ziizoo tutor code of conduct
April 16th, 2007 by Robert Einspruchziizoo is first and foremost a community, and as such it needs an informal code of conduct that governs the way users interact with each other on the site. Each point below relates to either integrity (e.g., no cheating, no lying) or safety (e.g., no offline meetings, no sharing personal information). These are the two themes most important to us. Please let us know if you think we have missed something or have gone too far.
Thanks!
Robert & Egon
- ziizoo is for learning, not for cheating: teach your pupils but do not do their work for them.
- ziizoo is for everyone: do not discriminate who you tutor.
- ziizoo is about honesty: do not post misleading information about your age, academic credentials, work history, abilities or any other information about yourself.
- ziizoo is about privacy: do not ask for or share personal or pupil information, particularly anything of embarrassing, explicit or private content.
- ziizoo is about safety: never use inappropriate language during an online tutoring session and never suggest, arrange, or accept requests for offline meetings with students.
April 16th, 2007 at 8:49 am
I like it very much! It’s nice to establish these rules and boundaries. Can’t wait until you launch!
April 16th, 2007 at 8:59 am
I like it too, I can’t find anything wrong with it. I also can’t think of anything else that should be added.
April 16th, 2007 at 9:06 am
I think your code of conduct is good, simple and understandable. Good job guys.
April 16th, 2007 at 9:14 am
I am going to comment on this:
“1. ziizoo is for learning, not for cheating: teach your pupils but do not do their work for them. ”
I suggest pointing out that the tutors know how to do the work, and it’s about the pupils, not the tutor.
Something like:
1. ziizoo is for pupil learning, not for cheating: As a tutor, you already know how to do the work. Use your knowledge to teach your pupils, but do not do their work for them. One day your pupils should be able to demonstrate that they too can do the work.
April 16th, 2007 at 9:15 am
Very useful.
Because my field is English and because I’m sensitive to these things, I can’t help but pause over the wording of number 2: I’m not sure that that sentence uses “discriminate” quite right, grammatically. I would suggest the following amendment: “Do not discriminate among your potential students based on race, creed, class, gender, sexual orientation [etc–the list should be comprehensive].” And a philosophical question for you–would you want to add “aptitude” to that list? Would a tutor be in good standing if he only chose to work with already well-accomplished students, or are we all expected to work with any and all students that decide to the community, including (for example) students with learning disabilities or ESL students? And I guess I also wonder if “age” should be on the list: can we decide only to work with students above or below a certain age or grade level?
April 16th, 2007 at 9:16 am
Your code of conduct is well done but for the final opinion we have to wait untill ziizoo start working:maybe more problems will appear.
April 16th, 2007 at 9:17 am
Yes ziizoo should be about learning. I like it straight ziizoo, but it would help my understanding to know what the logo actually represents, thanks
April 16th, 2007 at 9:19 am
I hate to be a grammarian, but…
“do not discriminate who you tutor” is improper. Try something like “do not discriminate in choosing whom you tutor or in your treatment of those you do tutor.”
April 16th, 2007 at 9:25 am
I think I need to correct #2 - in the interest of parallel structure (with the other points) I waded into murky grammatical waters. Well this is what the community is for! I am open to suggestions….
April 16th, 2007 at 9:26 am
Also, the following needs to be altered from:
“misleading information about your age, academic credentials, work history, abilities or any other information about yourself.”
To:
“misleading information about your age, academic credentials, work history, or abilities or any other information about yourself.”
The last item in the series was not parallel to the first four.
April 16th, 2007 at 9:27 am
I think the code of conduct is fine. I can’t think of anything that was overlooked.
April 16th, 2007 at 9:34 am
I am surprised you are so against offline meetings. It would seem to me that face-to-face tutoring, because of the opportunity for instant feedback on whether a student is getting what you’re teaching, would be preferable. You should be able to institute safeguards against private deals between students and tutors by stressing to both that all payments have to be made to you, otherwise both your agreement with us and with the student has been violated.
April 16th, 2007 at 9:43 am
If we are directing code of conduct to tutors, then #1 should in essence be
“Ziizoog is for teaching, not cheating…” The tutor is teaching and we are asking the tutor to teach and not cheat.
Item #2: I agree that discriminate should be clearer as Josh P says, “Do not discriminate among your potential students based on race, creed, class, gender, sexual orientation,” etc.
April 16th, 2007 at 9:44 am
The code looks fine with the wording changes suggested by others.
April 16th, 2007 at 9:44 am
Our opposition to offline meetings stems from our concern for student safety. We need to take every measure to ensure that no student can wander into a dangerous situation. After looking at sites like Teen Second Life, Gaia, MySpace and other youth-oriented sites, we decided that we needed a similar “offline” policy.
April 16th, 2007 at 9:49 am
Sounds good, but I feel there should be something in there about price and charging. I don’t not feel it is fair to charge one person more than another if the duties are similar. How does one know they are not getting ripped off?
April 16th, 2007 at 9:52 am
I think your code, with the suggested grammatical changes, sounds good.
It will probably be a work in progress for a while…
April 16th, 2007 at 9:52 am
I think the code of conduct sounds good. I agree that something about pricing should be added.
April 16th, 2007 at 10:02 am
In response to Julie and Courtney, I presume you are asking how will a student know if he or she is getting a fair rate? To answer your question, when tutors create their accounts they will list their services and their rates. Since this information will be public, students will be able to see if they are getting a good rate based on the tutor’s ranking, experience, feedback, credentials, etc.
April 16th, 2007 at 10:17 am
The rules are fine. What about punctuality? I think an online class cannot survive without that.
April 16th, 2007 at 10:24 am
I like the code because of its simplicity. It seems that the grammar will probably be taken care of, but overall I like the thinking behind the code (ie, student safety first.)
April 16th, 2007 at 10:30 am
Pretty good list! I would suggest, though, that #5 be modified: while the community will be good, online interaction may not always suffice. Parents/guardians and tutors must be allowed to arrange face-to-face tutoring for students if they feel that is necessary and desirable. Obviously, in that case, normal cautions must be taken (CORI checks, always another adult present, etc.), and such tutoring would not be connected in any way to Ziizoo.
April 16th, 2007 at 11:02 am
I agree that face-to-face sessions should be an option - maybe the rule would be that a parent would have to be present.
April 16th, 2007 at 11:31 am
Most of the comments are valid-however-I would like to add a few of my opinions.
#1. All of our rates should be the same and set by the organization. We should not be in a position where we compete against one another because of tutoring rates.
#2. If a student has a learning disability, we should be aware of the learning issue.
#3. Getting involved with a student off line is not a good or responsible idea. I suggest
a calling card that is issued to us via Ziizoo so if there is an issue that cannot be solved
on line, we could call that student. The student would not have access to the tutor’s
phone number.
#4 Set up e-mail addresses for each us at Ziizoo.
April 16th, 2007 at 11:35 am
If face to face tutoring is allowed to be an option, then a parental presence
should be mandatory. Also, if an arrangement for telephone tutoring can be made, this also should be with a parental presence.
With regard to the grammar issue, as this is only a temporary template, they can be adjusted before the final code is established.
Also I think that your logo should in some way indicate exactly what ziizoo’s purpose is. The logo is bright and attractive, but has no real hook for the public to connect it with education. A practical, attractive logo is essential for public recognition and acceptance. Thanks for the opportunity to express our opinions.
April 16th, 2007 at 11:36 am
correct me if i’m wrong, but wasn’t there a disclaimer about every tutor having their own teaching style? i’d like to see a point protecting the tutor’s freedom to teach the pupil in their own creative way. Unless you want that in the small print. I assume that you don’t want these points to be overloaded with detail. Also, since one of your points is for tutors not to lie about their credentials, how are you going to sift through all of the applicants (like myself) who wish to become a tutor for your company? Might want to add that every tutor is chosen carefully, if that is in fact what you plan to do. That’s all I can think of. Can’t wait to be considered as a tutor!
April 16th, 2007 at 11:45 am
This looks very good. I agree about the grammatical tweaks. I wondered about addressing pricing in the gudelines as well, but perhaps that will be addressed by the process of disclosing rates publicly.
April 16th, 2007 at 11:50 am
I think it is very proactive to have a tutor code of conduct. I would suggest that the phrasing be put in the positive, rather than stating what you don’t want in each statement. I would also advise personalizing the statements, so tutors feel more ownership for the code. For example:
ziizoo values honesty: We are committed to posting truthful information about our age, academic credentials, work history, abilities or any other information about ourselves.
and
ziizoo values learning: We are committed teaching our pupils and honoring their best work, without doing it for them.
If you like this train of thought, let me know and I can help you wordsmith the other ones.
I also like Carol Cleland’s additional suggestions, although perhaps they fall under a different category than the “code of conduct”. Maybe they are part of the contract language when tutors are signed on.
April 16th, 2007 at 12:01 pm
Sounds fine . . . with edits as previous posted noted.
And, I would feel good about each of us, as someone else mentioned, having our own zizoo email address.
April 16th, 2007 at 1:08 pm
I think you need to add something a bit more specific about tutors BEING RESPECTFUL to the students. For example, a tutor might be THINKING, “You’re in the 12th grade, and you don’t know this??,” but the tutor should not SAY this to the student.
April 16th, 2007 at 1:13 pm
Nothing negative struck my attention when I read through them. I think it sounds great.
April 16th, 2007 at 1:37 pm
I think the code of conduct is a great feature to add to the website. It will encourage and attract a select group of educators to work with students and help to maintain a sense of integrity using the internet as a teaching/learning tool.
Sincerely,
Kathy Hardie-Williams
April 16th, 2007 at 3:00 pm
I am impressed with Alexis Ahren’s modifications as I feel it encompasses the mission of ziizoo (which it should!). The manner in which it is written is well received and I particularly like her style and flair!!
April 16th, 2007 at 3:17 pm
Your code of conduct looks pretty good. One suggestion which I have would be to begin with something more positive. For example:
The purpose of ziizoo is to help students develop academic skills for studying, writing, reading and solving problems. The tutors will be encouraged to provide students with strategies for practicing academic skills. Tutors will also always strive to give students constructive and positive feedback.
Another correction I would make involves number 2. I would write it as follows: Ziizoo is for everyone. Ziizoo’s tutors will never discriminate against any student.
If you choose to keep number 2 the way it is, you will at least need to change it to “do not discriminate against those whom you tutor.” This is grammatically correct.
Thank you for creating this marvelous service. I am looking forward to its launch!!
April 16th, 2007 at 3:26 pm
These seem like reasonable rules, but not necessarily easy to put into effect. I’ve been in situations where the student wants me to do the work for him or her. Also, students do sometimes try to cross boundaries. Given that, I like the rules.
April 16th, 2007 at 3:53 pm
I agree witg all of the above. Cannot wait to start!
April 16th, 2007 at 3:54 pm
I agree with all of the above. Can’t wait to start!
April 16th, 2007 at 4:00 pm
Sounds good.
April 16th, 2007 at 5:18 pm
I’m in total agreement with Alexis Ahrens. She’s wordsmithed to a polished professionalism that keeps the tone nice and positive and, as she said, gives ownership to the tutors. It puts the focus on values and integrity, rather than on what not to do. There’s a nuanced difference that makes a stronger impact.
Good luck in your launch, ziizoo!
April 16th, 2007 at 7:33 pm
This is a service for online tutoring; I think that those whom are interested in face to face tutoring should consider another service.
I’m assuming all tutoring sessions will be logged by Ziizoo, should the unfortunate need for an investigation arise.
Regarding honesty, I think all tutors should be careful about teaching the wrong things. If one is not confident about a topic or a specific detail, they should keep in mind that we are not tutoring for money or prestige, but to help someone learn. Mistakes will be made, but let’s not mislead or get greedy.
I also think we should all vote on our favorite rewordings. There have already been a few good suggestions.
April 16th, 2007 at 7:52 pm
Sounds good to me!
April 17th, 2007 at 7:28 am
These are great suggestion and we will definitely tweak the code of conduct based on your input.
I do want to follow-up on the issue of pricing. Ziizoo is a marketplace, so the market will drive prices. A more experienced tutor should charge more than a new tutor, just like the highest ranked tutor should command a premium over the lowest ranked tutor. Eventually we will include a tool to help tutors price their services, but it will not be ready for the “alpha” release in two weeks.
Regarding offline transactions, I still can not get around the safety issue. It would be nearly impossible for us to verify that a parent was at the session (or was even aware of the session).
April 17th, 2007 at 11:22 am
I think it is perfect!
April 17th, 2007 at 6:49 pm
Sounds good based on what others have suggested. I agree with the email address/tutor.
April 17th, 2007 at 7:57 pm
I would like to echo the desire for a positive voice, such as Alexis Ahrens suggests. The code of conduct then becomes a mission statement with conscious intention.
April 17th, 2007 at 10:20 pm
The code of conduct is clearly and concisely written. Ziizoo is not a place to buy a high school term paper. It will be a place for quality tutoring. Good luck with your web site launch!
April 18th, 2007 at 11:56 am
I really like the idea of a more proactive code of conduct. Let me work on something and put it back to forum. In the meanwhile I am open to suggestions.
Robert
April 18th, 2007 at 2:56 pm
No one will read the ‘code of conduct’ so it doesn’t matter what it says. Just put ‘We reserve the right to remove any person for any reason’ just to provide a catchall for legal disputes.
April 18th, 2007 at 3:09 pm
Our Terms and Conditions essentially say as much. The code of conduct is really about creating a culture / ethos (I always love the chance to use that word, and zeitgeist, too!) in these early days of the marketplace. It basically says, “Legalese aside, this is what we think is acceptable in the ziizoo community”.
April 18th, 2007 at 11:44 pm
I agree. Ethical standards are essential and helps everyone stay focused on the job at hand. Could not think of anything to add, as of yet. If I do, I’ll let you know. Thanks for asking.
April 19th, 2007 at 1:49 am
Seems like I’m a little late to this posting session, but I completely agree with the concerns of child safety and prevention tactics. The only idea I had was a group study session, such as computer lab study time, where a proctor is designated for a larger number of students, say Boys & Girls Club. Would this also be a breach of conduct? Or does that possess too many potential dangers as well?
Not sure if these questions have been answered yet, but will there just be an alpha release preceding the full release? Or is there a beta release step? If so, how long will that take and when will tutor ratings be accessible?
The Code of Conduct is an essential piece to ziizoo.com, Cap’n Obvious, sometimes specifications need to be made. If you’re making the choice of reading all these comments, it matters to you and you should make a more profound suggestion.
Robert, greatly appreciate your activity in this.
Antigone is a tragedy… where’s ‘E’gon’? Or is he Creon?
-Justin
April 23rd, 2007 at 3:01 pm
We need these rules and only time will tell if we may need more in the future.
April 23rd, 2007 at 3:02 pm
I agree with the grammatical corrections to the code of conduct as others have stated. I also feel very strongly about having the code be turned into a positive one - ‘Tutors’ will as opposed to ‘tutors will not”.
The item that still concerns me the most, however, is the option for working with the student outside of the classroom - particularly with things like ESL which require listening and demonstrating the appropriate sound of the words as well as written and reading practice. Students often need to see the tutor’s mouth and the tutor needs to see the student’s mouth as sounds are made. It seems that Ziizoo could always arrange any additional in person meetings by requiring that students and/parents 1) schedule meetings through the website, and 2) have the parent or guardian execute an agreement that says that the ‘offsite’ class is in a public place, (like a library or cafe, not at home), state what the location will be, and confirm that if a minor is being tutored, that the parent or guardian will also be at the location during the session. Again, Ziizoo would handle all of the billing, so that this issue would be handled officially.
As to pricing, I think that more experienced, certified or degreed tutors should be able to charge higher rates, assuming that the marketplace will change the rates if they are too high.
Finally, I also think that there should be a code of conduct for students as well, containing things like: They agree to do their homework on time as assigned by their tutor. They agree to let the tutor know in advance if they cannot make a tutoring session, or decide to stop. They agree to be on time for a tutoring session. They agree that tutoring will stop if they miss 2 sessions without prior notice to the tutor. I think that both the student and any parent or guardian should sign this part as well.
Thanks for asking for our input at this crucial stage!
Margaret
April 24th, 2007 at 10:52 am
Let me address some of the points made above. First, while the upcoming “alpha” launch will only incorporate text chat, our subsequent releases will include audio and hopefully video chat, too. So there will be an alternative to offline meetings.
Second, regarding pricing, the beauty of a markeplace is that market forces will determine how much you can charge. So there is no such thing as a price that is too high or too low - students will either pay what they are willing to pay, and not a dollar more. Again, you have the freedom to set your own prices - ziizoo will not get regulate this aspect of the marketplace.
April 30th, 2007 at 8:01 pm
I would very like much to become a part of this exciting venture! The suggested changes seem to cover the gamut, and I agree with them.
Mary Ann
June 20th, 2007 at 4:00 pm
Hello! Good Site! Thanks you! dlleaccnbr
October 11th, 2007 at 11:36 am
I would like to see an option where a student can set up a weekly appointment with a tutor. That way if they like the tutor they had the first session, they will get more out of a tutoring session if they have the familiar tutor that knows them and knows the strengths and weaknesses. This would also be steady work for the tutor as well.