MindBites is built on the philosophy that everyone has something extraordinary and valuable to share. Whether exceptionally cosmopolitan or blissfully mild-mannered, you are in a position to bestow upon others the gift of your knowledge. The Internet has become a place of unprecedented community and fellowship, and it’s time you realized that there are thousands, possibly tens of thousands, of individuals out there with the same crazy interests as you.With that in mind (pun intended), the MindBites crew has composed the following list of tips for helping you share what you have to teach.
Think that you have to be an expert with impeccable credentials and a Ph.D. from Brown to instruct others on a subject? Think again. More often than not, we learn best from those most like ourselves; the kooky friend who has an affinity for stamp collecting or that slightly unstable uncle who, for some reason, is the preeminent expert on Chinese tulip trees. Would you rather learn from a stodgy professor in a three-piece suit, or from everyday people just like you?
MindBites is not for the apathetic or uninvolved. We want people who are crazy about their hobbies. No matter how obscure, no matter how bizarre, we assure you, there’s a horde of people out there eager for the enlightenment only you can provide. If you love it, someone else will too. Share your passions, exchange your ideas, and help spread the enthusiasm you feel every day.
At MindBites, we’re tired of one-size-fits-all learning. We’re here to provide for an audience that craves practical information of a detailed and definitive nature. Anyone can provide an ambiguous introduction into Adobe Photoshop. But where else except MindBites can you learn how to turn the sky into a purple haze or remove the Ex from that old picture you look so good in? We are interested in the diverse and unique. If you can conceive of it, we want to know.
We want knowledge we can use. So, try instructing in a way that adheres to a particular usage or application of the information. Create a goal, then take us through the subsequent steps that will lead to the ultimate completion of that goal. Sixty-five percent of all learning occurs from participation with instruction. So create a journey and let your pupils ride along.
We all know that society’s attention span is ever dwindling. The world is ADD and we’ve all got busy lives. Maintain your audience’s attention by keeping your message short and sweet. Most people tune out of instruction after ten minutes anyway, so more you keep your lesson on track and to the point, the easier it will be for your over-worked, over-caffeinated audience to digest and use.
We do not, repeat DO NOT, simply want a replica of the boring and inane instructional videos that permeate schools and the workplace. Use your imagination to its fullest and most wonderful potential. At MindBites, we look to be a meeting place for the pioneers that will forge out and find new frontiers of innovation for instruction and schooling. If you are unique (and we know you are) then your lesson should be too. We hereby give you permission to go hog-wild.
Just forget about that obtrusive and distracting camera lens staring down your throat, talk to us. We don’t care if you stumble. We welcome your slightly off-topic tangents. Just be honest and open with us and we promise to give you our full attention. Just remember, we couldn’t interrupt your lesson even if we wanted to (which we wouldn’t, of course).
Keeping with the theme of openness, show us who you truly are. We can’t stomach those monotonous professors with their standardized English any more than you can, so let fly your true colors. We’re all a little bit crazy and slightly off-kilter at times, so don’t hide the gloriousness of your truly extraordinary self. Still, keep it appropriate. We do want to see you in all your glory, but try to keep your glory clothed and in check.
Stop for a minute and breathe, slowly. Write an outline, scribble down some thoughts, brainstorm. Then, think of your passion and the joy it brings you day after day and understand that there is a sea of people out there hungry for a piece of your mind. Share your thoughts, share your knowledge, share your happiness.
Hey, if you aren’t having fun, you’re doing something wrong. MindBites is all about teaching what you love, learning something for yourself in the process, and having a ball the entire time. Enjoy!
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