Gary Ackerman @garyackerman@qoto.org

Calling your “fill in the facts” worksheets a “scaffold for big ideas” isn’t really what we mean.

“We have a new paradigm.”

“No, actually you just found an alliterative way to summarize what is obvious.”

#leadership #innovation

Hey leaders admit it…

You hear complaints about IT, but you have no idea how to address it.

#technology #edtech #IT #leadership

Our technology decisions are made, in part, by social influences—we want what others are using.

Unfortunately, influential folks often adopt lousy IT.

Do you know how to solve it?

Does a solution exist, but you don’t know it?

Does no solution exist—yet?

These are very different problems to solve.

I like protocols, but I see them as scaffolds. If you are not integrating the interaction into your practice, you are missing the point.

One thing I learned during 30 years as a teacher: some learning can be “accelerated,” some cannot. Awareness can be accelerated almost always, but awareness isn’t really what we should be after.

A blog post, now with audio, reviewing a strategy for teaching:
https://hackscience.education/2018/11/06/deeper-learning-principles/

Deeper learning occurs when tasks are social, active, contextual, engaging, and student-centered. Are your classroom tasks designed this way?
#education #teaching #learning #edchat

One thing I learned during 30 years as a teacher: some learning can be “accelerated,” some cannot. Awareness can be accelerated almost always, but awareness isn’t really what we should be after.

The goal of deeper learning? Students who more clearly understand the curriculum and are more able to transfer skills and knowledge to different situations. #TransferableSkills #teaching #education #edchat

New information technologies (including hardware and software) emerge very quickly compared to the periodicity of schools. This rapid change requires teachers to adopt and adapt to these technologies constantly. #edtech

Which #edtech tools get used? Teachers are more likely to use technologies that are easier to use than existing technologies. Simplicity drives adoption!

When selecting tools, teachers favor technologies that are more effective than existing technologies. Effectiveness is a key factor in successful integration of new technology.

Because new technologies appear several times during a typical school year, teachers are under constant pressure to adopt and adapt. This highlights the ongoing need for educator support. #Teaching

A blog post, now with audio, describing characteristics of #edtech that are likely to be used:
https://hackscience.education/2018/11/26/which-edtech-tools-get-used/

A post on cloud computing, intended for those preparing for the AWS Cloud Practitioner exam:
https://hackscience.education/2025/09/20/cloud-computing/

A post for students in one of my classes:
https://hackscience.education/2025/09/20/the-linux-operating-system/

"Our curriculum is not political."

Yeah, actually it is... it should be... it must be.

Grading schemes... the games students play to get grades... that's what they really learn!