Gary Ackerman @garyackerman@qoto.org

I recently encountered a site that organizes people alphabetically by their first name. It works, but is unusual enough that it interferes with its use.

The purposes of education: A blog post, now with audio:
https://hackscience.education/2018/12/17/the-purposes-of-education/

Some people weaponize email CC’s… they include everyone they can think of.

I’ve never seen that practice do anything but alienate those whose support they need.

Administrators ask for advice, then reject it immediately.

I learned than in 1988. It was true in 2018, when I left k-12. It’s still true now that I work in higher education.

Yeah, I heard what you said, but your actions were much louder.

Asimov begins his Guide to Science by suggesting mobile organisms must be curious about their surroundings. “As early as that, curiosity concerning the environment was enforced as the price of survival.”

Violence is the last refuge of the incompetent.
- Isaac Asimov

We are so easily boondoggled... I'd like to say this is a new phenomenon, but I'm old and I remember.

The first step in arguing is to mischaracterize you opponent’s position.

Answers are boring. How you got them… that’s interesting.

It is so difficult for data-driven leaders when it is made clear their narrative is clearly not supported by the data.

Self-evident assumptions are often wrong.

My family did not eat chili, tacos, fajitas, enchiladas, etc. growing up. I’ve spent my adult life making up for lost meals.

I taught 30+ years… damned if I can remember any students’ score on anything. It’s almost like those weren’t the most important thing.

Want a sure sign the author is a scientist? They use the phrase, “I was wrong.”

No, actually the data do not support your decision.

It’s 2025. Don’t lie about things that can so easily be checked.

If you really understand it, then you don’t overreact to “the new study.”

Performing calculations is fine, but let’s not assume students will be able to select and use appropriate calculations to solve problems and let’s not assume there skill at computing transfers to skill in other areas.

I had the reputation of being that teacher who students could distract and as an avid story teller. What they didn’t figure out is each was timed to break the lesson… and the longest stories came when students obviously were dealing with chaos or drama from elsewhere.