Gary Ackerman @garyackerman@qoto.org

In Western cultures, the history of education is marked by a differentiation between everyday experiences and the explanations and language used in schools.

“Scientific questions cannot be decided by majority vote....”
― Stephen Jay Gould

Wicked problems cannot be easily understood, are not completely definable, and there is no agreement about the existence and resolution of the problem. We mistakenly try to resolve them with methods appropriate for tame problems.

“Learning how to learn” is more important than “learning what you need to learn.”

Elevators Pitch on Scaffolding
https://hackscience.education/2020/02/25/elevators-pitch-on-scaffolding/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=mastodon

Words are powerful tools for human thought; once “something” is named it can be recognized and humans can both communicate about it and interact with the concept in a way they could not previously.

Dismissing those who disagree with us is the lazy way to approach the work of change; it is also short-sighted and more likely to lead to our failure.

By reducing boredom and anxiety, we can increase the probability that we complete tasks before distraction.This seems fundamental to teaching today.

Greater education leads to better life I value lower child mortality, long life, greater equity, fewer wars. This supports the conclusion education and support of scholars as they create new knowledge, interpret and share the meaning are as essential as any infrastructure to society.

Carving Out Time for Authentic Learning
https://hackscience.education/2020/02/20/carving-out-time-for-authentic-learning/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=mastodon

Clear hierarchical relationships between students and teachers, the role of teacher as isolated expert, stable literacy skills, and well-established authorities as mediators of curriculum are examples of the structures and organizations that have served generations of educators that are being challenged.

Understanding and negotiating curriculum and instruction that prepares students for the landscape of (effectively infinite) information is an unresolved problem.

Educators are quick to adopt the “precautionary principle;” thus they reason, “Until we are sure this new technology is best, we will continue with what we have been doing.” By rejecting evidence it is better, they maintain the status quo.

New technologies are sometimes adopted first by marginalized populations, or for unsavory purposes.

While efficient instruction may be a reasonable first step in creating connected classrooms, school and technology leaders must take steps to ensure progress continues as all students gain access to curriculum focused around increasing sophisticated and complex problems—problems they identify as relevant—in their schools.

The Skills Landscape
https://hackscience.education/2020/02/19/the-skills-landscape/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=mastodon

IT is schools must be:
-appropriate for teaching and learning
-proper to be reliable, robust and secure
-reasonable to be sustainable and consistent with other initiatives

"When teachers are convinced about the value, they are generally quite flexible and accommodating to new ideas." I wrote this more than a decade ago. I'm note sure it is accurate today.

Elevator Pitch on Culture and Learning
https://hackscience.education/2020/02/18/elevator-pitch-on-culture-and-learning/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=mastodon

One particularly narcissistic administrator for whom I worked was known to respond, “Well, I’m sorry I’m not perfect…” and walked away (actually storming away is more accurate) when others refused to accept his Pollyannaish interpretation of situations. He missed the point that whoever was challenging him was not seeking perfection, but they were seeking to understand the situation and find which part of the system failed.