Gary Ackerman @garyackerman@qoto.org

I expect every reader has experience with school and a strong concept of school. Much that one “knows” about school, however, is a misconception.

I once served on a committee hiring a professional who was primarily going to serve as network administrator. We were in the second interview, so there were fewer questions and more discussions, and he asked, “What can you tell me about the environment?” The superintendent (who admitted little knowledge of technology) began describing efforts they had made to improve the working climate in the schools. He looked puzzled as he listened for several minutes. When she paused to take a breath, I interrupted, “I think he was asking about the network environment?” He said, “yes, I’m glad to have heard that, but I was asking about the servers and stuff.” Sometimes IT professionals and educators are not even speaking the same language even when they use the same word.

So, I was helping a faculty member prepare their exam to import into the LMS. I noticed and pointed out "you only give 'all of the above' as a choice when it is the correct answer." They dismissed my suggestion we change it.

This is a faculty member who vehemently insists tests are the best way to measure learning.

Is it inconsistent for a company to claim it "takes your security seriously" when it limits the punctuation marks allowed in passwords?

When you recognize contingency and randomness affect all decisions an outcomes you are beginning to be qualified to be a leader.

A union has voted “work to rule,” so folks have been declining invitations to committee meetings. While I’m no longer in the union, I fully support the decision.
I do have to convince colleagues that suggesting, “I’ll get your input in an individual meetings” is really not an appropriate response to those who skip extra committee work as part of collective action.

If you post, “research shows,” but you don’t reference it, I assume you are making it up.

“If I didn’t see it with my own eyes” is not the critical stance you think it is.

Worth a read! #Edtech has changed. I’m wondering what might be abandoned.

https://educationdatafutures.digitalfuturescommission.org.uk/essays/competing-interests-in-education-data/schools-must-resist-big-edtech

I ended up back in the classroom near the end of my k-12 career. I pushed back on all of the silly practices recommended by instructional coaches, and I shared research articles and my supporting my “push back.” They were happy to see me finally retire.

I met with a faculty member to “fix my gradebook” in the LMS. It became clear immediately the instructor had no idea what they was asking their students to to this term. No wonder students were confused.

The degree to which flexibility characterizes effective classrooms is overlooked in my opinion.

If you can’t tell me what’s wrong with your plan, I’m not going to trust what you say is right about it.

Look at the curriculum & instruction. If it is grounded in telling and testing, be skeptical of the practitioners. Cognitive and learning science has taught us lots in recent decades, if educators don’t know those lessons, they will be ineffective.