Gary Ackerman @garyackerman@qoto.org

Traditional tests are outdated. They measure memorization, not the higher-order thinking skills needed in today's world.

“AI is transforming assessment and pedagogy, shifting the focus from knowledge transmission to knowledge creation.” Yeah, we have heard this before. New technology hasn’t and won’t cause this shift.

“In my opinion, we don't devote nearly enough scientific research to finding a cure for jerks.”
― Bill Watterson

“So, although we have computers in schools, the key education artifacts are a century and older: the textbook, the lecture, and ephemeral classroom discussion.”

“Knowing” is important in being “smart” but it isn’t sufficient. It is also not necessary to “know” everything before proceeding to the rest of becoming “smart.”

35 years in education led me to conclude tests are not for students. They are of limited value to teachers. They are highly valued by managers and regulators.

“Standard-based” tests were supposed to fix the inequalities inherent in standardized testing. It has not.

I think “identifying misinformation, disinformation, and bullshit (the technician definition)” is more important than “remembering” in our current information landscape.

I’m convinced generative AI had been around far longer than anyone thinks. It would explain the fact that brilliant writing is drivel when you come back to it a day or two later.

“Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence.”
― Carl Sagan

“Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the universe.”
― Albert Einstein

The more perspectives included in your solution, the better it is. But we don't care.

What are the psychological effects of AI on employees?
Do we care?
Well we do, do they?
No.

“Predictive AI is just an expensive random number generator.” Yeah, that is probably accurate.

AI isn’t good at predicting the future. Maybe it is more human-like than we thought.

Once data is collected, it can’t be uncollected.

Monitoring workers’ activity to increase performance leads to decreased performance in many cases. Those familiar with unintended consequences will not be surprised to see this.

By understanding the true nature of AI, educators can effectively address misconceptions and foster a balanced perspective in their classrooms. The question is "to what degree are we understanding AI?"

Educators are often excited about new teaching tools they learn about at conferences, but they frequently lack control over the budget and IT infrastructure needed to implement these technologies. This can lead to frustration when they encounter roadblocks from budget constraints or IT departments.

While IT departments play a crucial role in ensuring technology is secure and compatible with existing systems, they should not have absolute authority to veto educator requests.