Earlier this week we told you about Google's new Course Builder open source software designed to help independent educators create their own online curriculums. Now Google is taking its commitment to online education a bit further by teaming up with Khan Academy to launch Next EDU Gurus, a search for emerging online education superstars.

What makes the Next EDU Guru program unique is that it focuses on an educator's ability to leverage video to deliver their messages to students. Over the course of the next two weeks, a panel consisting of education and video experts from Google and Khan Academy will review entrants who apply to the program. Ten winners will be flown to San Francisco to receive further training and support from YouTube and Khan Academy staff, as well as a $1,000 B&H gift card to be used for video production equipment.

A look at the program's video message offers a clear signal to would-be entrants that Next EDU Guru is looking for individuals who know how to creatively educate through entertainment and story telling rather than simply posting dry instructional videos online.

In a post announcing the program YouTube Education team member Angela Lin reinforced this focus on creativity.

"Do you set historical events to music? Doodle your geometry? Sing your Shakespeare? We're looking for content creators who create all kinds of curriculum-related videos, from grammar to geography, history to histograms. You can submit any style of video as long as its educational and family-friendlyjust bear in mind that we're looking for content creators who can take people on a journey through a topic," she wrote.

The only apparent down side of the program is that it is currently limited to residents from English-speaking countries including the U.S., Australia, Ireland, New Zealand, the U.K., and Canada (excluding residents of Quebec). Winners flown out to the three-day workshop, scheduled for Oct. 17-19, will receive a daily per diem, meals, and the possibility of being granted a Khan Academy fellowship.

Although the program will certainly give the online education movement a boost, it's also a way for Google to bolster its video advertising initiativesYouTube will only consider entrants who already have monetization enabled for at least half of all videos in their channel archive on YouTube. Those interested in trying their hand at becoming a part of online education history don't have long to prepare, the deadline for applications is Oct. 1.

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Google and Khan Academy Launch Search for Top Online Educators