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ICT & Computing in Education

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Terry self-portrait, cartoonified, black & white, by Terry

Terry self-portrait, cartoonified, black & white, by Terry

Hubris in the world of education technology (Amended)

August 12, 2025

This is a sliughhtly updated versioon of an article I published on August 12, 2016.

I suppose one must guard against hubris in any field, but as my main area of activity is in education technology, that's where I tend to come across it.

Hubris = excessive pride and self-confidence, according to the Oxford dictionary.

I try to guard against it myself by following three "rules".

First, no matter how brilliant I think I am at something, I doubt that many people would like to be subjected to my views on the matter. It's much better to adopt the adage beloved of many writers, and this is my first rule:

Show, don't tell.

In other words, don't tell me you're the country's expert on teaching spreadsheet modelling, show me -- in books, blog posts, YouTube videos etc. If you really are the expert you think you are, I'll figure that out for myself eventually.

Secondly, although it's a hard rule to abide by in this day and age, in which everyone has to shout louder than the rest to get people's attention (or, at least, they think they do), I like the observation by Lao Tzu in The Tao Te Ching:

Those who know do not talk, and talkers do not know.

Thirdly, I've said this before but I do love this comment by Salvator Rosa, a painter and poet who lived in the 17th century:

Be silent, unless what you have to say is better than silence.

Incidentally, if you like "rules", you'll probably enjoy reading these articles:

21 rules for computer users

7 rules for ICT teachers, co-ordinators and leaders

 

 

In News & views, On this day Tags pride, hubris, expertise, rules
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