China's live streaming boom has not only swept the entertainment industry but also contributed to the online education field, with top online teachers enjoying an annual income of over one million yuan, Beijing Youth Daily reported.
Dubbed "iTeachers," while "i" stands for both "internet" and "independent," these teachers have become known as "intellectual online celebrities."
Though personal incomes vary between individuals, iTeachers are commonly better paid than their counterparts in regular schools.
Zhu Wei, an English teacher giving lessons on one of China's most popular online educational platforms, is said to have earned more than 10 million yuan this year.
iTeachers work alone or in small groups. They share their lessons online and set their prices themselves.
Online courses cover a wide range of topics, including foreign languages, math, literature, science, painting, music and cooking.
Training for the civil service entrance exam, postgraduate qualification exam and even marathon preparation are also available.
In the past, online education involved a teacher uploading a lesson, generally including a well-prepared recorded lecture and related PowerPoint files, and students downloaded these materials to study by themselves.
However, taking advantage of the recent live streaming boom, iTeachers are more likely to broadcast their lessons to achieve better class interaction.
Online educational platforms also provide more advanced services.
Teachers and students are now able to hear and see each other. They can write on a shared "blackboard" and students might even "raise hands" to ask questions.
While a previous report from China Internet Network Information showed that China's live streaming platforms have lost one million users and the number of online hosts is declining, iTeachers, the new "Intellectual web celebrities," are believed to have a much brighter future.
China's online education industry is predicted to continue to grow in the next three years and may hit a market value of 371.8 billion yuan in 2019, according to Chinese think tank Analysys.
