For many faculty (and students) anything that is not a test or a worksheet that is homework. As digital technologies have become more widely available, projects have included presentations and similar work. In the education literature, however, project-based learning has a very specific meaning. Project-based learning typically begins with a question that is defined by Read More
Author: Gary Ackerman
Elevator Pitch on Adults Working in Schools
If you are reading this post, it is likely you attended elementary, middle, and high school as a child. You may have some experience in higher education or professional training. In addition, you may have experience as a parent or caregiver who has interacted with schools. One of the most striking realizations for many who Read More
Triaging #edtech
IT systems fail. All IT professionals (and all IT users) know this. The reality is that the “to do” list for IT professionals in schools is often too long to allow immediate resolution of failed system. Further adding to the reality is that not all failed systems can or even should be resolved. IT professionals Read More
Yet Another Digital Divide
Digital divides in educational technology have been recognized for decades. While the details have changed, the reality that not all populations have the same technology tools has been a consistent characteristic of information technology. We were first aware that some schools did not have access to enough desktop computers. We have become aware that not Read More
On Customer Service and IT
“Difficult” interactions between IT users and IT professionals are not unique to schools. The difficulties can arise from users’ frustrations that IT is interfering with their abilities to do their work, the perceptions that their priorities are not receiving proper attention, and other factors. In many cases, the IT professionals contribute to the difficulties by Read More
On Problem-Based Learning
Most scholars and practitioners trace the origins of problem-based learning to changes in medical school teaching in the 1960’s. At the time, traditional lecture was deemed insufficient to prepare physicians for the field which was characterized by rapidly expanding field of knowledge and the emergence of new medical technologies. It was reasoned physicians’ capacity to Read More
On Instructional Planning
All teachers plan. Those who are following the Standard Model of Education are likely to focus on content when they plan; they want to be sure they tell students everything they must tell them to cover all of the topics in the curriculum. They will also plan for how to best tell students what they Read More
Elevator Pitch on the Application of Knowledge
As students experience deeper learning, they frame, understand, and attempt to solve problems as they interact with foundational knowledge. This facilitates their ability to remember what they learned, and they also become more skilled at assessing what they know and what they do not know. Advocates for deeper learning differentiate the use of foundational knowledge Read More
Proper Configuration of #edtech
What emerges from the appropriate design process is a collection of IT tools and features the educators deem necessary for the IT to meet the intended educational goals. It is the role of the IT professionals to ensure that technology is properly configured to both provide that need, plus reflect the responsible configuration of the Read More
On IT and Learning
In almost all organizations, IT is a support function. Workers use IT to perform business-critical functions and improve efficiency and effectiveness, but—while being critical for business operations—IT rarely is an income center for any business. In schools, this is especially true in schools, as computers are a relatively recent tool in schools, and much effective Read More