The document proposes a new online education model for low-income individuals and countries. It suggests allowing students to study online in short bursts while working, earning certificates for skills that lead to higher-paying jobs. Courses would focus on in-demand skills like accounting, marketing and programming, tested through practical assignments. Strategic partnerships would be formed with telecom providers, universities, job sites and companies committed to hiring graduates. The model aims to create a self-reinforcing network where more students attract more company partners and vice versa.

1. Online Education:
A New Business Model for
Low-Income People
and Low-Income Countries
Jeffrey Funk
Technology Consultant
Previously, Professor of Technology Management
jeffreyleefunk@gmail.com

2. Online Education
 Traditional Model for University Students
 Study 4-5 years during late teens and early 20s, then work for next
40 years
 Massively Open Online Courses (MOOCs) Don’t Change this Model
 Online classes with continuous learning possible
 But most emphasize same courses and timing used at traditional
universities
 We are rethinking this model, beginning in
poor countries in which there is insufficient
money for traditional model
 People study a little, work a little,
then study some more, work some more
 Each certificate should provide students
with better job and higher salary

3. Characteristics of Poor Countries
 Poor infrastructure
 Roads, bridges, electricity, universities, secondary
education. But rapidly improving Internet
 People trapped by poor government policies
 have little savings, must work to eat
 don’t own laptop, but do own smart phone
 highly motivated to have better life
 increases in income translate into significant improvement in lifestyle (food,
housing, clothing) and prestige
 To serve these people, we must understand their challenges
 Offer low cost service that enable people to obtain better skills
 Provide services mostly on smart phone, or laptops in cyber cafe

4. Target Audience
 Young people who want
 Skills and income upgrading
 But insufficient money for traditional universities
 These people should have
 Some time for study
 Some innate capability to learn
 High- and mid-level professionals have many educational options,
as do their children
 Conventional programs, either overseas or in home country
 Children of middle- and low-income people have fewer options
 Target young aspiring professionals, whose parents can’t pay for
full-time study

5. Target Audience - Companies
 Target companies wanting
 Employees who can perform tasks from Day 1 and are self-motivated to
learn on their own
 But many companies won’t pay for graduates from top
universities
 These companies want to grow fast and can’t wait for universities
to produce right graduates. They place secondary importance on
Degrees and brand of degrees
 We will provide companies with employees who have
 Specific entry level skills
 Motivation to acquire skills and use them in jobs

6. What Types of Professional Jobs are
Available in Low-Income South-East
Asian Countries?
 Let’s look at some job sites for one low-income
country in SE Asia

7. Job Type and Company Industry Job Site #1 Job Site #2 Job Site #3
Accounting
Distribution
Other
Computer/IT
Consulting
Financial Services
Imp/Exp/Trading
73
12
9
6
5
5
5
126 482 (Acct & Finance)
195 (banking &
insurance)
Finance
Financial
Telecom
Other
Distribution
NGO
Imp/Exp/Trade
73
15
7
7
6
6
5
65
IT
Computer/IT
Telecom
Other
Distribution
Financial
Consulting
191
27
19
19
16
15
11
8 194

8. Job Type and Company Industry Job Site #1 Job Site #2 Job Site #3
Marketing
Distribution
Computer/IT
Other
Imp/Exp/Trade
Telecom
Mfg
240
40
34
30
22
14
13
291 520
Hotel Restaurant
Hotels
Other
Food/Beverage
Distribution
Restaurant/Food services
Tourism/Travel services
109
70
9
6
5
4
3
4 264 (hospitality &
tourism)
Engineering
Engineering
Telecom
Computer/IT
Construction
Food/Beverage
Imp/Exp/Trade
49
18
9
5
4
4
3
38 465

9. Job Type and Company Industry Job Site #1 Job Site #2 Job Site #3
Sales
Distribution
Computer/IT
Import/export/trade
Other
Telecom
retail
285
48
34
28
25
19
17
757
Human Resources
Distribution
Other
Telecom
Computer/IT
Education
Food/Beverage
76
10
10
8
6
6
5
27 194
Logistics
Distribution
Imp/Exp/Trade
Other
Energy/Utilities
Airlines
Agri/Forest/Fishi
40
12
4
4
3
2
2
59 95 (retail & supply
chain)
79 (shipping freight
logistics)
Very few jobs found using keywords of
statistics, mathematics, economics

10. Value Proposition for Students
 Inexpensive education that quickly enables better job
with higher salary
 Carefully chosen videos that enable quick and easy learning
 Carefully produced tests that accurately assess skills
 Each certificate (multiple courses) provides student with
skills that enable higher pay
 Each certificate represents 5 courses, so 8 certificates equal a
degree?
 Skills, content, and tests are identified through
employment sites and collaboration with companies

11. Skills, Content, and Tests
 We focus on skills that are in highest demand and
easiest to test
 Begin with simple computer skills (Word, Excel, Power
Point)
 Second, different types of technical skills are acquired
through multiple certificates
 Accounting, Finance
 Internet Marketing, Marketing Strategy
 Web design and mobile apps
 Logistics

12. Value Proposition for Companies
 Provide capable workers, who have many advantages over
university graduates
 lower wage demands
 more practical skills, can begin doing real work immediately
 We guarantee these skills through appropriate testing
 Students are physically present during tests
 Most tests involve completing specific tasks using computer programs and
data from real cases
 All tests involve real-world and widely done activities
 These graduates enable companies to quickly hire entry-level
professionals and grow faster than their competitors

13. Preliminary List of Certificate Programs
1. Basic computing skills – Microsoft Office or Google equivalent. Test on the mechanics
of these programs
2. Financial accounting. Test concepts using company cases and excel
3. Advanced accounting (multiple certificates?). Test concepts using company cases and
excel
4. Corporate finance. Test concepts using company cases and excel
5. Financial analysis. Test concepts using company cases and excel
6. Internet marketing. Test on mechanics of various ad techniques using FB, Linkedin,
7. Marketing Strategy. Test concepts with company cases and ad techniques. Students
analyze tradeoffs and justify decisions. Multiple choice? Too vague of educational
content?
8. Web design, development. Test students on mechanics of using tools.
9. Mobile app programming (java, android). Test students on mechanics of tools.
10. Logistics. Test concepts using company cases and multiple choice. Can we do
analytical case?

14. Strategic Alliances
 Telecommunication Companies
 Inexpensive data package for students
 Method of advertising
 Companies that hire graduates
 Convince them that we assess right skills and in right way
 If certificate recipients get jobs, many students will join us
 Employment sites
 Additional source of information about right skills and right method of
testing
 We can provide this service if we successfully place our initial students
with companies

15. Strategic Alliances (2)
 Cyber cafes
 Places for exams to be conducted and for students to work with
computer programs while watching videos
 Method of advertising
 Use chains for easy expansion to other cities?
 Local Universities
 Places for exams to be conducted and for students to work with
computer programs while watching videos
 Method of advertising
 Traditional Media
 Place full-page ads in newspapers
 Convince newspaper and other media to discuss our online programs

16. Online Education Value Network
We are within Blue Box
Our Content
Platform
Students
Course Content
From websites
Our Test
Platform
Client
Companies
Visit,
watch,
study
Testing
Content
Customize
external
cases or
programs
Online Job Sites
Impacts
testing
criteria
Find and start jobs through
certificate, our connections with
companies and online job sites
Take exam in cyber
Café or universityAccess
through
phone or
Cyber
Cafe
Our Ad
Platform
Jobs
Mentioned
in ads
Impacts choice
of content
Initial
contact

17. Value Capture
 Content is Free
 Free (or almost free) to us, so free to users
 Many students will learn skills through other content
 Paid content in future?
 Testing incurs fee, to restrict testing to serious students
 Acquiring a certificate involves biggest fee, and thus biggest
source of income
 Testing is biggest source of value and competitive advantage
 Must have good method of testing

18. Value Capture (2)
 If certificate recipients get jobs, we have many options, can
promise
 Return money to students who don’t get jobs
 Only charge students when they get jobs
 Have companies directly pay fees

19. Marketing
 Build legitimacy through
 Companies
 Educational institutions
 Parents
 Large following on Facebook
 Must convince students that your tests will get them a
higher paying and better job

20. Marketing (2)
 Build a network of students
 Ads in Newspapers
 Ads on Facebook – targeting 18-30
 Build a network of companies
 Ads in Newspapers
 Target HR professionals of largest companies in target
markets, along with high growth companies, including
foreign ones
 Connect and contact on Linkedin
 Convince companies to be partners on Facebook
 Strong network effects between numbers of students and
companies supporting your educational service

21. Companies Students
Network Effects Between Companies and Students
More Students Encourages
More Companies
More Companies
Encourages More Students

22. Companies Students
Linked In
Facebook
Build Network of
Students on LInkedIn
Build Network of
Companies on
LInkedIn
Build Network of
Companies on FB
Build Network of
Students on FB
Build Network Effects on Social Media, Including LinkedIn and FB

23.  Please contact me if you have any
questions:
 Jeffrey Funk
 Technology Consultant
 Previously, Professor of Technology
Management, National University of
Singapore
 jeffreyleefunk@gmail.com