iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

#TodaysMomentOfAwesome Letting students "vibe code" with Gemini in App Design class. One student showed his displeasure with our web filtering by turning it into an asteroids like game. Gotta love a good creative protest! Next: Do it better without AI. #EduSky #AppDesign #GoogleGemini

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Mark Gerl @markgerl.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

#TodaysMomentOfAwesome VR Book report peer reviews happened. Given the range of books, & shorter than usual development time, it was wild to see students responding to other students. @delightex.com makes student creation quick & intuitive. "Low floors, high ceilings, wide walls"😁 #EduSky #VREdu

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Mark Gerl @markgerl.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

#TodaysMomentOfAwesome Prototypes for chocolates after interviews with 1st graders. I wish I had edible spray paint to make this a Golden Ticket. #♥️🍫🖨️ #EduSky #3DChocolatePrinter

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Mark Gerl @markgerl.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

Scored 93 with extra credit.

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Mark Gerl @markgerl.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

#TodaysMomentOfAwesome 5th gd VR Book Reports in @delightex.com are almost done. As students are testing in the headset there is that mix of "oh this is cool!" & "Wait, that's different from the laptop!". Yes, it is very cool AND you need to fix it. Two things can be true. #EduSky #VREdu

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Mark Gerl @markgerl.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

#TodaysMomentOfAwesome Back at school after @3dprintopia.bsky.social 3 of a class of 7 have finished their Interactive Jewelry projects. #4 & 5 are within 20-30 min. I hope in the future there will be a designer / engineer / maker presenting their work, that started this year. #Edusky

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Mark Gerl @markgerl.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

It will be from now on. This is the 1st year in Philly.

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Mark Gerl @markgerl.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

Next year, definitely! There's always incredible displays from makers, designers and filament companies and printer companies. Each year just gets better!

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Mark Gerl @markgerl.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

Did you stop by? I was wandering until 1:00 then at the CocoaPress Booth until closing

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Mark Gerl @markgerl.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

I think it went really well. The presentation area was open to the exhibit hall, so the roar of the crowd was a challenge. But afterwards people remarked it was informative, interesting and inspiring. Plus there was no angry mob with pitchforks & torches so that's always a plus. 👍🏼

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Mark Gerl @markgerl.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

Since 2015, I've done at least 1 presentation a year, except for 25-26. I took a year off to reset & recharge. In 2 hours, I'll be on The Build Platform at #3DPrintopia with "10 Things I've Learned Teaching Kids to 3D Print in Chocolate". LET'S GOOOOOOOO! ❤️🖨️🍫 #EduSky #PathToKeynote

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Mark Gerl @markgerl.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

I had an incredible gyro earlier. Cheese steak in your honor will happen tomorrow!

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Mark Gerl @markgerl.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

#TodaysMomentOfAwesome In Philly for #3DPrintopia. Had to go to Reading Terminal Market. My introvert that hates crowds lost to my ravenous hunger for awesome food. So much awesome food!

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Mark Gerl @markgerl.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

#TodaysMomentOfAwesome 6th grade Design Studio interviewed our clients, the 1st grade students. 😁 The teachers told them there was a secret chocolate factory at school, & these were the workers. Now my class want to be OompaLoompas. This is how I prepare for #3DPrintopia ❤️🍫🖨 #EduSky #CocoaPress

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Mark Gerl @markgerl.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

#TodaysMomentOfAwesome in SolarPunk class, we used Internet in a box, a local server that runs on @raspberrypi.com Students selected up to 90 GB of resources to help survive & rebuild after an apocalypse event Most of them added K-12 Edu from LibreText 😁 Maybe they do value education! #EduSky

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Mark Gerl @markgerl.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

I'd share that with them, but anything from before 2010 they call "Boomer Core" and I feel like I'm now the CryptKeeper.....which they also don't understand..

static.klipy.com

Tales from the Crypt Keeper on the Red Carpet

ALT: Tales from the Crypt Keeper on the Red Carpet

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Mark Gerl @markgerl.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

#TosaysMomentOfAwesome Working in @delightex.com teaching about variables. There is something ethereal watching the A-ha! moment that variables change as needed & alter how the program runs. Thanks to @raspberrypiorg.bsky.social for "The Big Book of Computing Pedagogy" #EduSky #CompSciForLife

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Reposted by Mark Gerl

Department of Technology Enhanced Learning MTU @mtutelteam.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

"We have to redesign the student experience to undermine the transactional system of schooling and instead focus on learning and development as the goal." buff.ly/YY9QeXm

insidehighered.com

Moral Instruction Will Not Stop Cheating

The way to stop cheating is to worry less about cheating and more about learning.

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Mark Gerl @markgerl.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

#TodaysMomentOfAwesome App Design moving from coding tutorials to design choices & UX. Test, retest, test again. I love watching them work through the stuff that's not in the tutorials to find their own voices. One student even found the tools to make his app text the ToDo list. #EduSky #UX

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Mark Gerl @markgerl.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

#TodaysMomentOfAwesome App Design class: Make a ToDo List with Add Item, Delete Item, Clear List. As students finished & tested, there were multiple "YES!" shouts, the metric they really learned something not just followed instructions. Next is #UX to make it intuitive. #EduSky #UX4Learning #LX

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Mark Gerl @markgerl.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

#TodaysMomentOfAwesome App Design, they made a translation app. For those who finished early, the extension goal is "Make it awful UX ". One student turned in this design. Spelling mistakes, bad colors, but the background image made it. @celiahodent.com This is UX in the classroom 😉 #EduSky #UX

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Mark Gerl @markgerl.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

#TodaysMomentOfAwesome SolarPunk Engineering moves to explore Wind power along with solar. First question to answer "How much wind do you need to make electricity?" More than we expected... Much more than it takes to blow out candles. Next: optimizing turbine blades. #EduSky #SolarPunkCurriculum

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Mark Gerl @markgerl.bsky.social · 01/09/2026

#TodaysMomentOfAwesome What should have been a fun, self paced, independent project crashed & burned hard. 2/3 of the class couldn't access the instructions. Without instructions, they lost focus & gave up. The awesome in such chaos? It motivates me to be even better. #EduSky #LearnFromFailure

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Mark Gerl @markgerl.bsky.social · 01/09/2026

OptimaVR does some great stuff, including chatbots based on historical figures. Also @delightex.com is fantastic for teachers & students to make their own content. My students do immersive book reports as an intro to VR design.

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Mark Gerl @markgerl.bsky.social · 28/08/2026

#TodaysMomentOfAwesome Interactive Jewelry class added RGB LEDs to micro:Bits, creating sound reactive, motion sensing, button pressing systems on the go. I always evaluate a class by how many "It works!" moments. Today was 100% epiphany all around.😁 I deserve a treat 🍦 #EduSky #DesignClasses

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Reposted by Mark Gerl

Aptera @aptera.us · 20/08/2026

Launch Design is now a partner and strategic investor in Aptera, and they're how we cross the gap between a vehicle that works and a vehicle that can be built ten thousand times over. Now they're joining forces with Aptera to aid our path to high-volume production. → youtu.be/cj74QyhK0Rk

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Mark Gerl @markgerl.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

#TodaysMomentOfAwesome Project Aptera Day 4: The Engineers have finished their models so it's time to print prototypes. Some engineers are a little more eager than others. We did hand out the @aptera.us stickers because every good engineer has to have stickers. #EduSky #SolarPunk #3DPrinting

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Mark Gerl @markgerl.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

This goes back to "Dewey lost, Thorndike won". Dewey expected teachers to be masters in their subject & the craft of teaching. Thorndike literally reduced the joy of learning to just "get the right answer". We have to get back to teaching & learning, not info dumping & retrieval.

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Mark Gerl @markgerl.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

#TodaysMomentOfAwesome Interactive Jewelry class learns to program micro:Bits A student made "digital sand" that shifts with a tilt. In 25 minutes. Last year I got digital sand from @print-kits.bsky.social that took me 3 hours not counting 3D printing the case. Kids these days.... #EduSky

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Mark Gerl @markgerl.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

You all have done a great job creating a vision for a future that these students will inherit. I'm just showing them how to appreciate great engineering & how to be innovative thinkers themselves. Here's to a future we can all be proud of!

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Mark Gerl @markgerl.bsky.social · 25/08/2026

#TodaysMomentOfAwesome Project Aptera Day 3: Students are designing their own frames for solar cars. After what we've learned from @aptera.us they're looking to make lean, aerodynamic, lightweight designs that can support solar panel & motor. Next step: 3d Printing! #EduSky #SolarPunk #MakerEDU

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Mark Gerl @markgerl.bsky.social · 24/08/2026

#TodaysMomentOfAwesome App Design Class learned about wireframe prototypes, sketching out the layout of a screen. The objective was "a phone app for teachers to monitor students computer usage as they walk around in class" They did not disappoint! #EduSky #UXDesign #UXDesignersOfTheFuture

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Mark Gerl @markgerl.bsky.social · 21/08/2026

#TodaysMomentOfAwesome Solarpunk class progressing. We looked at Aptera designs, read design notes from the website, & compared Aptera models to Solar Racers. Lo Rez prototypes with LEGO for frames. Next will be 3D CAD design for new frames for Solar panel & Motor. @aptera.us #EduSky #Solarpunk

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Mark Gerl @markgerl.bsky.social · 20/08/2026

#TodaysMomentOfAwesome "Good worksheets are good. Bad worksheets are bad." Wise words from one of the greatest educational minds @nancyeblairblack.bsky.social Students brainstorming potential designs for their chocolate printing projects. Amazing seeing them think. #EduSky #3DChocolate #♥️🍫🖨️

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Mark Gerl @markgerl.bsky.social · 20/08/2026

GenAI is just highlighting all of the times we should have adapted with technology & never did. Students can be critical, analytical, creative & curious with GenAI (more so Predictive AI). We should have scrapped grades & test scores for portfolios, once grades became the goal (Goodhart's Law).

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Mark Gerl @markgerl.bsky.social · 20/08/2026

This is where my grumpy old (57) man kicks in. We should have revolutionized school in the 80s when Commodores & Apple IIes came out. A radical shift in the 90s with the Web. 2000s with interactive creative web apps.. Thorndike in 1920 ruined us, we never fought back. We should be fighting now.

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Mark Gerl @markgerl.bsky.social · 20/08/2026

Part of my M.Ed. was online learning. As I wrote my final, we went online for COVID. I was the only one in my school ready to switch in a week. I still write curriculum as a virtual class, because every lesson is now accessible any time anywhere. It's never the tool, it's how we use it.

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Mark Gerl @markgerl.bsky.social · 19/08/2026

#TodaysMomentOfAwesome Solar Punk class Project Aptera @aptera.us continues. Testing stock solar racer 3 meter & 5 meter. Avg 3m was 6.34 sec. Avg 5m was 9.05 sec. The next challenge: Build a better solar car that beats the average. 🌞🌞🌞 #EduSky #SolarPunk #ProjectBasedLearning #Constructionism

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Mark Gerl @markgerl.bsky.social · 18/08/2026

As much as I appreciate the wisdom of the old days, I'm really loving my pinecil. And if I brought a frying pan to class, they'd want me to make them a snack! Middle schoolers are ravenous!

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Mark Gerl @markgerl.bsky.social · 18/08/2026

#TodaysMomentOfAwesome A new group learning to solder! I'm still so impressed & amazed at the pride they show in their work & the joy they have in their learning. @emmafletcher.bsky.social @acolborn.bsky.social Your legacy & influence continues to yet another year. #EduSky #LearnToSolder

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Mark Gerl @markgerl.bsky.social · 17/08/2026

#TodaysMomentOfAwesome Teaching a new curriculum "Solarpunk Engineering". 1st project = build solar cars, measure speed over 3 meters. Look at @aptera.us & how they optimize solar powered cars. Redesign our kits to optimize like Aptera did. Can we outperform stock designs? #EduSky #SolarPunk

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Mark Gerl @markgerl.bsky.social · 15/08/2026

Was just playing with a @raspberrypi.com 400 connected to my tv, having flashbacks to 1982 & a TRS-80. That sense of learning to code, opening so many possibilities in my 13 yo brain... it was transcendent! Time to eat some Cap'n Crunch, read comic books, & ignore homework until Sunday night.

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Mark Gerl @markgerl.bsky.social · 14/08/2026

#TodaysMomentOfAwesome Started Interactive Jewelry Class with quick overview of MakeCode. First responses were immediate ideas about possible projects. Not an hour later, I get the notice that the Learn To Solder Kits have arrived. Tuesday morning we will begin soldering! #EduSky #MakeToLearn

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Mark Gerl @markgerl.bsky.social · 13/08/2026

#TodaysMomentOfAwesome 1st day of real classes. Kids were excited, energetic. Grateful to Alecia Blackwood for the word "Sawubona", Zulu greeting that says "I see you". The students are not data points, grades or scores. They are people looking for ideas. I see them. #EduSky #Sawubona

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Mark Gerl @markgerl.bsky.social · 12/08/2026

#TodaysMomentOfAwesome Today was Orientation for new families to the school. Seeing the change from anxiety to excitement is another underrated reason why teaching is awesome. School is scary. I'm anxious too. But it's gonna be okay. "What if I fall?" "Ah child, What if you fly?" #EduSky

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Mark Gerl @markgerl.bsky.social · 12/08/2026

"Research Based" is now marketing jargon for "Don't look too closely at we loosely defined as research. Just write the check". It's the bright shiny lure so District Offices can react without thinking and reading. We have solid, well done research back to 1920 we still ignore and overlook.

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Reposted by Mark Gerl

Dr Lucy Rogers @drlucyrogers.com · 12/08/2026

If you don't have proper eclipse glasses / filters, try a pinhole camera ... When the sun is whole, images will be circles. When partially eclipsed they will be crescents. You can use a colander or even a Ritz Biscuit. Find out more in my book "Up - a scientist's guide to the magic above us"

Ritz biscuit held above a red book. Crescents can be seen in the shadow as the holes work as a pinhole camera.

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Mark Gerl @markgerl.bsky.social · 04/08/2026

I've seen it, I'm eager to explore it. I'm wanting a poster with the "We Imagine" quote for the door as they come into the lab / maker space. So students know my expectations are that they & I are here to make amazing things, not get grades. This space answers the "What can they do?" question.

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