mentions what was done in case of technical issues. In this case, they resorted to pencil and paper.

Overall, this book provides a wonderful overview of the e-learning industry and provides solid national and international case studies that demonstrate how to design, implement, market, and maintain an e-learning system.—John Repplinger, Willamette University, Salem, Oregon.