Curious.com Opens Lesson-building Platform
Menlo Park, CA (PRWEB) October 25, 2013 -- Curious.com, Inc., the marketplace for lifelong learning, today unveiled the next step in its mission to turn teachers into entrepreneurs by announcing that the Curious LessonBuilder and the Curious Teachers’ Lounge are now available for any teacher to use at no charge. Designed specifically for online teachers, the LessonBuilder makes it simple to create interactive video-based lessons on any topic, from organic gardening to Pilates to calculus, while the Curious Teachers’ Lounge serves as a new resource center where teachers can access a variety of content to help them build and promote lessons as well as communicate with their students online. Opening up the platform and adding the latest suite of teacher tools will accelerate the number, type, and diversity of lessons Curious makes available to lifelong learners around the world.
“Just because our teachers are experts in their respective subjects doesn’t mean they are experts in video editing, online lesson design, social marketing or community building,” said Curious CEO, Justin Kitch. “From the first days of Curious we envisioned building a platform that would give teachers everything they need to become online entrepreneurs, and today’s launch is a huge step in that direction.”
Building the Next Great Lesson
Since launching in May, Curious has assisted its initial teachers in creating thousands of lessons. Designed in-house, the Curious LessonBuilder now gives teachers access to unparalleled production and editing tools that are so simple to use that anyone can build an exciting lesson without extensive training. Once lessons have been approved, teachers will receive a Curious Certified stamp on their teacher profile pages as well as each of their approved lessons.
The Curious LessonBuilder takes amateur video production capabilities to the next level by giving teachers the means to:
● Build lessons with clearly marked sections that break content into easily-digestible concepts
● Upload videos, images and documents or add attachments including links, files or photos to accompany lessons
● Include lesson metadata such as descriptions, keywords, or even Pinterest images
● Add exercises like multiple choice questions, hints or explanations of material, and rich text and images within lessons
“Much like the early days of the consumer Web when small businesses didn’t have the capabilities to build quality websites, teachers shockingly still lack the means to develop and market lessons online,” stated Kitch. “With our LessonBuilder, teachers finally have the opportunity to share their gifts. Builder becomes an equalizer, helping to enhance the quality of instructional content online.”
A Teachers’ Lounge for the Internet Age
Curious not only gives teachers the tools to bring lessons online, but it also supports them by offering best practices in how to make the most of their content. The new Teachers’ Lounge trains teachers via webinars, tutorials, and other resources on everything from how best to shoot a video to what to include in a compelling lesson. The secure space is dedicated to elevating the online teaching experience and features:
● Leveled instructional materials (introductory, intermediate, and advanced) to guide teachers from the basics through the most sophisticated options in lesson creation, production, and promotion
● Easy-to-navigate sections based on the stages of crafting a lesson: “Plan & Shoot,” “Build & Publish,” and “Promote & Connect”
● Tools to market and monetize lessons, including functionality to personalize promotional materials for their students
● The ability to share work on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and via email
● Space to communicate with students and manage comments
"Teaching is part of who I am; I believe in the importance of sharing knowledge and talents for the greater good," said Sarah Mock, creator of 20 Curious lessons on DIY, home-making, and 'penny-pinching' topics. "Curious has given me a fabulous outlet to reach and connect with a much broader audience, as well as to draw additional traffic to my blog. I get the same feeling of accomplishment after building an engaging lesson that I do from canning my homemade jam. Curious gives me everything I need to make my lessons come to life and communicate with my students."
By opening its platform and continuing to add valuable, exciting features, Curious expects to capitalize on what is predicted to be a $55 billion market for consumer-paid lifelong learning. In the last month alone, Curious has added 1,000 new lessons to its repository, bringing its total to more than 3,000 online lessons in over 100 different categories. With more opportunities for teachers and learners, Curious is poised to become the leading marketplace for lifelong learning.
To learn or teach on Curious, please visit http://www.curious.com.
About Curious
Founded in 2012, Curious, Inc. offers an innovative and engaging marketplace that connects lifelong learners with exceptional teachers around the world. Curious is home to short-format video-based interactive lessons that help anyone learn about anything on their own time. It also provides a range of free, easy-to-use tools for teachers that enable them to market, share, and monetize their lessons to millions of learners. Curious is a private company funded by Redpoint Ventures, Bill Campbell and Jessie Rogers based in Menlo Park, CA. For more information visit http://www.curious.com.
Megan Maxwell, GMK Communications for Curious.com, http://www.curious.com, 650-810-6658, [email protected]
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