When we are responsible for managing information technology networks, especially those that are used by children and those that contain data that needs special security, we take steps to control the data that makes it onto and out of our systems. In general, we deploy three types of protections. While these will not prevent all Read More
Author: Gary Ackerman
School Leaders, Technology, and “Spin”
“Spin” is a fact of life for school leaders. They are faced with uncomfortable situations, and they must describe them in a positive light. I have seen this firsthand during my entire adult life which has been spent in education. It is difficult to ascertain if leaders believe their spin or not. We should not Read More
Review: A Brief History of Intelligence
The story is compelling; it is one of the most important and challenging questions we can face: What makes us unique? It is well told and includes sufficient detail to be informative, while written in language that general audiences will find approachable. Bennett seems to have adopted Stephen Jay Gould’s approach to never “dumb down” Read More
A Harsh Reality About IT and School Leaders
Information technology. All schools need it. All schools have it. All schools hire individuals with expertise in managing it to… well… manage it. In this post, I describe a reality that many recognize in their schools, but they are reluctant to admit it. This post calls out the inability of school leaders to provide effective Read More
Elevator Pitch: Assumptions About Tests
Educators assume tests and other types of assignments in which students restate when they have learned, or perhaps apply what they learned to familiar problems, are an accurate demonstration of what students learned. While this may accurately measure changes in memory, it may not indicate the learner’s capacity to be critical, creative, or pragmatic with Read More
Elevator Pitch: Reality of Curriculum
Most folks assume the curriculum comprises the information students are expected to learn, and that it is well-known, agreed upon, and accurately reflects the world. This is not true for many courses. Human knowledge is far more than information, and what we learn or when we apply what we have learned, it is rarely as Read More
Edtech for IT: Accessibility Checkers
IT professionals can expect to be asked to support accessibility checkers in the productivity suites they deploy. These tools (which may be built into the applications or may require add-ons to be installed) will identify parts of the presentations that are not compliant with ADA requirements. For example, they will identify missing metadata, missing navigation Read More
Elevator Pitch: ADA & Multimedia
Because schools are public institutions, they are compelled to follow the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act. This means teachers who create multimedia for use in their classrooms must ensure the materials are accessible. Accessibility of multimedia means, for example, video is closed captioned, slides have unique names, descriptive alternative text is added to Read More
#edtech for IT: Diagnostic Testing
There are testing protocols that have been incorporated into many curriculum programs that have been adopted by schools. The rationale is that all decisions about curriculum and instruction must be made to create measurable changes in students. Many educational theorists reject this assertion, and the evidence supporting the claims that more data is associated with Read More
On Demand Instruction
Especially when educators include significant amounts of deeper, active, and authentic activities in their classrooms, there is frequent need for students to be reminded of how to perform certain tasks or to solve particular problems. This need often arises at different times in different students as they study independent inquiries, therefore demand is irregular and Read More