Gary Ackerman @garyackerman@qoto.org

One of the most surprising realizations for adults who begin working in schools is that what is taught is not what they were taught or what they think should be taught. Curriculum is a part of school that is affected by many factors; some are very local (individual teachers are ultimately responsible for what it taught in their classrooms), others are school-wide or district-wide, yet others are state-wide or national. In the United States, there is no nationally mandated curriculum, and concepts like “fourth grade mathematics” are variable and open to interpretation.

Educational reform tends to follow a cycle that is familiar to many:

First, an initiative (supported with little or dubious evidence from the learning sciences) is introduced and implemented (with little or dubious support and rationale).

Second, problems with the initiative appear. These can originate from poor or incomplete implementation or support, discrepancies between the practices and human nature, or other difficulties.

Third, the initiative is recognized as failing, but remains in place (or is replaced with previously used methods under the vocabulary of the initiative).

Fourth, a new initiative replaced the old and the cycle repeats. Frequently the choice of next initiative and the time devoted to any initiative depends on the availability of grants to support the work.

Following this model of reform, educators can appear to be working to improve curriculum and instruction while avoiding implementing any new practices. This also allows educators to abandon any initiatives that force them to resolve any challenges to their existing practice.

Teachers, faculties, schools, and the entire education system will be prepared for digital generations only when educators accept the challenge of reinventing (and continuing to reinvent) their practice. The reinvention also requires that political leaders recognize the nature of learning. Educational paradigms that focus on instruction and measure achievement with standardized tests are naïve and ignore the facts of human nature and the skills necessary for full participation in the emerging culture.

I work in IT. I spend all days watching spinning icons.

“I work in IT” usually is equal to “I reset passwords” all day.

https://twitter.com/naomicfisher/status/1596830703957573632?s=12&t=1fyXG3aJe6HKRyo3O-Om6Q

Even if you have given up on Twitter, go back and read this thread.

Classrooms with seats in rows.

This elicits vastly different responses from teachers.
#edutooter #education

Recordings of webinars you missed.
PDF’s of articles you download to read later.

I maintain these are the greatest drain of computer storage capacity.

Small changes are fine, necessary, and worthy.

At some point, however, we do get to the point where quantum and irreversible changes occur in the organization or your practice.

Things fundamentally change. You are doing something different, and there is no going back.

When I was an undergraduate student doing botany research, we realized our measurements were proxies for something else. They were not reified in our minds. One thing that drive me out of k-12 teaching in the US, was the fact that test scores had become reified. #edutooter #edutoot #education

It never ceases to amaze me to observe two or more people discussing “learning” and seeing they each have vastly different concepts of it but no one realizes it, yet they argue on. #EduTooter #education #teaching #learning

In the USA, those of us who understand and can calculate fractions only have another 24 hours or so of halving and doubling recipe ingredients for those who refuse to use the metric system because “it’s too hard.”

Do web services improve the efficiency and effectiveness of instruction and school operation?

- Provide email and similar messaging services
- Maintain an active and up-to-date web and social media presence
- Ensure classroom information, resources, and interaction is available on the web
- Have a library with appropriate digital materials
- Ensure and improve accessibility and mobile compatibility of web services
- Use the web to facilitate purchasing, permissions, and similar administrative tasks

#edutoot

Two questions to ask about #school #IT #education #edutoot

Are there sufficient computing devices available in the school?

- Enough devices so teachers’ decisions are not limited
- Enough capacity that students can create products teachers deem appropriate
- Methods to easily share limited resources

Is the school’s information technology network reliable, robust, and secure?
- Allows all devices to connect without delay
- Has no latency
- Protects data and systems from threats

Averaging is about the worst way to report learning.

As they collaborate to make decisions about what technology to install and how to manage it, school and technology leaders must share understanding of three ideas.

First, the systems must be sufficiently secure to remain functional and reliable, but open enough to allow for the functions educators deem necessary.

Second, to accomplish secure yet flexible systems, educators and technicians must engage in an on-going process to improve technology systems.

Third, all stakeholders must recognize the complex nature of the enterprise networks in schools.