Papows pushes online training opportunity

Distance learning has been highlighted as one of the untapped and long overlooked applications for the internet.

According to Jeff Papows, president of Lotus, speaking at this week's e-business world conference in Boston, as the Web evolves into a more collaborative environment, there will be expansion in less obvious markets, with virtual or distance learning becoming the 'killer application'.

'Distance learning is a compelling application. It has enormous potential,' Papows added. 'It is a problem desperately looking to be solved.'

He revealed that Lotus and its parent company IBM were investing heavily in the market.

Papows stated that 56 million people a year participate in formal training at a cost of $58 billion to business. He questioned the need to travel for training in either business or education in the digital age, claiming that the majority of staff could have the same collaborative experience without leaving the office or home.

It is not just the business sector that needs to take advantage of virtual learning, but education establishments too, Papows argued.

'Learning still has a long way to go, but there is a real opening in higher education,' he added, claiming opportunities could be made available to more people because tuition fees would go down.