Crowdsourced education. In-person learning is best. Traditional schools are not the best. We connect learners with teachers in-person.
Demass Learning is all about connecting teachers with students, in person.
All ages and all learning needs.
It is about breaking down the walls of traditional education systems and connecting people with people.
Anyone can be a teacher. Everyone has something to teach.
All of us are students. Everyone has something to learn.
Demass Learning connects these people with each other.
Groups can be formed in living rooms, libraries, coffee shops. Learning can happen anywhere. You just have to know where to look.
Demass Learning makes that learning possible.
The model here is similar to what Airbnb.com is doing for the lodging world. It is giving individuals a global center to connect their dwelling with people that need a place to stay.
The Airbnb.com system handles all transactions, refunds, etc. Demass Learning would do the same thing.
The teacher can charge anything they would like for the class and then DeMass Learning would take a percentage. The fees for Eventbrite are 2.5% plus $0.99 per ticket plus a payment processing option (Paypal is 2.9% of ticket value + $0.30 per transaction). This would likely be our model as well.
If a teacher wants to offer a class for free then there would be no charge. This is similar to what Eventbrite.com offers.
In regard to home schooling we know this:
The U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics (http://nces.ed.gov/FastFacts/display.asp?id=91) reported in 2009 that in 2007, the number of homeschooled students was about 1.5 million, an increase from 850,000 in 1999 and 1.1 million in 2003.
The percentage of the school-age population that was homeschooled increased from 1.7 percent in 1999 to 2.9 percent in
2007.
Homeschooled students increased 74% from 1999 to 2007.
In 2007, the majority of homeschooled students received all of their education at home (84 percent), but some attended school up to 25 hours per week.
Reasons parents gave for homeschooling:
- To provide religious or moral instruction: 36%
- Concern about the school environment (such as safety, drugs, or negative peer pressure): 21%
- Dissatisfaction with academic instruction: 17%
- “Other reasons” including family time, finances, travel, and distance: 14%
- To provide their child with a nontraditional approach to education: 7%
The homeschooling population alone is a fast growing segment of society. Additionally, with a resource such as Demass Learning the homeschooling option becomes a bigger reality for many more people.
Adult learning is another huge area of opportunity.
In the U.S., more then 59 million people, or 30 percent of the adult population, are untouched by postsecondary education. In 35 states, more then 60 percent of the population does not have an associate’s degree or higher. From: Council for Adult and Experiential Learning, “Adult Learner in Focus”, 2008.
Demass Learning has the potential of reaching this huge, under-served segment of society.
In 2004, adult learners made up approximately 43 percent of total enrollment at
community colleges, and represented 12 percent of all postsecondary education students.
From: Council for Adult and Experiential Learning, “Adult Learner in Focus”, 2008.
The number of adult learners has increased over the last two decades. Brazziel (as cited in Benshoff and Lewis, 1992) noted that adults were the fastest growing population in institutions of higher education (IHEs), and this trend was expected to continue. (From here: http://www.prel.org/products/pr_/adult-learners.htm)
More recent figures from the National Center for Educational Statistics (NCES, 2000) showed that adult learner enrollment rose by 7% between 1990 and 1999. NCES projects a further increase of 9% during the period 1999-2010. (from here: http://www.prel.org/products/pr_/adult-learners.htm)
Adult learners return to school for many reasons. Each has his or her own, but some of the most common relate to demographic, societal, economic, and technological changes; the changing needs of the job market; and the changing interests of adult learners themselves. (From here:http://www.prel.org/products/pr_/adult-learners.htm)
Homeschoolers and adult learners will be the primary target initially for Demass Learning. They are the people most in need of alternative learning solutions.
It is our strong belief that the results of Demass Learning will produce “ready now” workers that employers can instantly plug into their workforce for the adult learners.
And Demass Learning will give homeschooled students a wide array of teachers (who very likely may be parents of other homeschooled students) that have a high level of proficiency within a specific specialization.
Online learning centers are becoming increasingly prevalent. Udemy.com is a very interesting center offering that kind of service.
But in-person learning offered globally in a non-hierarchical approach is not something that is currently available.
The goal with the initial process is to develop a brand identity, design concept and working prototype.
This initial concept will then be rolled out and marketed within one test market. Initial ideas for the test market possibly include Seattle or Portland, Oregon.
We have 13 years of Internet marketing experience running the nationally recognized Web marketing agency, SageRock.com. Over the years we have worked with many schools (among many other industries). We understand very clearly how this industry functions online and what their strengths and weaknesses are.
The education system today was built in the time of the industrial revolution. It is mass education for the masses.
We are now solidly in a new era. We are in a knowledge, information-based era. The mass education system has simply not kept up with the fast moving changes within society.
Demass Learning has the potential to be a significant solution for this new era. A decentralized, non-mass focused learning concept. Online learning is great. But it is only part of the solution. In-person learning offers a depth of learning and connection that simply is not available online. Demass Learning makes this happen.