Online learning is on the rise, but some things are better taught in person — such as piano. But with webcams, even the arts can be taught remotely. Take Lessons offers both options to students and teachers, and on Thursday announced its platform would be available to more categories in addition to the arts and music lessons it is known for.
What's unique about Take Lessons is that the site specializes in one-on-one instruction (while Skillshare, Coursera and other education sites scale by pairing one instructor with many, many students). The technology Take Lessons originally developed for music teachers allows them to schedule lessons, collect payments and communicate with clients, all from their smartphone. Naturally, this technology extends to those teaching tennis lessons or offering tutoring to students.
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For instructors, Take Lessons offers a reliable way to find new students. Recent surveys show that freelancers say finding clients is a top complaint. For any freelancer who offers one-on-one lessons, Take Lessons could now be an option.
Founder Steven Cox says the new verticals featured on the site will include painting, photography, robotics, sports such as surfing and gymnastics, as well as pet training (which is perhaps a one-on-two lesson, since both pet and owner receive training, right?).
Although the platform is open to many types of instructors, students can expect to still find quality teachers with the service, thanks to a Provider Quality Score that Take Lessons has built.
"Unlike product marketplaces where consumers largely know how to judge quality, service marketplaces must weave quality scoring into the core DNA of the product," Cox says.
The score is based on how quickly the instructors respond to new students, whether they're responsive to schedule changes, ratings from students and how well they retain students.
An instructor whose score falls below the standard would be removed from the marketplace. This saves Take Lessons from needing to be an expert in the various fields of all instructors on the site, while still ensuring students are able to find instructors that are well liked by previous students.
Image: Flickr, gordon