A curriculum repository is a web site where one finds a collection of resources to support teaching and learning. In the ideal realization, it will be a file sharing site (with tagged and searchable contents) as well as tools for interaction. There are a wide range of repositories available for any users, but local school Read More
Author: Gary Ackerman
Training, Learning, Design
In educational technology, there are three distinct types of professional development activities that comprise a comprehensive system to support teachers as they become competent and confident users of information technology in their classrooms. School and technology leaders who: Train teachers to use systems; Facilitate learning about technology; Actively support design of technology-rich learning; tend to Read More
The Future of Work
Since the turn of the century, a seemingly never-ending series of advocates have told whoever will listen about the changing nature of work in the coming decades. Graphs such as this one I adapted from Levy and Murname (2005) seems to convey the typical message: In general, these advocates predict employers will value different skills Read More
Organizational Frames
48: Organizational Frames Leaders seek to affect change; they identify those parts of the organization that must become more efficient or more effective. Efficient operation means outcomes and goals are met more quickly by consuming fewer resources. More effective operation means the outcomes are more closely aligned with the intended outcomes. Leaders also seek to Read More
Technology Acceptance– Understanding Decisions to Use IT
49: Technology Acceptance Model This except is from my book Efficacious Technology Management: A Guide for School Leaders Technology acceptance model was first elucidated to understand the observation “that performance gains are often obstructed by users’ unwillingness to accept and use available systems” (Davis, 1989 p. 319), and it has been used to study decisions Read More
Educational Design Research: An Emerging Planning Tool
50: Educational Design Research: A Planning Tool for Schools Schools are institutions that leaders seek to improve. They take actions so that operations are more efficient; they take actions so that outcomes are more closely aligned with goals than they currently are. They also take actions so that new goals are achieved. Whether the improvements Read More
What’s Wrong with Coding?
Coding is a hot topic in my media feeds again… each year when the events designed to increase students’ experience writing code, it appears again. I get it, but I am distressed by educators’ (and philanthropists’) fascination with coding. We are looking to closely at the field of design and are missing the far more Read More
Making Files Accessible
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was enacted to ensure those who cannot use media (text, audio, and other methods of communicating) have access to the information they need in a format they need. (Of course there are many aspects of life affected by the ADA, but this post focuses on digital media.) Teachers are Read More
The Lens of Cognitive Load
Appropriate Proper Reasonable This idea is also the subject of the post Cognitive Load Theory Educators avoid theory whenever they can, and that is an unfortunate stance as a good theory is very useful when we want to understand what we do and why we do it. Cognitive load theory is an excellent example of Read More
The Realities of the Digital World
A review of The Distracted Mind: Ancient Brains in a High-Tech World by Adam Gazzaley and Larry D. Rosen by Dr. Gary L. Ackerman