Thanks for bringing up those issues… actually I do agree with you: if someone wishes to maintain their site as an open resource, they should make it clear to those who join with the intent to get paid for their services…

And yes there are sites where teachers pay for the use of their platform (yearly fees and not a 15% or 20% cut on their income, which in my mind is a rip off considering they don’t get anything, not even proper technical support!), but they remain independent and they can run their own business without interference… and WIZIQ is, in my opinion, the best solution I found on the net for holding my online business!…

A nice succinct description of the problems.

These things would not be so relevant if such sites called themselves learning exchanges and no money was involved. But, as you describe, there are sites which want to market themselves as places where people can come and pay money to learn from “teachers”.

It is hard to run a professional teaching resource and also keep it touchy feely. A professional site usually has a professional feel. There will be rules, administration policies, methods of redress of grievances , and fast removal of transgressors. Many non profession, community oriented sites on the internet operate in a professional manner in order to give everyone “a fair go” .

As one site has recently discovered, if you pay money to people and leave lots of loopholes in your administration then some people will find those loopholes and exploit them. The good intentions of the funders of the site will not always be matched by the intentions of the users.

If the underlying technical operations, the programming and interoperation of component software is not thoroughly tested by users before release, then inevitably some users will discover gaps and glitches and a few will go on to exploit them.

Warm and fuzzy intentions are no match for a devious mind. even in the best systems it is likely that some people will find legal ways to rort the system and never be detected because they stay within all the rules. It is called computer fraud and is largely undetected.

The answer, weeeell, you could go for massive administration, security and monitoring systems.

Or, you could rely on user reporting, community activity and observation – Australia has a minor political party with a similar aim.

You could do all this. A much better method is to adopt the KISS principle
- Keep it Simple Stupid.

If it is paid then pay for it . Each person pays the agreed fee, no discounts, no special deals. Read the menu, select for content and quality and pay the money. Teachers must have verifyable profiles and references. A newcomer to teaching can teach on such a site as long as their lack of experience and expertise is clearly stated.

Each transaction must be a separate transaction, able to be tracked through a credit card or a payment service. complex schemes such as payments accumulated across teachers and mixed bulk packages are a recipe for disaster.

A student and teacher should be able to negotiate a rate and payment method, a one off, or a class a series of classes. The teachers pays the site for its use, so simple. WIZIQ can do it why not others.

If a student or teacher fails in their obligations then remove them quickly, no wailing and chest beating or handwringing.

But for some “education” sites that would be too professional, too business like, and would not fit the “dream”.

My response: “If it is free then give it away.”

If you want to maintain a learning community then establish it as an open resource with the clear understanding that it has no link to professional paid services.

Philip