Gary’s Blog

Educators are constantly reviewing what they teach. Many regulatory agencies require curriculum documents to be updated, and professional organizations update curriculum suggestions as well. IT professionals are often expected to participate in some of these efforts. Although IT professionals will not make recommendations about what should be taught, they are asked to participate in curriculum Read More

There are many types of institutions that are labeled “school.” In the United States, the public institutions that enroll students in kindergarten through grade 12 come to mind. Students typically enroll in these schools after they have turned five years old and graduate just after they have turned 18. Much that happens in these schools is observed Read More

Education is a practice that has an interesting relationship with technology, especially information technology. Whenever a new technology arrives, there are teachers who perceive it to be an intrusion. This is a reasonable response as the new technology will be causing them to reassess their practices, change some, and abandon others. Many interpret this as Read More

Students, of course, comprise the greatest number of IT users in schools. When considered together, k-12 students represent a group with a very wide range of skill sets and needs. The youngest students have emerging literacy and numeracy skills, and their hands are too small to fit on full sized keyboards in the manner they Read More

Darwin’ Ghosts begins with the recognition that Charles Darwin was not the first person to propose life evolves. We know that, and Darwin did too; as did lots of those who read his The Origin of Species. In later editions of the work, Darwin did include a section recognizing those who published before he did.   Read More

We have all experienced the change in our brains we call learning. We become capable of remembering information, performing actions, recognizing patterns, appreciating observations, asking questions, and otherwise interacting with ideas, tools, and people in a way we could not previously. Becoming aware of and evaluating our capabilities is learning as well. The many processes Read More