"eBay for teachers" makes its debut

A new startup thinks it can help fix the USA's under-funded andovertaxed education system.

EduFire fancies itself as an eBay for teachers. The one-year-old site has recruited and attracted more than 5,000 teachers, who offer 150 to 200 online classes a day to some 30,000 students. The courses typically are in language, test preparation and technology training. Most classes are free, but teachers have the option of charging for others, and pocketing 85% of the fee. A SuperPass of $30 per month gives students unlimited access to all courses.

All start-ups face tough challenges, especially in a difficult economy. But EduFire might get lucky. The Obama administration has put a renewed focus on education, and a Department of Education-SRI International study concluded that online learning has better outcomes than face-to-face, classroom learning. And the growth of broadband has vastly improved video streaming, interactive presentations and other teaching tools

http://blogs.usatoday.com/technologylive/2009/09/ebay-for-teachers-makes-its-debut.html