Gary Ackerman @garyackerman@qoto.org

Don't be the Department of "No" #technology #edtech #schools #edleadership #teaching
https://buff.ly/40mJKPs

We had generative AI use the college catalog to create a podcast intended to encourage students to enroll in the accounting programs. It was fantastic... until it said students could take a whole series of very interesting courses that are not offered at the school.

“Do you know what we call opinion in the absence of evidence? We call it prejudice.”
― Michael Crichton

“The good thing about science is that it's true whether or not you believe in it.”
― Neil deGrasse Tyson

“Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence.”
― Carl Sagan

Access to data isn't an issue. Its quality is,

Perhaps the most impressive capacities of computers are those related to information manipulation and analysis. Computers can remember with precision and longevity, and computers can follow algorithms at billions of steps per second.

Is it asking for your credentials (your username and password), money (in any form including credit card information), or information about you or others? Ignore it.

Educators return from a conference excited about the new digital tools they learned about. How the IT leaders handle this situation is important.

Hey IT... you don't know you users as deeply as you think. Listen to them.

Expertise. Leaders seek it, then ignore it.

On Digital Information
https://buff.ly/3YmxvzJ

Technology allows us to remove cognition from our brains and extend our physical capabilities.

Human brains are adaptable organs... if they choose to be.

Yes, I do judge you by the company you keep.

I was at a meeting today, when someone proposed we adopt a new LMS. Yeah... I made it clear I would not be leading that effort. I have too little productive time left to waste it on such trivial and contentious matters.

Yeah... I'm just going to sit over here and judge you by your actions.

I'd happily tell you exactly what I saw over 35 years in education... but you would not believe it.

One thing I learned in my 35+ years in education: Educators are much more comfortable starting this over than they are actually doing anything.

Hey IT... you don't know as much as you think you do... believe folks who tell you what they need.