BGU - Coming SOON - Feedback Ideas please

vj found this in rec.crafts.beads, from "Lynda" :

]I'm creating a Jewelry University on-line. ]BGU - Bead Goddess University.

**sigh** i wish you loads and loads of luck - but i can't learn that way.

----------- @vicki [SnuggleWench] (Books)

newest creations: ----------- I pledge allegiance to the Constitution of the United States of America, and to the republic which it established, one nation from many peoples, promising liberty and justice for all.

Gosh, I don't know! (Do I still get a reward? Because it *is* feedback....)

Haw! ~~ Sooz

------- "Those in the cheaper seats clap. The rest of you rattle your jewelry." John Lennon (1940 - 1980) Royal Varieties Performance ~ Dr. Sooz's Bead Links

Lynda,

When I was searching for tutorials and things, I found that if they had downloadable or copyable to word stuff so I could print it out and follow it, it was easier. Also the ones with rea pictures going step by step really helped. The drawings were okay but still confusing to me. PDF is okay however I hated printing out all the extra things on a page. I like clean printing, just the info and or pics I want.

also what might help is little video clips. Like on how to turn a loop. That might help someone like VJ. I realize that you couldn't do all of a lesson that way (unless you started a video series), but if you did "difficult" parts with the video, or "short and sweet" like the above.

Mary

Lynda,

I have always preferred to learn by myself than with a class, so I'm all for this! I have taken 90% of my courses online through our local university and occasionally have to go in for something or another. It works for me, but I'm not a typical student.

I like the idea of video clips, but you'll need more equipment. I also would prefer to pay a monthly fee, but others might want to learn one technique. Would it be feasible to do both?

you could offer monthly "unlimited" lessons (in other words, access anything on the site). If you have a webcam, you could offer a seperate "individual instruction" price (additionally) where a person can email you, you answer questions individually (instead of in a FAQ section), if needed, you can set up and show them via webcam. This could also be that you send out a small snippet of what you did, or they could send it to you so that you could tell them what was wrong (if that is feasible).

Then you could do an "individual session" price. If someone wanted to learn one item, they purchase ala carte, per lesson. If an item takes 3 lessons (i.e. a basic stich, then an embellishment on top of it, then a twisted version of it), they pay per lesson, unless they get a monthly (or you set up that type as a entree).

Hmmmm. Ala carte, entree, and buffet! Why am I hungry?

Mary

These are allll awesome - keep it coming. I'm hoping to offer some kind of streaming video - scary to think of me on film, but I guess that's what it will be - lol........

I like the monthly payment thing - all access..... and the special pricing for special services.

I think this will be a really cool thing for the beading community. Mabe even get some guest instructors as well.

Do we get a certificate of completion? :=)

I like the idea of both options. Keeping the options open "either/and/or" would just about cover all people and their budgets.

Would the classes online mean the teacher is accessible to answer questions? Again, I think that both would be desirable. Online is good for those who need more help? Downloadable (is that a word?) would be good for those who can't make the designated online class times and good for those who work well undependably.

Sounds good!

HTH

Lynda, as i'm sure you know, there is a ton of information on chain making on the net. most of "our" favorite sites have excellent step by step instructions.

devil's advocate says why would i pay for your instructions when i can get them from the web?

angel's advocate says if you can add a video they'd be different and excellent for those who need them....especially for the more complex chains.

will you be teaching how to use the chains to make jewelry...for instance, how to design a 6 in 1 to lay flat against the clavicle (or is it clavichord?LOL) while also laying flat on the breastbone? THAT requires huge work, I would think to be understandable in words. I taught a live class on that once and oooooeeeeeeewww, even with the students sitting around and measuring live and discussing sizing the rings, it was hard.

that said, if the classes were something i were interested in, I would like a monthly subscription; unlimited access for 30 days at a set price.

pricing? base it on what you charge for each class, and drop it by about

1/3. you have to pay for your bandwidth, but no travelling, food, wear and tear on yourself, etc. Once you have "created" the class online, there you are.

Eni's tutorials are only between $5 and $7, i believe, and they are extremely well done.

On another note, have you thought about a dvd? you could have video version of the classes?

hth lisa

Hmmm...she'd need to have intermediate and advanced classes too. That's actually what most people might be looking for because like you said, some beginning chain instructions can be found elsewhere on the web.

Lynda, I'm sure you've already thought of this but offering the supplies needed for the class is a way to increase sales especially if you give a discount in conjunction with a class purchase. When I take a class at my LBS, I'm given a 10% discount on any class supplies I buy from the store and sometimes a 15% discount on any supplies brought in by the instructor. This varies depending on the instructor and the class being taught. For example, when I took the stone wrapping class we were given our pick of free stones to wrap and then were offered a 15% discount on stones purchased from the instructor in addition to a 10% discount for any stones purchased from the LBS.

Back to thinking...

and also, obviously offering the class in "kit" form. "order the kit, and the class is free" or "class = $50, supplies = $50, class with supplies = $75" type thing.

Mary

I didn't *mean* charge $50 for the class (unless you can put up a class for $50, I am *ALL* for it!!!!). It was a suggestion to show how to discount (and show the discount).

Also, what about lampworking? Show different techniques.

I would also split the "buffet" into sections. If you are going to have wirewrap, seedbeadwork, chainmaile, and lampwork, I would do "monthlies" for each seperate. I would hate to order a monthly, and only find one class in seedbead, which is what I wanted (or something like that). Potentially, you could combine wirewrap and chainmaille. And then on top, do an "all points" pass.

Drawback is someone could order it, and share it with 5 friends. But at least you have the money from the first person...

I potentially see 4 levels. Individual lesson (how to do peyote). Group Lesson (Ndeble stitch, twisted, etc ... basic, intermediate, advanced). Section Monthly (beadwork). All Points access (anything and everything on the website).

A fifth one is individual consultation. "Why can't I get this to do this???". Granted, people could ask on here, but there are those out there who don't belong to chat rooms/etc, or would prefer a one-on-one.

Then of course, you can put on your site that you offer one on one classes in person, $x/hour. If the person is willing to pay for you to come to them, that's extra. Like anyone would do that. But you *never* know.

Okay, back to my puzzle....ARGH!!! I haven't put one together in my adult life that I know of, except for kid's puzzles with Aaron, and so I chose a

500pc with a *lot* of blue sky!!!

(and I am hoping if I can figure out how to glue it, then to put it in the bathroom as a pic...) Mary

Another thought while Mary was on the subject. What about bringing in guest instructors?

It's an interesting idea, but personally, I need to be there in person in order to learn well. And there are so many free places to learn on the internet, that I am not sure people would pay much to learn this way. I hope I am wrong though!!

Me too. I've learned that once I get some stuff done in person, I can pick up a book (with good diagrams) and do fine. But brand new techniques that are foreign to my area of knowledge? I need to be there with a teacher to lay down the proper foundation of good habits first. ~~ Sooz

------- "Those in the cheaper seats clap. The rest of you rattle your jewelry." John Lennon (1940 - 1980) Royal Varieties Performance ~ Dr. Sooz's Bead Links