I’ve been kicking around the concept of “red herrings” for a few years, at least since I started to recognize them. I attribute this skill to the habits I developed while a doctoral student, but we all know how “reliable” such stories are about ourselves. For me, red herrings always appeared in our school structures, Read More
I finished all of the books on my “to read” pile, and I just haven’t gotten to placing another order yet… I maintain my list on Amazon, but have committed to buying all of my books from independent book sellers, so the stream of new to me books has been interrupted. Fortunately, my copy of Read More
My social media feeds recently have been filled with calls that “you” not be political. I am included in the “you” because I am an educator (retired from almost 30 years in K-12 and continuing to teach and support teachers in community colleges). I am also included in the “you” as I have a background Read More
Have you ever had a a book on your “to read” list for a long (really long) time, and when you finally read it, you stop several times, close the book, then your eyes, and just think about the implications of what you read? I had such an experience in reading Jean Lave and Etienne Read More
184: Business and Politics are Not Teaching and Learning Business and politics are human endeavors that are easily measured; the results of business and politics are generally objective and unequivocal. Business measures success by profits, if the profits are sufficient for the owner or shareholders, then the business is judged a success. In politics, success Read More
I am attempting to refresh the thread in which I give my (clearly cynical) interpretations of terms and phrases I have heard form leaders over the decades. This phrase is tossed around with abandon by many leaders and educators. Ostensibly, it is used to communicate the idea that the speaker is open to ideas and Read More
I decided my “first choice” college was not good fit for me within a few days of arriving on campus. I had some goals while I was there, and I got a “D” in chemistry my first semester, so I arrived back there for the spring semester so that I could improve my second semester Read More
Schools are also organizations that are always seeking to improve. “Quality” is a difficult concept to define, but there is a large industry that is dedicated to helping organizations improve the quality of their work and “continuous improvement” is a goal that articulated in the mission and vision statements of many schools and educational organizations. Read More
In 1986, Larry Cuban, a professor of education at Stanford University, reviewed the history of radio, movies, and television in schools and he observed a common pattern. First, advocates argued the technology could be used to make teaching more efficient and more effective. Second, dubious research (frequently supported by the manufacturers of the technologies) was Read More
When I started working in educational technology, scholars and practitioners were concerned with the “digital divide” that existed in schools. Some populations (white, male, and rich) were more likely to have access to computers in schools. When it was first recognized, the digital divide was specific to access to hardware at school. Over time, schools Read More