Gary Ackerman @garyackerman@qoto.org

How much of your learning was teaching “at scale” (done in large cohorts)? While it was effective for content, that was the least important part of my education.

We are initiating a project to create a digital collection of the rocks, minerals, and fossils, in our community college's collection. We are thinking a searchable database (mobile compatible) that will display images of what we have.

Anyone willing to share recommendations on platforms?

We have capacity to self-host, prefer open source.

No new multimedia package since HyperCard has been an improvement.

There really are two sides of science-based debates.

Can we agree this is a terrible place to put the key that returns the cursor to the left side of the line (on an English keyboard)?

In IT the problems are solvable. We can adopt systematic troubleshooting steps and most problems can be identified and resolved in minutes or a few hours. (Yes, I have problems that extended much longer—all IT professionals have—but those tend to be rare.) IT professionals have knowledge of the systems they manage, and they have resources (from online communities, colleagues, vendors, and even user manuals) to help them resolve unfamiliar problems. When their problems are solved, all users can recognize the green LED’s that signal functioning connections, operational computers, and—in schools—smiling teachers.

I expect every reader has experience with school and a strong concept of school. Much that one “knows” about school, however, is a misconception.

I once served on a committee hiring a professional who was primarily going to serve as network administrator. We were in the second interview, so there were fewer questions and more discussions, and he asked, “What can you tell me about the environment?” The superintendent (who admitted little knowledge of technology) began describing efforts they had made to improve the working climate in the schools. He looked puzzled as he listened for several minutes. When she paused to take a breath, I interrupted, “I think he was asking about the network environment?” He said, “yes, I’m glad to have heard that, but I was asking about the servers and stuff.” Sometimes IT professionals and educators are not even speaking the same language even when they use the same word.

So, I was helping a faculty member prepare their exam to import into the LMS. I noticed and pointed out "you only give 'all of the above' as a choice when it is the correct answer." They dismissed my suggestion we change it.

This is a faculty member who vehemently insists tests are the best way to measure learning.

Is it inconsistent for a company to claim it "takes your security seriously" when it limits the punctuation marks allowed in passwords?

When you recognize contingency and randomness affect all decisions an outcomes you are beginning to be qualified to be a leader.

A union has voted “work to rule,” so folks have been declining invitations to committee meetings. While I’m no longer in the union, I fully support the decision.
I do have to convince colleagues that suggesting, “I’ll get your input in an individual meetings” is really not an appropriate response to those who skip extra committee work as part of collective action.

If you post, “research shows,” but you don’t reference it, I assume you are making it up.

“If I didn’t see it with my own eyes” is not the critical stance you think it is.