Hey Instructors, Why Not??

ShootingArts

ShootingArts

Smorg is giving St Peter the 7!
Silver Member
I just sat in on my first webinar, a web seminar. It included a chat window and in theory an audio link to provide two way communication. We have a bunch of good instructors on here, I wonder if any of you have considered web seminars?

Pretty narrow focus since an hour or so is probably as long as is practical but putting together a series of lessons and charging a modest price, I don't know but wild guessing somewhere between $25 and $50 per student and limiting the number of students in each session might be a way to make a few dollars in the comfort of your own home and expand your customer base also. My opinion, these lessons would be more useful than the same material on a video, less useful than face to face lessons so there might be a niche here.

Thoughts?

Hu

(This was the software used for the session I attended. No idea concerning price or quality, just an example to show what I am talking about using.)
https://www1.gotomeeting.com/en_US/entry/entry.tmpl?Action=rgoto&_sf=1
 
ShootingArts said:
I just sat in on my first webinar, a web seminar. It included a chat window and in theory an audio link to provide two way communication. We have a bunch of good instructors on here, I wonder if any of you have considered web seminars?

Pretty narrow focus since an hour or so is probably as long as is practical but putting together a series of lessons and charging a modest price, I don't know but wild guessing somewhere between $25 and $50 per student and limiting the number of students in each session might be a way to make a few dollars in the comfort of your own home and expand your customer base also. My opinion, these lessons would be more useful than the same material on a video, less useful than face to face lessons so there might be a niche here.

Thoughts?

Hu

(This was the software used for the session I attended. No idea concerning price or quality, just an example to show what I am talking about using.)
https://www1.gotomeeting.com/en_US/entry/entry.tmpl?Action=rgoto&_sf=1
Click to expand...

might work well for some things .

but when it comes to getting to the bottom of peoples errors the instructor needs to see the student shoot more than the student needs to see the instructor talk....

video conference maybe but that would only work 1 on 1 and one or two cameras wouldn't shoot enough angles.....

perhaps an ongoing instruction after a personal lesson... that might work.. after the instructor has seen you in person already..

as far as a seminar I don't see it transferring information any better than a web video... with a forum to answer questions..

just rambling LOL
 
A little better interaction

softshot said:
might work well for some things .

but when it comes to getting to the bottom of peoples errors the instructor needs to see the student shoot more than the student needs to see the instructor talk....

video conference maybe but that would only work 1 on 1 and one or two cameras wouldn't shoot enough angles.....

perhaps an ongoing instruction after a personal lesson... that might work.. after the instructor has seen you in person already..

as far as a seminar I don't see it transferring information any better than a web video... with a forum to answer questions..

just rambling LOL
Click to expand...

Subjects would have to be carefully selected and as you point out the instructor can't see what the student is doing, the main reason face to face will always be the best way to learn. However the web seminar does have an advantage over the video and answering questions. Because it is live the instructor can answer questions immediately, replay video, and very possibly demonstrate things or describe in more detail what is happening in the video as it is happening. When someone still doesn't understand the instructor can approach things from a different angle which can be more effective than backing up and playing the same video over and over.

Might charge a little more for the web seminar and include DVD's of the material or guaranteed access with a password for two or three months. I don't know if this would work well or not as far as happy customers but it seems like it might be worth exploring. The seminar I watched was on high speed pocketing with a NC mill or router. I was able to understand and pretty much actually see why the software and technique offered advantages I couldn't get from anyone else and learned a few basics of setting it up.

Hu
 
I think this is a smart idea. I don't really have the patience for videos. I'd consider signing up, 20 an hour seems more than fair.
 
total brainstorm here but what if???

what if you could tie it to those new projector lights with the instructor in a little window next to your cue ball... diagramming the shots on your table.. showing where the ball should go..

and getting a projection of your cue line and your result projected on his table..

almost as good as being there...

probably 10 years out as far as affordability ... but it should be able to be done with current tech...

I'm starting to reach now LO(L
 
softshot said:
total brainstorm here but what if???

what if you could tie it to those new projector lights with the instructor in a little window next to your cue ball... diagramming the shots on your table.. showing where the ball should go..

and getting a projection of your cue line and your result projected on his table..

almost as good as being there...

probably 10 years out as far as affordability ... but it should be able to be done with current tech...

I'm starting to reach now LO(L
Click to expand...

Impossible to say when we are reaching and when we aren't when talking about the future. My brother and I sit and talk every now and then about the things we thought we would see in our lifetime when we were children. Some of the things are here and some things that we never even imagined like the microwave oven and personal computers are common as dirt.

Unfortunately some things we were sure we would see are as far away as ever too, like widespread alternative energy that is nearly free and better forms of personal transportation, flight or at least low level flight a special classification for aircraft that can't fly over three feet above ground for everyone.

Instructors are able to communicate better with students all of the time. Face to face we now have a laptop that uses an overheard projector type set-up to project large images on the wall so the whole class can see what is happening on the computer. That is actually old hat from the 90's.Who knows what we will see in ten years?

Hu
 
ShootingArts said:
Subjects would have to be carefully selected and as you point out the instructor can't see what the student is doing, the main reason face to face will always be the best way to learn. However the web seminar does have an advantage over the video and answering questions. Because it is live the instructor can answer questions immediately, replay video, and very possibly demonstrate things or describe in more detail what is happening in the video as it is happening. When someone still doesn't understand the instructor can approach things from a different angle which can be more effective than backing up and playing the same video over and over.

Might charge a little more for the web seminar and include DVD's of the material or guaranteed access with a password for two or three months. I don't know if this would work well or not as far as happy customers but it seems like it might be worth exploring. The seminar I watched was on high speed pocketing with a NC mill or router. I was able to understand and pretty much actually see why the software and technique offered advantages I couldn't get from anyone else and learned a few basics of setting it up.

Hu
Click to expand...

One of the BIG things I can see people profiting from is Pro Players talking about what they are thinking when they come to the table, PATTERNS, PATTERNS, PATTERNS, oh yeah-safeties and the most important........ WHY, WHY, WHY!

Neil Fujiwara: Are you listening?

FTR, Neil has one of the most contagious positive attitudes I have ever seen in a pool player. His practice partner knows a little about pool, also.

JoeyA
 
ShootingArts

I think this idea has real potential for the right kind of instruction. As Softshot said, it doesn't help for the bigest area where people come to instructors for, help with their fundamentals (even when they don't know it :wink: )

But JoeyA points out several areas where this could have immense value. Also, since these seminars can be recorded, they could be sold live for $x and then later sold for 1/2 $X because the viewer can't ask questions.

That widens the audience because some people are frugal, plus the instructors can build up a library of product they could continue to sell. Not sure how you keep it off YouTube, though.

Anyway, good luck with this is you try it, or to anyone who tries it. I think for the Why, Why, Why it could be Huge.
 
Dave Segal (Spiderwebcomm) has all the software necessary to make this happen. It's what he does. Both myself and Joe Tucker have played around with the software - its all about whether there is a demand for it. If there is, give me a call and I'm there.
 
Joey, John, and David, Thanks

You all three help flesh out the idea. I'm thinking it would be a niche that could generate nice income and the big appeal is that there is little continuing expense once you are set up to do this. Neil would be great doing this but so would many of the instructors on here that are more focused on teaching. Neil is more focused on playing than teaching although he is enjoying both a great deal. Teaching and commentary each help a player's game because they both help a person really break down their own game and the game of others.

I have no interest in live instruction right now, I feel there are too many people out there that can do a better job than I can. The competition just from the people on this forum is too tough!

I am considering trying to put together a couple of articles or if the material grows enough without having to deliberately pad it possibly a book focusing on how to learn and the mental game. By how to learn, I mean how to learn any skill that requires coordinating mind and body. The focus would be on pool but would apply to many things. Funny as it sounds most people don't know how to learn efficiently. Fewer still can control their mental game when they need it most. We all have a good mental game when the going is easy. When we are playing a very tough opponent or we are deep in the hole and we need our mental game at it's best, that is where it often cracks. Preventing that or turning it around when it does happen seems worth writing about.

Hu
 
I started one of the first web collaboration companies in the country, back in 1999. Back then, there were less than 10 companies in the country who provided these services. Today, there are probably over 100 companies with decent technology.

My stuff is used by Fortune 500 companies, federal government, hospitals and universities across the country. My feel has always been: If a doctor can show another doctor how to debride a diabetic wound while one was in Philly and the other was in the Belize jungle.... bullshit if you can't have a pool instructor show "anything" pool related online.

The technology I have is dynamic - meaning, you can switch from a classroom mode to a video mode on-the-fly. You can do multi-directional video conferencing which means the instructor could see what the student was doing in their own home while the student was watching the teacher at the same time. All the student needs is a webcam, laptop and wireless internet.

I actually had John Schmidt logged in one time so he could watch me play straight pool. Needless to say, I felt like I couldn't make a ball because it was like trying to have sex in front of John Holmes... if you know what I mean. LOL! OK, I stole that line from Schmidt--- but it's a good laugh anyways. You get the idea, though.

I even setup a website where instructors could post their hourly/lesson rates and provided access to our technology, but I couldn't get anyone to do anything. I setup a booth at Valley Forge to demo it but like 2 instructors stopped by... and it was the nuts of all nuts.

Everyone was saying how ingenious it was, but no one devoted the effort to do anything.

So, if any instructors want to do something - let me know. PM me.
Dave
 
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Maybe there could be a two-way street developed here.

A - the seminar is streamed to the participants, with a specific arena of instruction & goals to be attained.

B - The student player videos the application of these skills & sends them to the Instructor, for a critique or confirmation.

C - A critique will require more interaction between student & instructor. So, the lesson continues.

The videos (instructor & student) could cover several angles of the application being taught and/or learned.... easier to see the application & easier for the instructor to critique, if necessary.
 
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