Tuesday, March 17, 2015

Crossing a line?

Online learning is WONDERFUL. In all it's different formats: Recallers;  Puppy Peaks; Agility U. ;Fenzi Dog Sport Academy;  Building Blocks Academy; Handling 360. You are a dog sport person who wants to learn from the comfort of home? There's a way to do it.My view for many of my recent classes:



That said there are times I shake my head. One example? Charging to read a blog.
I get it. I hope this blog is special. But. In reading a blog there is no interaction. No chance for meaningful dialogue.

Sure the model that has me shaking my head works out to 91 cents a day. Less than a buck. Less than coffee. But is there a blog posted daily? A meaningful educational blog? I doubt it. If they are able to post three times a week, which is a pretty rigorous schedule to maintain for six months that works out to about $2.50 a read. Sigh.

Will there be lots of cute puppy pictures? Doubtlessly. I loved the Clean Run series that tracked a puppy's maturity and training over a year . I found it fascinating and educational and fun. I knew it was coming every month and it was often the first thing I'd read.

Will there be value in the blog? I suspect so. Will I be signing up? Nope. No sir. My blog started as a way to goal set and record keep a little. It's evolved into a platform on occasion and a connection to a broader community (thanks Steve for our Blog Days). It's introduced people to me and me to people  some of who I don't even know know me. (Funny aside - a very big name trainer(bnt), world athlete told me the other day she has known me longer than I have known her. She found this blog ages ago. Made me laugh and also made me wonder about the hundreds of people who read Agility Addict. I always suspected they were computer robots of some sort but they are real! Cool! Thanks so much. )

I feel like quite the curmudgeon today.

4 comments:

Helen said...

I wouldn't pay to read a blog. I even think the costs of some of the online training is outrageous.

Unknown said...

I think this is a very compelling topic. I agree with Helen, some of the online learning costs are outrageous for what you get. I guess it's buyer beware, but I feel for the newbies who get sucked into an online learning forum where they don't get the attention/feedback that they are paying for.

And...to pay for a blog?? Er...no. Write a book.

Dz Dog Mom said...

We just started reading your blog! It's fun. We're new to the agility world and are enjoying the training so far. :-) I love online reading but would never pay to read someone's blog - their is so much other free information available out there that their is really no reason to pay.
~DzDogs.com

andrea said...

thanks for agreeing :D I felt so mean .. and yes Helen - depends on what online you do but some really does seem to be a cash grab for big bucks sometimes ... suppose real world classes sometimes are too :D