Gary Ackerman @garyackerman@qoto.org

"Email packrat" is my new favorite term.

One’s cognitive abilities are much different when they have tools (slates, paper and pencil, books, digital devices, etc.). Recognize that reality and the fact that evaluators’ choices (eg. “no calculators”) limit the validity of their measures.

Yeah... if you are selling a dubious #edtech project, don’t start your marketing email with “Can you do me a favor?” The answer is “no.”

Myths and perceptions are often the barrier we need to overcome before improvements can be made.

When dealing with digital tools and media, it is often necessary to be looking at the same screen to troubleshoot with users. We all create our own vocabulary for describing our systems and it isn’t shared

We need contrarian voices... I fill that role often. But can you please pick a vision/ direction/ theory and be consistent?

“All thinking about the natural world must be informed by theory, whether or not we articulate our preferred structure of explanation to ourselves.” -Stephen Jay Gould

If you are not questioning your assumptions, you are not doing it right.

Things that make “data driven” people look at you with a blank stare... “That’s not what valid means.” You can substitute reliable and get the same result.

If your planning model has a single pathway from start to finish, it doesn’t reflect reality.

Seriously... if your online classroom is a long list of "stuff" that you and students must scroll through... stop... ask your edtech folks how to collapse stuff.

Don't be the person who uses colors to differentiate "allow" and "deny" email domains.

Add color commentators to meetings? Hmmm... this might actually not be a bad idea... someone to ask questions, summarize, etc. as the main presenter carries on.

“Theories act as straightjackets to channel observations toward their support and to forestall potentially refuting data....” -Stephen Jay Gould

What is interesting to me is how often we don’t see our theories and the limits they impose.

“Commerce will swallow museums if educators try to copy the norms of business for immediate financial reward.” -Stephen Jay Gould This seems to apply to schools as well.

Possible does not mean common.

What to be sure something won’t happen? Plan for it.

A single anecdote or case isn’t proof of anything other than nature is variable.

I used to work for a leader who allowed “5 minutes to complain” before expecting folks to get behind the initiative. I thought it was a great idea, until I realized they dismissed anything said during that time.

Yes, I am that person who carries the microphone for the crowd in meetings and purposely avoids that one person who always dominates the discussion.