Gary Ackerman @garyackerman@qoto.org

In multiple interviews for technology coordinator positions at schools, I have made it clear that my priorities are resolving IT issues for students first, and I have seen the school administrators react negatively to that answer. If I notice that reaction, I will usually withdraw from consideration.

IT professionals must develop skill in triaging calls for IT support to decide what gets immediate attention and what waits until later. Unfortunately, there are no rules that guarantee the correct triage decisions will be made.

Hey students... the existence of a paper to hand in does not matter if you didn't write it then the grade is irrelevant.

Types of Data
https://hackscience.education/2019/07/11/types-of-data/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=mastodon

One things I learned during 30 years as a teacher: A well-crafted question leads to more learning than a well-crafted learning outcome.

“It is not the strongest of the species that survives, not the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is the most adaptable to change.”
― Charles Darwin

If you work in IT in any school and don't prioritize students/ teachers/ academic systems, you should start a job search.

Did a person say or did AI say it? I prompted "describe the difference between teacher and business users of it." The response was “In business we try to upsell customers, so we generate more income. We should treat teachers just like we treat customers. Upsell them to get more out of them.”

Vygotsky was Right
https://hackscience.education/2019/07/10/vygotsky-was-right/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=mastodon

Efficiency of #edtech Repairs https://hackscience.net/2024/04/22/efficiency-of-edtech-repairs/

Students do have interests that are unlike the interests of others. The interests are a valuable source of motivation that we miss when we teach a standard curriculum, and they represent valuable (economically, socially, and personally) skills that are undeveloped during their schooling.

“If the misery of the poor be caused not by the laws of nature, but by our institutions, great is our sin.”
― Charles Darwin

Appropriate Proper Reasonable https://rss.com/podcasts/apr/
My podcast is on Spotify, iHeart, Apple now.

If the purpose of the meeting is to “start a conversation,” it’s probably going to be someone blabbering at us about some new and nebulous initiative. Please don’t invite me.

Vulnerabilities and Their Effects
https://hackscience.education/2019/07/10/vulnerabilities-and-their-effects/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=mastodon

“The universe is a pretty big place. If it's just us, seems like an awful waste of space.”
― Carl Sagan

I work with a "big idea" person who gets frustrated folks don't help her implement her ideas. Most of us who can implement big ideas are too busy implementing our own to help.

On Language and Humans
https://hackscience.education/2019/07/10/on-language-and-humans/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=mastodon

“By its very nature, a system of government schools for which everyone must pay but which only the most politically powerful can control is doomed to failure.” -Neal McClusky
The same san be said of most other social systems.

I jump on AI once a day and start a conversation with me until it is clear it is not a human. It usually does not take more than a few minutes. Maybe I am a bad promoter . Maybe I am too critical . Maybe it just isn't that good.