Quilting University

Just quickly - while the US is still asleep! From discussions we have had here in the past, it does, as with any educational institution, depend very much on the tutor. Thus, some courses are excellent and some leave a little (or a lot) to be desired. . In message , Edward W. Thompson writes

I tried to take several of their courses last year. I say "tried", because I had some health problems and got sick while taking each one and was unable to complete any of them (I got well between the classes). Of course, that is not something unique to online courses, the same thing could happen if you signed up for a local class that ran for several days/weeks. This did not keep me from trying again -- I am currently taking their beginning Machine Quilting class.

A great deal depends on the teacher and the materials; but again, I don't think this is any different than for a class at a LQS. I have had some excellent classes at my LQS, but they have one instructor, who is never prepared and presumes that the student will do everything

-- including knowing everything ahead of time. I will never take one of her classes again!

The big difference between the two mediums is that the teacher cannot directly see what you are doing. In a local class, a good instructor watches to make sure that everyone accomplishes each step along the way to the final goal. In an online class it is up to the student to keep the instructor informed as to his/her progress. At a LQS the instructor can readily see if anything is amiss; a remote instructor only knows what the student tells him/her. The student must be able to send information to the instructor via text and/or pictures. At Quilt University (QU) they have instructions on how to do that. I do think that QU students must be a little more self motivated to complete the classes. The instructor does not check each student to make sure that he/she is fully participating.

Naturally the teacher cannot be online 24-hours a day, so the student must be willing to wait for a response. Given that it might take several communications to resolve something, the student must be patient. Given that lessons are spaced a week apart, I personally don't consider this a problem (and did not see any such problem in the several classes that I did take).

The benefits of taking a course on line are many and can vary by student. In my own case, I have odd hours and therefore cannot take LQS classes in the evening or during the week days, when most of their classes take place. So I either have to take a day of vacation (something my DH has allowed on occasion), or take one of the rare Saturday classes. So, at QU there are a wide variety of classes that I would normally not be able to take.

At QU the lessons remain online for several weeks after the last lesson is posted. If the class is not full, then late comers can join and easily complete the course at their own pace. Unlike in a local class, at which time is very limited, if a QU instructor helps late comers (or even slower learning students), it does not affect the rate at which the remainder of the class progresses.

QU has a nice online library (actually available to anyone -- not just students), that has quite a bit of beginning quilting info. Given that the lessons are spaced out, the student has time to look things up if necessary.

Of course, everyone's mileage will vary.

Bev in TX

I should also have said, that QU does have a free sample class that you can take to see whether that medium works for you. Go to

and click on "FREE SampleClass" on the right hand side under "More information". It might notbe a course you want to take, but it would show you how the processeswork.

Bev in TX

I enjoyed the classes I've taken, and got a lot out of 'em. Be sure to print out each lesson, so it won't disappear on ya :-)

You've gotten some good opinions. The only thing I'd like to add is that not everyone learns well just by reading and looking at pictures. Some people really need to see it done right before their eyes and in person. Some people really need to have a real body watching them try something for the first time. We all learn differently. So while I love QU the classes drive my quilting buddy crazy because she just has trouble reading and putting the written work into physical action. Everyone learns differently.

marcella

Thanks very much for your input. Both interesting and useful.