I read InsideHigherEd today. I learned about Udemy. As many followers of this blog know, I got my walking papers the day before Thanksgiving. I'm not handling the unemployment well.
Q: Is Udemy brilliance or bullshit? Anyone have any experience with it? Suggestions?
Sorry, but could you explain? What's the walking papers stuff?
ReplyDeleteAre you asking what the expression means, or what Maybelle's experience was? She posted about it here.
DeleteGetting one's walking papers is often used in place of "being fired." The links in the article explain what Udemy is. She's wondering about future employment, and for anyone with experience with Udemy - or similar teaching opportunities - she's asking them for advice.
ReplyDeleteSorry Professeur, I was talking about this: "http://collegemisery.blogspot.com/2012/11/maybelle-gets-her-walking-papers.html" and how I was let go right before Thanksgiving.
ReplyDeleteYes, Darla, I am looking for advise on whether or not Udemy is a scam or sheer brilliance. Or something like that. Thanks!
I have no idea about Udemy, Maybelle, but I've made semi-decent money writing standardized test questions. The particular outfit I worked for isn't doing that work anymore, but Pearson Higher Ed and ETS are two possibilities you might check out (and you might find others by googling "test writing" and digging around enough to figure out which results connect to legit publishers/organizations in your field). I suppose one could debate the ethics of becoming part of the assessment juggernaut, but I felt comfortable with the work I did (writing reading comprehension questions for a grad-entrance exam aimed at people we really do all want to be able to read accurately).
ReplyDeleteBest wishes on your job hunt! My personal tendency is to suggest using this time to develop professional areas of capability outside the academy (or at least outside teaching, which seems to be one step, if that, above customer service these days). But I get the appeal of Udemy; I just have no idea whether it works well for the potential teachers. Depending on field, I'd guess that it might (or might not), or that a more traditional approach, such as writing a book or textbook, might work better. Or maybe tutoring? I couldn't tell from a quick look at udemy how interactive it is -- whether it's what I call a "real course," or just content delivery (which has its place, but if it's content delivery, then you'd need to weigh it against all the other possibilities, from books to blogs to youtube to an in-person lecture tour).
P.S. to whoever is responsible for the graphic: brilliant!
ReplyDeleteAny blurry graphic is always Cal.
DeleteActually, this one is pretty sharp (but still offbeat enough to be thoroughly CM-appropriate).
DeleteI don't know about Udemy, either, but one of my friends says the University of Phoenix is quite the paycheck padder. She has issues with the lack of rigor and all, but teaching online there has helped her between full-time teaching jobs.
ReplyDeleteHuh. Just noticed the ad next to this post is for an online university. Go figure.
Best of luck, Maybelle.
I have known people to make good money from Phoenix. I have never heard of Udemy. What people I know like at Phoenix is that it has a short class duration, so you can just pack in class after class after class.
ReplyDeleteJoy, but it pays the bills.