Gary Ackerman @garyackerman@qoto.org

“Life would be tragic if it weren't funny.”
― Stephen Hawking

IT's responsibility: "It is the IT staff’s role to ensure the faculty have the IT they need. Even if they are not familiar with the tools or if they were not involved in the decision-making, they must provide it." IT departments should prioritize enabling educators rather than hindering them with unnecessary restrictions.

Limited override power: IT should only intervene when technology choices significantly disrupt existing infrastructure or security protocols. Educators, as the pedagogical experts, should have the final say on tools directly impacting their teaching.

Trust & Collaboration: The relationship between faculty and IT should be built on trust and mutual respect. IT staff should be open to learning about new tools and working collaboratively with educators to find solutions.

Cultivate a "Department of Yes" culture: Encourage a collaborative environment where IT staff are viewed as partners in innovation, working alongside educators to integrate new technologies effectively.

The ICAP framework is a learning theory that classifies learning activities into four distinct modes based on the level of cognitive engagement they elicit: Passive, Active, Constructive, and Interactive. Each mode is associated with specific observable student behaviors and plausible cognitive processes, with Interactive being the most effective for deep learning and Passive the least.

Humanizing pedagogy is rooted in Paulo Freire's work on critical pedagogy and aims to create inclusive, equitable, and empowering learning experiences. It emphasizes critical consciousness-building, interrogating power structures, and recognizing the sociocultural contexts that influence teaching and learning.

"AI has silently infiltrated crucial areas of our lives, particularly in hiring, firing, and employee surveillance."

Prequestions likely work by increasing engagement and focus. They make students more attentive to the learning material.

“Their name is blue on Wikipedia” is a measure of importance.

AI literacy refers to the ability to understand, critically evaluate, and engage with AI technologies effectively. We can't develop it if we ignore these tools.

Effective scaffolding requires learners to have a grasp of the overall task or solution they are striving for. It's not about teaching isolated skills but about guiding students through a process.

Technology and pedagogy influence each other. Schools should recognize this relationship.

“A foolish faith in authority is the worst enemy of truth.”
― Albert Einstein

If you promote an idea, but your can't say how it might be wrong, then I'm not going to take you seriously.

“It is harder to crack prejudice than an atom.”
― Albert Einstein

Hey students... AI generated answers have the same format... certain text is bold, certain punctuation is used in certain places. That is your teacher's first sign that you had AI do your homework.

Education is a wicked technology, meaning it's a complex system with interconnected parts that constantly change. Unlike a simple machine, it can't be easily understood or controlled. Nor can it be easily measured.

Every solution is experienced in education. Unlike engineering where prototypes can be tested, implementing a new curriculum directly impacts students, making changes difficult to undo.

Naturalistic approaches to education acknowledge the complexity of learning and the active role of the educator in shaping the environment. They embrace diverse data and seek multiple perspectives. They are too uncommon.