In each video, the teacher appears in his signature grey hoodie and glasses
Meet Chang Hsu, the Taiwanese math teacher who has revolutionised online education with an unorthodox approach. In a bold move to make himself stand out in the crowded online tutoring space, Mr Hsu started uploading videos of math lessons on PornHub, a platform synonymous with adult content. With nearly 3 million views and over 13,000 subscribers, his clickbait strategy paid off, driving traffic to his paid courses and boosting his income to a staggering $270,000 (Rs 2,26,76,719) per year.
According to the New York Post, Mr Hsu is a seasoned mathematics educator with a Master's degree and 15 years of teaching experience. He initially uploaded his math lessons on YouTube but decided to diversify his platforms. In May 2020, he started uploading his calculus lessons to Pornhub as part of an innovative marketing strategy to showcase his teaching in unexpected places. His unorthodox approach proved effective, as many students who discovered his free lessons on Pornhub went on to enrol in his paid courses,
Mr Hsu, who operates under the handle changshumath666, has a verified account on Pornhub. Under his channel slogan "Play Hard, Study Hard," he creatively repurposes the adult website to make complex calculus concepts accessible to a wider audience. Interestingly, his Pornhub channel has now become a go-to destination for many students seeking to grasp the fundamentals of calculus.
Talking about his unconventional approach, the teacher previously told Mel Magazine, ''Since very few people teach math on adult video platforms, and since there are so many people who watch videos on them, I thought that if I uploaded my videos there, a lot of people would see them."
In each video, the teacher appears in his signature grey hoodie and glasses, exuding quiet confidence as he tackles complex mathematical problems on a green board. His videos tend to last around 40 minutes and net around 20,000 viewers per clip on average. However, the teacher estimates that over 60% of his audience tunes in for entertainment value rather than a genuine interest in learning complex mathematical concepts.
''People may not be interested in my videos, but they'll all know there's a teacher who teaches calculus on an adult video platform,” he added.
He also admitted that he tried to further broaden his reach by uploading his math lessons to other adult websites. However, his efforts were met with resistance. According to Hsu, these platforms have sophisticated content moderation systems in place, which enabled them to swiftly identify and remove his non-adult, educational content.
Despite the initial hurdles, his decision to market his math lessons on Pornhub yielded significant financial rewards. In an interview withFocus Taiwan, he revealed that his online teaching endeavours, which now span multiple platforms, generate an annual income of approximately $270,000. He utilises the earnings to cover his living expenses, pay his bills, and provide a stable salary to his employees, who play a crucial role in helping him develop and deliver educational content across his various platforms.
''I didn't want to teach math on Pornhub. I wanted to let the world know that I'm a teacher from Taiwan who can teach calculus well,'' he further added.