There are three signals that you have been hanging out (either physically or virtually) the people you should be. In the last week, I experienced all three. At the New England Educational Research Organization’s annual conference, I attended a session in which two papers were presented. The authors of these papers “proved” I was right Read More
I am no longer a full-time teacher, but I support a community of full-time and adjunct faculty and I am an adjunct faculty member. Throughout the almost 40 years of my professional life (I started my undergraduate preparation to be a teacher in the fall of 1983), I have been a user of technology in Read More
Since about 2010, one-to-one computing and cloud-based computing have come to dominate school computing. In many schools, students carry Chromebook with them, and sometimes they take them home. (While the market share of educational computing devices is difficult to ascertain, estimates are that Chromebooks represent over 60% of the devices purchased for school users.) Some Read More
Technological knowledge refers to one’s ability to use digital tools. Over time, the tools that provide educational relevant capacity have expanded. Today, we include: Exactly which tools one uses depends on personal preferences, those used in one’s profession, and those provided by the school where one teaches. We can differentiate two types of technological Read More
Many professionals are drawn to education because they have been successful trainers in their field of work. Individuals who assume this role in business and industry are often motivated to share their expertise and experience, and access to these leaders who are instructors is one advantage that community college students enjoy. It is important for Read More
All of the systems have common elements. By looking for these characteristics, and using these characteristics when studying the systems of interest, technologists, scientists, and engineers can more quickly solve problems and design solutions. Order. All systems are recognized by some sort of order, parts and boundaries can be recognized and measured. Order also gives Read More
We hear lots of folks talking about how data-driven they are today, but it seems these folks are often woefully unaware of the fundamental principles of data collection, analysis and presentation. Specific principles I see missing in “data-driven” folks are: If we are to claim to be data-driven in our decisions, then we are responsible Read More
For more than 30 years, knowledge management has been organized around a hierarchy. According to the data-information-knowledge-wisdom (DIKW) model traced to Russell Ackoff in 1989, data comprises symbols representing the facts. Data becomes useful information as it answers questions. Information becomes knowledge as it is organized into generalizations and can be used to explain answers. Read More
Organizations invest significant time, energy, and money in information technology systems, and leaders hire skilled information technology professionals to ensure the IT contributes to the success of the organization. Despite the investment and the level of expertise IT professionals bring to their work, many conclude the IT installed and its management is less than satisfactory. Read More
In 1993, Seymour Papert imagined two time-traveling professionals from 100 years earlier; he speculated the physician would be flummoxed by the activity and the technology in the 20th century clinic, but the teacher would find the activity and the technology in a 20th century classroom very familiar. Papert based his speculations on the degree to Read More