Instructor Resources

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I thought it’d be helpful to compile a list of resources—consisting of books, tools, blogs, links, and guides which you may find to be helpful. Check back often, as the Instructor Resources section will undoubtedly grow steadily as we find more… I recommend bookmarking this page for future reference. Enjoy!

Required Reading

•  Four Hour Work Week by Timothy Ferriss. Excellent book for streamlining your work and time. Definitely a must read.
• How to Find a Job Teaching Online by Patricia Tobin, PhD. This is a great book that walks you step by step on how to start teaching online. It offers a variety of resources as well.
• Make Money Teaching Online: How to Land Your First Academic Job, Build Credibility, and Earn a Six-Figure Salary by Danielle Babb. The title sounds a bit cheesy, but an excellent book.
• Teaching Online: A Practical Guide by Susan Ko. Excellent resource to have on your shelf.

Build Your Staff and Online Presence

• Bluehost. Excellent hosting service. A bit pricey (about $100.00/yr.) but solid service, very little downtime, and great customer service and tech support.
•  Elance. I would highly recommend getting an account here. Set up an account and post one job to get used to it. Even if you cancel it before it closes, you should at least try it. A must have website for building your staff. It is free.
• GoDaddy. Great hosting and customer service. Make sure you google “Godaddy coupons” before paying. You will get substantial discounts.
• WordPress. This is a very easy and versatile system to work with. Has so many uses for a web presence. Already comes pre-installed on many of the hosting companies I recommend.

Gadgets and Gear for Academic Free Agents

•  Aspire One. Very cost-effective netbook and extremely light for traveling.
• Eddie Bauer Adventurer Pack. I have been using this pack for years. Great for storing your laptop and takes a beating. Also, comes with a lifetime guarantee. I’ve used it and they will replace it.
• Motorola Droid 2. This is the phone I use. Excellent for sturdiness, has both on-screen and pull out keyboard. Can’t kill it. Believe me… I’ve tried.

International Communications and Scheduling

• Awayfind. Excellent tool for email when you are away from your computer. Only sends important emails to your phone text message.
• Gmail. Seriously? Are you still using Outlook?
• Google Voice. Great free alternative to regular phone. Keep in mind, it will not work with many of the free conference calling systems.
• Ringcentral. Excellent source for putting your phone, fax, and conference calls in one place and on the web. A number of resources are available in one package. Give the trial a try.
• Skype. This is widely accepted as an international means of communications.
• TimeDriver. Unless you want a lot of phone calls at all hours of the day or night, put this to use. You will be glad you did.

Invoicing, Distribution, and Shopping Carts

•  Paypal. Very easy to set up an account and works great for invoicing, charging, and securely maintaining your online transactions.

Online Marketing and Promotion

•  Aweber. Great for building distribution lists and email lists. Very easy to get up and running. Try the free version for 30 days, then upgrade.
• Cafepress. This is a great way (and easy way) to build your market following or to reward students.

Teach Resources

• Goldmail. Very easy system to set up YouTube type presentations for your classes. Upload PowerPoint or create them natively. You can then add voice over. Only possible drawback is the 10 minute limitation.

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