Globalization, as we know it, is already happening. Be it in Information Technology, R&D, BPO, Education, or Healthcare. All said and done, unless there is a nuclear war, it is clear that globalization is here to stay.

Recently, there has been significant attention both in the U.S. and in India regarding e-learning pertaining to students in K-12, universities in the U.S., by utilizing products/services catered all the way from India. CNN, FOX, NPR, WSJ, NY Times, and most local news channels have successfully captured this movement.

How new is this trend?
Certainly, this is a relatively new trend —- but not for iLearning Gateway. Providing academic solutions for students in the U.S by utilizing resources from another country, like India for instance is a challenge since unlike other IT enabled services businesses, here one does not deal with adults but children. This requires careful & consistent attention to finer details, have immense patience with students while retaining the driver’s seat, and the ability to deliver sufficient cultural interaction. It doesn’t matter whether it is a product or service - all of these challenges apply whatsoever.

Is there really a demand? If so, how big is this demand?
Undoubtedly, at any given point in time, there isn’t a clear substitute for a teacher at school. So when we talk about e-learning and unifying the global community together, it obviously doesn’t mean that we are talking about filling in the regular face-to-face teaching positions or any equivalent options at school. The demand is simply there for the support structure that in turn helps the teachers help their students better understand and master their corresponding subjects. e-learning is like the pseudo parent who can role-play as a teacher at all other times other than at school.

Students in K-12, who are captivated by the online world, constitute 27 percent of Americans, i.e., 70 million strong. Combined with the students in higher education, this creates a market of over 85 million in the U.S. alone. The issue of majority of U.S. students, lagging behind in math and science is highly evident. The most recent trends in ‘International Mathematics and Science Study 2003’ released by Boston College provide more reinforcement of these fundamental problems that students face on a daily basis.

Teachers across the nation, in addition to their sincere efforts at school, badly need help from someone who can supplement their specific tailored efforts towards each of their individual student. Again, this additional help has to be consistent with what is being taught by a teacher at school. In addition, this help must be coherent with the aptitude/IQ level identified for each student and therefore, it has to be in the form of one-on-one attention. Only then, by working together as a team, we can influence a specific student’s grade/performance. So clearly, the demand is huge.

Does it make business sense to fulfill this demand?
This question is highly relevant. Especially, in a school system such as in the U.S., it is relatively far more difficult for anyone to even get a foot in the door owing to the complexities in the decision-making process. Sometimes it is difficult even to come up with a fairly predictable sales cycle model. So, does it make business sense for a company to be in this field?

Basically, the challenge is long-term sustainability. So for the short-term, one has to find ways to survive by simply following two rules that I believe would work. One, make it affordable. Two, make it easy for the students to access. Obviously, all of the above is based on a fundamental assumption that the products and/or services to be purchased are not only of high value the stakeholders such as students, teachers, parents, and the school administrators, but also is pioneering so that affordability and accessibility targets could be achieved. Of course, the India equation can bring in a lot of low cost-high quality advantage for businesses both in the short & long run; nevertheless, innovation is highly critical in the education field. In addition, having the right partnerships that bring in complementary strengths and the right people who share the vision can make a big difference in a company’s growth.

We all know that governments and school administrators fight hard to even fill their regular teaching positions. Well-reasoned recent estimates place the total need for new K-12 teachers in the U.S. at 2-2.5 million between 1998 and 2008, averaging over 200,000 annually. We hear about schools closing down all the time. So, the authorities have their own problems and if not now, in time, the few who are concerned about this trend will eventually realize that the global community is only helping them and not hurting them.

So, what does the future hold?
How far are we from launching a ‘Unified Global School District‘? I believe we already did. The Internet has already paved the way, demonstrating the benefits for thousands of students & decision-makers. We just have to wait and witness the day when it becomes fully functional thereby benefiting the masses across the globe!

Kishore Kumar is the Founder & CEO of the Dallas based iLearning Gateway, Inc, a provider of technology-based solutions for the global academic space.
Email Kishore at kishore@ilearninggateway.com