The Michigan Small Business Development Center is a statewide network funded in part through cooperative agreements with the U.S. Small Business Administration, the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, and Regional Hosts. It aims to enhance Michigan’s economic well-being by providing consulting, training, and market research for new ventures, existing small businesses, and advanced technology companies. It is committed to fostering and sustaining a culture of inclusion through equitable outreach and service to Michigan’s diverse business community.

The objective was to help existing and budding entrepreneurs with the resources they need to set them up for success at every level. Creating cyber awareness and providing tools to become a cyber-resilient enterprise was right on top of the list. The aim was to ensure that any small business owner would benefit from a cyber security course. Hence, the learning content and curriculum needed to be easy to comprehend, engaging, and drive high knowledge retention while providing a hands-on experience.  

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In order to effectively meet our client’s requirements, the team of learning strategists and instructional designers at ELB Learning proposed a creative learning solution. The team went on to build content for the entire curriculum that will be presented to all learners. The key features of the cybersecurity course include:

• Self-paced eLearning modules that offer flexibility and improve accessibility to a wider audience
• A comic book illustrative look and feel keeps the learners motivated and infuses a fun element into the learning experience.
• The story-based learning course has characters, plots, and features that make it engaging for all demographics.
• The scenario-based learning strategy provides ample opportunities to practice learning and sharpen skills needed to be cyber resilient in a digital world.
• Custom level 3 interactivity ensures a thematic representation of content. The highly stylized course with curated images makes for a lasting and personalized learning experience.

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Through the learning program, learners are able to understand the nuances of digital threats. It creates awareness and provides tips about protecting businesses against cyber attacks from trusted cybersecurity experts. Learners can also test their knowledge of top security risks small businesses face and how they can best be solved to move forward.

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