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Friday, September 25, 2009

online classes

Last year I wrote about how I was going to start offering online classes. I still want to do that, but have not had the time to work out the technology (even though I am a geek). Next year, when I'm done with the knitting books I've been working on this year, I am going to revamp my business. I want to focus much more on online classes and sales of downloads on the knitting side, and I also want to start writing about other things besides knitting. (Don't worry, I have 4 knitting books in the process of being written, edited, and produced, so I won't stop putting out knitting books any time soon!) I've been working on essays lately, in my spare time, and it's really been fun.

This post by Shannon Okey touches on a lot of these things, but I'd like to focus on the online classes right now.

Tech teleclasses good for fiberistas + more
from knitgrrl

On audio only online classes
There’s nothing that’s technically easier to do than to hop on the phone and gab for an hour. I already do a lot of phone-based tech support so I know it works even for people who are visually oriented. On top of all this, I can easily record the teleclasses and make them available to the participants if they miss a meeting. And you don’t have to wait to download a HUGE video file. Missed classes are as easy a listening to a podcast.


I love this idea. It's like recording an audio book, which for me was frakking awesome! I had such a great time, I want to spend more of my time doing this type of work.

I've also been talking a little bit with Stephanie Japel about doing some online classes with the system she's developed using Ning. (We also use Ning for our beta programs at Media Lab, so I have some idea about how it works.)

Here's what her site says about the online classes:

Hello, and welcome to my online classroom! Here you will be able to sign up for classes that I normally only get to teach on the road! Classes are taught using a combination of pre-recorded video, live chat, PDF handouts, forum discussions and more! Fully interactive and with the feel of a small-classroom setting!




I will be participating in the 2009 Fiber Arts TeleSummit on Saturday and Sunday, November 14 and 15, 2009. I'll be speaking about travel and textiles. Here's the lineup of speakers and topics:

Donna Druchunas - The Lure of Researching Textiles in Faraway Lands

Daryl Lancaster - Weave for the Body, Weave for the Soul

Deborah Robson - Writing and Publishing the Knitting Book

Eva Weaver - Graffiti Weaving

Betty Busby - A Fine Art Approach to Fiber

Kathryn Patterson - Quick Quilts

Brecia Kravolic-Logan - Knitting NAKED

Lisa Sonora Beam - Identify Your Ideal Customer

Lisa Call - Social Media and the Fiber Arts

Elaine Quehl - From Healing Stitch to Meaningful Livelihood

Craft, Creativity and Career—all in one conference! For knitters, weavers, quilters, and textile artists in every genre. Learn from the best! Join the first Fiber Arts Telesummit, making experts from around the world available to you in your own living room. Workshops on craft, creativity and career for textile artists everywhere.




What do you think? Should I do more of this? It's completely fun for me so if you're interested in seeing more of this kind of thing, please let me know! Do you like the audio idea, possibly with handouts to download, or would you rather see more visual online presentations?

Posted by donna at 09:40:10. Filed under: Knitting

Comments

Absolutely! For someone like me who can't travel, this is a Goddess-send.

BTW some of the books I requested have arrived, not the Mongolian one, but I am reading Betsy Harrell and Dr. Ozbel (and Lizbeth Upitis).
If nothing else, my head is so full of patterns I have new design ideas sprouting from my eyebrows.

Posted by Diana Troldahl at Friday, September 25, 2009 10:04:45

This is wonderful, Donna! You have so many talents! Knitting and writing and designing and IT and you name it. Good luck!

Posted by Anna at Friday, September 25, 2009 10:57:00

It's a great concept to share your knowledge across borders. Although being from the telex and telefax generation and still at awe with today's technology that brings the world (or part of the world) close together and facilitates communication and sharing to an endless extent...and therefore learning, I must say that I still cherish personal contact. (that must be on of the longest sentences I've ever written). Since this is not always feasible, the idea of long distance learning and sharing is still very appealing.

I need to give you a piece of feedback on your lace class. Maike, the German girl who took your lace class is working on a looong and wide lace shawl in Zephyr and applies the learning gratefully... and Jenny, the Australian girl who took the same class has just started a lace hooded sweater and made three full beautiful samples of the pattern, remember your advice. Katherine, the American girl of the same class is working on a 4ply lace sweater. The Brazilian knitter whose name I forgot I haven't seen in a while but I would not be surprised if she was knitting away on a complicated lace something also. Good lasting learning.

Posted by Annelis at Monday, October 05, 2009 02:27:38

Annelis, thanks for the comment! Yes, I know what you mean about personal contact. It was so much fun to talk to you a couple of weeks ago, even though it was only for a few minutes. We must do it again soon, when neither of us is so busy!

Thanks also for the feedback on the class. Glad everyone is working on lace. That's wonderful. I'm addicted to it.

Here I am enjoying the fact that I will be home for the rest of the year, but also looking forward to my travels next year! It can't come soon enough.

Posted by donna at Tuesday, October 06, 2009 00:45:51

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