Abstract:

Efficient IT solutions and qualified people are necessary to meet the expectations of the business medium. Widespread Internet resources stimulated emerging of new paradigms of education. E-learning systems facilitate and enhance learning by combining hardware-software-knowledge-strategy in order to transfer information and accomplish a full process in accordance with requests of the ever-changing education. SMEs operate in a competitive environment that requires an efficient marketing department; so, it is mandatory a control of useful information.

Marketing is also in a continuous evolution; from a process exclusively tailored to the consumer’ needs and desires, it becomes an area with a complex compulsory approach; thus employees must continuously update their knowledge to improve their skills.

The paper proposes a complex electronic course in the field of SME marketing and represents an achievement from the point of view of economic research as well as from the point of view of realization as an informatics tool.

The course is structured in two main parts, refering the basic marketing theory to establish the theoretical context, and respectively, the new concepts and methods developed over the last years (SEO, Google Adwords, Google Analytics, Social Media etc.).

The two modules of the course go through sequentially. Each module includes: Lessons, Tests, Problems Solved and Suggested to Solve, Case Studies, and Applications, Frequently Asked Questions and Additional Bibliography. At the end of each module, an exam involve solving some theoretical and practical topics (multiple answer questions, problems). In order to complete the entire course, the final exam can be sustained only if the marks for end-of-module exams were higher than 5, on a scale 1-10. Interactivity has the main role, so a sensitive help guides the learner. Exams' administration is automatically done. The algorithm of choosing exam topics from the knowledge base with tests and problems is designed to minimise collisions. Grades are automatically calculated and establish the competence level (basic, medium, top) of the learner.

The course developed on a cloud-based platform become cost-effective, easier to maintain and upgrade, provides security and compatibility, with amendments to the issues of a fast and reliable Internet access, security and the concurency because, at the same time, a lot of users run the application.

E-learning is an opportunity to acquire education quickly and economically; in our society, it is more important to know how to do something beyond the degree you hold.

Keywords:

e-learning, Enhanced Learning Technology, Internet Computing, Marketing.