Today, my PLN alerted me to the need to acknowledge if an association/organization is paying you to participate, play, and experiment. Good point, a point you'd think I'd know about, but honestly as a teacher of many years I haven't worked in the private sphere before in this regard.
Hence, as I share my participation with UClass--a platform that I do think has merit and potential, it's important that I publicize the fact that UClass is paying me a small stipend to be involved, experiment, play, and participate with this start-up. I accepted this fee as I'm putting lots of time into this site, time that is profiting my knowledge/skill base and the work I'm able to do with students. I also believe that UClass has the potential to forward education in positive ways--in many ways, more than the small fee, this is a barter situation where I am profiting from their tools, skill, and expertise, while they are using my knowledge and skill too.
So as I think about this, what protocols do I want to follow in this regard.
Here is an initial list, a list I'll share with my school system, and a list I'll continue to refine as I learn. I welcome your thoughts.
Beta Testing Protocols
- Disclose when a fee or materials are provided for beta testing. Disclose this info on blog posts, Twitter, at meetings, and other correspondence (We need a Twitter # for this to make it simple. Does one already exist? Perhaps #BTFee for beta test fee.)
- Only choose to participate in beta tests that I truly believe will improve education for all children.
- Only use beta test tools and processes with colleagues and students that I feel empower an engaging, effective education for children and worthy practice for professional educators.
- Use transparency related to my efforts, rationale, and result of beta testing.
What would you add? What would you take away? I'm growing my knowledge and practice in this regard. Thanks for your consult.
