Gary Ackerman @garyackerman@qoto.org
- On the web:
- https://hackscience.education/
Director of Teaching and Learning Innovation at a community college in New England
Retired k-12 science/ math/ technology teacher/ technology integration specialist/ coordinator
Joined Nov 2022
Thinking about facts...
Research depends on “facts.” In the vernacular, fact typically means information that is true and accurate; implicit also is the assumption that the fact is objectively defined so that every observer will agree on the both reality of the fact and the meaning of the fact. A more sophisticated view of facts recognizes the role that one’s perspective exerts on how one senses and interprets facts. In science, a fact is any idea that can be tested; and some are refuted by tests while others are supported by tests. Those facts refuted by observation are probably inaccurate, and those supported by observation are more likely to be true and accurate.
I've been rediscovering Wolfram Demonstrations after not using them for several years.
https://demonstrations.wolfram.com/
I sure appreciate the folks who develop and share them.
Gary Ackerman
boosted
@garyackerman yeah, we focus on how faculty often have no training in #teaching, but an equally big issue is there's no training on #management & #leadership. HBR articles on toxic bosses were useful to me https://hbr.org/2018/09/what-to-do-when-you-have-a-bad-boss & here's a video on different types of toxic bosses https://youtu.be/m28OBk1o4d4
One of my “professional hobbies” has been observing leaders… how they act and react to circumstances, plan and implement initiatives, and interact with others. On occasion, I have decided I must distance myself from certain leaders.
I find reasons to avoid meetings at first, but eventually I am clear about my active dissociation from them.
One of the projects that has captured my attention lately is getting a test server with WeBWork up and running for the math faculty at my college.
https://openwebwork.org/
This is an open source project designed to provide a platform for "online math homework" (think MyMathLab).
We have the test up and running so the faculty can explore it, and will be moving to development in the spring, with a target of production for the fall semester.
I'd be glad to hear advice/ recommendations from folks who have rolled this out.
Gary Ackerman
boosted
If you came here from Twitter in the last week, Reply below and boost this post so others can find you.
Gary Ackerman
boosted
Platforms like #Twitter, #Facebook, #LinkedIn etc are all business that NEED to grow since we, the user are the products.
Revenue should not be a goal of a social platform, there are enough websites out there already who squeeze you for every penny in some form.
The internet wasn't created for profit alone but it seems many have forgotten..
Let's bring that back! 
Gary Ackerman
boosted
I keep seeing people say Mastodon is nothing like Twitter. And they’re right.
Mastodon is an echo of the old internet, it’s decentralised, chaotic. What you get depends on your sysadmin. You can’t search, everything has to be shared to you by a human. Networks split apart and rejoin. What you see is your unique connection to it.
Is this good? Maybe. But for me that’s the internet I grew up with. No algorithms, no targeted adverts, just human interaction, and it was glorious.
Dr. Gary Ackerman here. I’m a retired #science #math #computerscience #teacher and #technology coordinator. Now serving as the director of the teaching and learning innovation center at a #communitycollege in northeast USA.
My interests include online teaching and learning, educational technology, sound pedagogy, andragogy and heutagogy.
I'm nearing the end of redeveloping two courses for the spring semester. If you were teaching "Linux Programming" (with a focus on server management) and or "Network Security," what would you say "must be in the syllabus?"
These are community college students in the United States.
Hello Mastodon...
Dr. Gary Ackerman joining the community. My field is "educational technology" which sure is broad. In my role as the director of teaching and learning innovation at a community college, I support online teaching and manage the audio visual technology on campus.
Why, yes I have joined Mastodon.
- On the web:
- https://hackscience.education/
Director of Teaching and Learning Innovation at a community college in New England
Retired k-12 science/ math/ technology teacher/ technology integration specialist/ coordinator
Joined Nov 2022
