Gary Ackerman @garyackerman@qoto.org

A blog post on The End of Average, now with audio:
https://hackscience.education/2018/08/01/the-end-of-average-how-we-succeed-in-a-world-that-values-sameness/

The jagged principle shows context matters for behavior. A child might be aggressive towards bullies at school, but not other peers or adults. Behavior isn't always a fixed trait.

The problem wasn't the pilots, but the misfit between their bodies and the machines. Once adjustable seats were introduced (despite manufacturer objections), crashes stopped. Fit creates opportunity.

“Eager credulity” is my new favorite term.

“Pathology results when the short-term success of one subsystem is ‘chosen’ over long-term success of the entire system.”

“Educator” and “not political” are mutually exclusive.

I heard there was an interesting article in pre-print. I was interested to read it, but heard an interview with the author first. The talked about "learning styles" and how they influenced the research. Yeah... I'm not going to bother reading the article.

“I understand you” and “I agree with you” are different.

I went to one of my favorite summer used book sales over the weekend. I picked up two books that I recently listened to and decided I needed to get hard copies.

When your only evidence is quantitative, you are missing most of the data.

“The more data that is out there the better.” Unless your privacy is compromised, the data are false, or used for evil purposes.

“Let’s send out a survey,” is probably the least effective give way of understanding a population’s needs.

Ignorance is easy.

Old and good are not the same. Neither are new and better.

“How do systems fail?” seems a question we should be studying.

You are leaving? OK. Bye. Good luck. By the way, we are better off without you.

A blog post on technology transfer, now with audio:
https://hackscience.education/2018/07/12/technology-transfer/

Answering questions is easy. Asking the right ones, not so much.

Because “it worked” is not evidence you were right. You may have been lucky.

If you listen to musicians, then complain about their political views, then you probably aren’t hearing their music.