Last week, National Louis University in Chicago collaborated with Groupon to offer an unheard-of deal: a 57% discount on a teacher prep course. The course, “Introduction to the Profession and the Craft of Teaching” was offered for $950 and covers topics such as “trends and debates in the teaching profession” and “how the K-12 sector works,” plus 15 hours of field experience.
It is the first time a university has used Groupon to attract new students and according to the Chicago Tribune, the course was specially designed for Groupon purchasers. Eighteen people took them up on the deal. Education Week blogger Liana Heitin observes,
Is offering a discount online the best way to attract new teachers? Plenty of reputable restaurants and salons have offered deals through Groupon, so associating with the company shouldn’t seem to inherently cheapen the value of the goods. But is it any different when it’s a profession being sold?
It will be interesting to see if other universities begin to look at websites like Groupon and LivingSocial to reach potential students.
To read more, please visit http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2011-09-05/news/ct-talk-tuition-groupon-0905-20110905_1_julie-mossler-groupon-teaching-degrees
