Gary Ackerman @garyackerman@qoto.org

Technology is rarely the answer... but it can facilitate the implementation of a good plan.

Yeah, just because it is your grading system does not mean it is objective, valid, reliable... even reasonable. #teacher #edchat #teacherlife

If you are thanking colleagues, please don’t send a long email telling everyone how “f... ing” amazing they are. Seriously. Don’t.

You cannot claim to be both visionary and standards-based in education.

Some leaders’ real strength is alienating folks in their organization.

“You know what you can recall.” Yeah, no. Knowledge requires so much more than recall. Let’s not confuse the two.

That “trend” about which you are so excited/ depressed—you know that change since you last checked—is probably regression to the mean.

So few choices are either/ or... when phrased in that manner, they strip away all that makes the decision matter.

Is it really true that a picture is worth a thousand words, or are verbal knowledge and visual information qualitatively different?

“If a decision is made about you as a result of an automated process, you have the right to have it explained to you... that rationale of the automated process that is.” Yes, this seems a good idea.

Why are people surprised when things don’t turn out as they planned? Randomness creeps into everything... you cannot know every relevant factor... you are ignorant of those scheming to undermine... there’s lots of ways plans can fail.

I usually stop vendors/ teachers/ deans/ presenters and others advocating a pedagogy and ask them to “tell me what happens from a student’s perspective.” When they get back into their pitch (usually 10 seconds later) I ask “what actions will students take as they participate?” Then they stop calling on me.

“Wrong” usually means “was thinking from a different perspective.”

Anyone who thinks “the latest innovation in education” was conceived in the most recent iteration is unfamiliar with the history of the field.

Can relevance of curriculum be established by connecting to other courses?

Hearing rumors of a “doomed to fail” initiative in the beginning planning stages (my conclusion based on publicly shared experiences from other folks who recently did it and regret it)... to push back or not to push back? that is the question.

When talking about removing digital content (from an online course, directory, repository, cloud account, etc.) is saying “we can ‘nuke’ it” OK? I used it recently and heard another use it (independently of my use) and it didn’t sound right.

I’ve already had a productive day. 10 very interesting PDF’s downloaded. I suspect I’ll never read them, but that isn’t the point of this particular activity now is it?

“Homer stitched together prefabricated parts. Instead of a creator, you had to be an assembly-line worker.” - Walter Ong

Be mindful of the first solution you teach. Many in your class never learn another.