Gary Ackerman @garyackerman@qoto.org

What is information, and how much do people need?

Is wisdom knowing the right answers or knowing the right questions?

“The Internet is not a ‘truth’ medium; it is an information medium.” [It] “can have no interest in such a distinction.” Neil Postman sure seems to have been prescient in 1999. #socialmedia #Internet #DigitalLearning

Do we write and speak to inform or to make others, think, feel, act? #communication #writing #writerslife

Can nature create art?

Just as quality in manufacturing is defined from your customer’s perspective, usability is defined from system user’s perspective.

Lewis Mumford: “To exist was to exist in print: the rest of the world tended gradually to become more shadowy. Learning became book-learning.”

Insight from 17th century:

From public schools shall general
knowledge flow,

For ‘tis the people’s sacred
right to know.

#education #teaching #schools

Hey #edtech community. Can we please be honest and admit we are on the Google Workspaces bandwagon because it is free and not because it is really the best platform for teachers and students and administrators?

Information is not terribly useful. Idea, relationships, associations, organizations, interactions are examples of what is useful and instructive and what helps to frame and solve problems.

Remember when we had shops in schools? Yeah... that as great. No, really. It was great.

When “privileged” becomes the same as “true,” we are in trouble.

Some become annoyed when reality contradicts their theory. Others engage in special pleading, explaining how observers misinterpreted their version reality. Others learn from it and and move on to learn more.

“It is hearsay upon hearsay, and I do not choose to rest my belief in such evidence.” -Thomas Paine

Answering the question “What problem does this technology create?” is equally important once concluding “This technology solves our problem.” #technology #edtech #education #leadership

What are the red herrings that distract your leaders?

Recognizing progress over achievement is sound, but remember what Alfie Kohn wrote about pizza. #education

Old, bad arguments never die (they don’t fade away either), particularly when they match our hopes. - Stephen Jay Gould.

If it cannot be disproved, it isn’t #science.

Can we haves collective grammatical resolution? No more stray capital letters.