If you have spent any significant time here reading threads, you've probably run into somebody answering a question about what kind of advanced training someone should have by saying, "Take Fundies", or "Take Essentials". (I'm guilty of both, myself, but I'm not alone.) People ask questions about the content and the experience, and the answer is always, "Take the class." Which is somewhat frustrating, as someone regards setting up something which requires flying an instructor in, putting them up, spending four or five days and several hundred dollars for something, when they don't even really know what it is.
Well, several years ago, the 5thD-X guys came up with some DVDs of diving skills with some voiceovers and grease-pencil additions, so people could at least see what the in water things one might learn from such a class could be. I think somewhat to the surprise of the people who made them, the DVDs sold like hotcakes (and per my conversations with the maker over the last couple of days, continue to do so). This despite the fact that they almost immediately got ripped to YouTube and Bittorrent, so no one really has to buy them any more.
Well, about a year ago, the guy who made the DVDs started an agency, and began putting up entire on-line classrooms on his website. These consist of a powerpoint presentation with the accompanying lecture, very much as one would get in the classroom part of the course, as well as the videos pertinent to that particular class. One purchases the classroom and gets a year of access to the materials . . . and you DON'T have to be registered for a class to do this!
What's cool is that it gives anybody the chance to look at what's included in the class and see if it appeals to them, at a very minimal investment compared with the tuition. If you don't end up taking the class, you've at least perhaps learned something for a modest fee; if you're inspired to take the class, you already have the materials in hand.
Talking to Andrew tonight, I was surprised to learn that he has sold very few of these online classrooms to people other than registered class students, and I thought immediately that this HAS to be because people don't KNOW this is available. Given the incredible response to the videos alone, it's just inconceivable to me that people wouldn't spend a similar sum for the lecture, powerpoint AND the videos. So I thought I would write something to let people know this was available.
Disclaimer: I am NOT affiliated in any way with UTD, other than having come up with the name and having taken one UTD class. This post is simply because I think there's an excellent educational resource that people don't know about.
Well, several years ago, the 5thD-X guys came up with some DVDs of diving skills with some voiceovers and grease-pencil additions, so people could at least see what the in water things one might learn from such a class could be. I think somewhat to the surprise of the people who made them, the DVDs sold like hotcakes (and per my conversations with the maker over the last couple of days, continue to do so). This despite the fact that they almost immediately got ripped to YouTube and Bittorrent, so no one really has to buy them any more.
Well, about a year ago, the guy who made the DVDs started an agency, and began putting up entire on-line classrooms on his website. These consist of a powerpoint presentation with the accompanying lecture, very much as one would get in the classroom part of the course, as well as the videos pertinent to that particular class. One purchases the classroom and gets a year of access to the materials . . . and you DON'T have to be registered for a class to do this!
What's cool is that it gives anybody the chance to look at what's included in the class and see if it appeals to them, at a very minimal investment compared with the tuition. If you don't end up taking the class, you've at least perhaps learned something for a modest fee; if you're inspired to take the class, you already have the materials in hand.
Talking to Andrew tonight, I was surprised to learn that he has sold very few of these online classrooms to people other than registered class students, and I thought immediately that this HAS to be because people don't KNOW this is available. Given the incredible response to the videos alone, it's just inconceivable to me that people wouldn't spend a similar sum for the lecture, powerpoint AND the videos. So I thought I would write something to let people know this was available.
Disclaimer: I am NOT affiliated in any way with UTD, other than having come up with the name and having taken one UTD class. This post is simply because I think there's an excellent educational resource that people don't know about.
