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Scott McLeod
Ames, Iowa
Associate Professor & Director, CASTLE, Iowa State University.
Interests: technology, leadership, school reform
Recent Activity
I agree. I've made many tech transitions in my computing career.
That said, I had a soft spot in my heart for Google Reader, particularly because it integrates so well with other software/apps. It wasn't just a stand-alone reader that I can replace with another. It's also the glue holding together multiple parts of my learning network. I don't think Feedly is going to integrate anytime soon with Reeder, Flipboard, FeeddlerPro, Pocket, IFTTT, etc. But maybe I'll be pleasantly surprised!
Commented Mar 25, 2013 on Technology Will Kill at The Tempered Radical
Technology Will Kill
One of the lessons that teachers working in digital spaces HAVE to learn is that a complete reliance on any ONE digital tool and/or service is a recipe for disaster. This video by Erik Qualman explains why The moral of the story is a simple one, isn't it? Technology is constantly improving ...
Thank you, Lucy. That may be one of the nicest things that anyone's ever said about me!
Commented Dec 1, 2011 on Lucy's Edublog Awards Nominees #eddies11 at High Techpectations
Lucy's Edublog Awards Nominees #eddies11
Best individual blog Scott McLeod's Dangerously Irrelevant I appreciate Scott M's fearlessness. Best individual tweeter Scott Newcomb at @SNewco Scott N. continually spreads his love for mobile learning via Twitter. He's always generous with re-tweets and acknowledging others. Best group b...
Banana man
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/09/20/brian-thompson-virginia-s_n_972249.html http://www.myfoxdc.com/dpp/news/virginia/colonial-forge-high-school-student-suspended-from-school-for-stunt-in-banana-suit-at-football-game-091911 Continue reading
Posted Sep 22, 2011 at Dangerously Irrelevant
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I wonder how much of what you're doing could be automated by learning software. Anything that can is one less thing you have to do...
Commented Sep 11, 2011 on Is REAL Formative Assessment Even Possible? at The Tempered Radical
Is REAL Formative Assessment Even Possible?
Let me start with a simple, researched-based truth: Formative assessment—timely feedback gathered and reviewed during the course of a learning experience that serves to 'inform' both teachers AND students and allows for the 'formation' of new learning plans—matters. Need proof? Let’s start with ...
Reclaiming my blog: Moving back from BigThink
Dangerously Irrelevant’s fifth birthday occurred quietly last week. After much soul-searching and a very helpful conversation with my CASTLE co-director, Justin Bathon, I decided to move the blog back to my own platform (as some of you may have noticed this morning). I had moved to BigThink because I thought... Continue reading
Posted Aug 22, 2011 at Dangerously Irrelevant
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Thanks for the kind words, Lucy, and for helping us spread the word about the video and the need for our schools to SHIFT! FYI, we'll have source files for downloading early this coming week at shifthappens.wikispaces.com. Love that line about "If your child's school is remarkably similar to what you experienced as a student, my guess is that difficult conversations need to happen!"
Commented Aug 7, 2011 on Illinois, Do You Know? at High Techpectations
Illinois, Do You Know?
Wonderful to see how the Shift Happens videos have morphed over the years. Kudos to Scott McLeod and others who have contributed to the various versions. Also, I'm thinking that we need a version like this in Illinois. When are our state leaders going to get it? For those of my friends who a...
I see important differences between PLCs and PLNs...
PLCs: a small, intentional, structured group of role-alike teachers that comes together to examine student work and teacher practice and uses student learning outcomes to inform instructional improvements
PLNs: a larger, more haphazard, unstructured, likely-online learning community. May or may not be role-alike teachers. May or may not be very focused. Likely not using student learning outcomes in a formal, structured way to inform instructional improvements. And so on...
I'm not knocking the worth of PLNs. I just think that PLCs need to be more purposeful and structured and focused IF they're to do what they're intended.
Commented Jun 18, 2011 on Electronic Teaming for Singletons in a PLC at The Tempered Radical
Electronic Teaming for Singletons in a PLC
One of the questions that I’m asked all the time as an advocate for both professional learning communities and teaching with technology is, “How can digital tools be used to support the learning of singletons in our schools?” The answer is that there are two steps in any effort to develop electr...
Thanks for passing along my presentation, Chris. Much appreciated!
Commented Oct 14, 2010 on Scott McLeod on Education at Principal Thoughts
Scott McLeod on Education
In this Ted Talks presentation, Scott McLeod shares his thoughts on education in the 21st century with the American School of Bombay. He facilitates meaningful conversations on many fronts including his popular blog Dangerously Irrelevant. The background information and arguments put on the ta...
Nick, you need to change 'may be worth your time' to 'WILL be worth your time.' K12 Online is ALWAYS awesome!
Commented Sep 23, 2010 on Free K-12 Online Conference at 1 to 1 Schools
Free K-12 Online Conference
It may be worth your time to check out the free K-12 Online Conference that will begin the week of October 11. Their site states that it provides free, collaborative, accessible, professional learning for educators around the globe. The conference will encompass the following things: Leading ...
Blair, everything you've ever posted has been awesome. We need your voice. Get over it and start writing!! =)
Commented Sep 22, 2010 on Student...and educator blogging at 1 to 1 Schools
Student...and educator blogging
Photo credit: langwitches http://bit.ly/9Im6w4 I frequently encourage teachers and administrators to blog on a regular basis, and to also have their students' blogging. Many don't see the relevance of a blog, and question the need since they already have a building, district, or classroom web...
Ahhh... but we ignore student satisfaction at our own peril. There are too many options for students, including online possibilities. Universities are going to have to work a little harder - rather than being complacent - if they want students!
Commented Jun 17, 2010 on Measure Learning Rather Than Satisfaction at Ask-Dr-Kirk
Measure Learning Rather Than Satisfaction
According to co-editors Ronald Flinn and Larry Crumbley, “professors are no longer in the learning/teaching business, but rather are in the satisfaction business. In an interview, Dr. Crumbley at Louisiana State University says the dysfunctional education system based upon the misguided concept ...
THIS BLOG HAS MOVED (sort of)
FYI, this blog has moved. If you're not seeing any posts after April 23, 2010, it's time to update your subscription info! The URL has stayed the same: www.dangerouslyirrelevant.org Here's the (new) RSS feed: http://feeds.feedburner.com/dangerouslyirrelevant You may need to unsubscribe / resubscribe and/or refresh the feed in your favorite RSS... Continue reading
Posted Jun 2, 2010 at Dangerously Irrelevant
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Activity: Schools, change, and resource allocation
Here’s an activity you can do with school administrators and teachers (and maybe school board members?). Total time: about 45 minutes. Resources needed PowerPoint slides (pptx ppt pdf) Pre-made Google Doc formatted like this, with sharing set up so that anyone can view AND edit Internet access and a laptop... Continue reading
Posted Apr 23, 2010 at Dangerously Irrelevant
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Video - Social Media Reading List for School Leaders
This is a must-watch video by Hans Mundahl, Director of Experiental Learning and Technology Coordinator at the New Hampton School in New Hampshire. Not only does Hans have a cool title (how awesome would it be if every school had a ‘director of experiential learning?’), he makes a mean video.... Continue reading
Posted Apr 20, 2010 at Dangerously Irrelevant
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Does teacher tenure have a future?
As a school law instructor and tenured associate professor of educational leadership, I perhaps have a different view of tenure than most P-12 teachers. As we look to what the future of tenure may be, I believe that it’s important to recognize a few key issues that will shape the... Continue reading
Posted Apr 19, 2010 at Dangerously Irrelevant
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No, just concerned about educators staying on the right side of the law, keeping out of the national media, and avoiding financial liability for their school systems and local taxpayers.
SCOTT
Commented Apr 18, 2010 on Great teacher + inappropriate web site? at Dangerously Irrelevant
Great teacher + inappropriate web site?
By anyone’s measure, Mike Pearce appears to be a phenomenal history teacher. His Ellison High School students in Killeen, Texas had a 99% passing rate on the state history assessment this year. Part of his success is due to the incredible wealth of self-created electronic resources that he emplo...
Reappopriation of the personal sphere
Here are three quotes from Stefana Broadbent’s excellent TED Talk: there are new, hidden tensions that are actually happening between people and institutions -- institutions that are the institutions that people inhabit in their daily life: schools, hospitals, workplaces, factories, offices, etc. And something that I see happening is something... Continue reading
Posted Apr 16, 2010 at Dangerously Irrelevant
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Assessing your 1:1 Initiative: Sharing Teacher and Student Surveys from Graded - The American School of Sao Paulo, Brazil
In November, I wrote about "Periodic Dipsticking" to assess a 1:1 initiative. Graded - The American School of Sao Paulo, Brazil, is doing just that as they pilot a one to one laptop program in their sixth grade. The team used a variety of sources to develop teacher and student surveys to meet their needs and the data from these surveys will help them assess how the initiative is going and drive future planning. Hopefully these examples will provide you with ideas on how to assess your program. Teacher Survey Sources Bebell, Damian. "Technology Promoting Student Excellence: An Investigation of the First Year of 1:1 Computing in New Hampshire Middle Schools." Thesis. Boston College, 2005 Dalgarno, Nancy Jane. "Compulsory Laptop Programs: Teacher's Responses to the Adoption and Implementation Process." Thesis. Ontario, Canada, Queen's University, 2009. The Friday Institute for Educational Innovation, North Carolina 1:1 Learning Collaborative Grimes, Douglas, and Mark... Continue reading
Posted Apr 14, 2010 at 1 to 1 Schools
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Our mental models are the biggest barrier to moving schools forward into a digital, global era
What is the biggest barrier to moving schools forward into a technology-suffused, globally-interconnected era? Our mental models of what schooling should look like. Unfortunately, most educators, parents, and policymakers have no idea what it truly means to prepare students for this kind of world. Don’t believe me? Go ahead and... Continue reading
Posted Apr 9, 2010 at Dangerously Irrelevant
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Who will be the next director of the Iowa Department of Education?
Judy Jeffrey announced yesterday that she is retiring as the Director of the Iowa Department of Education. She has been a tremendous supporter of revamping the ways that Iowa schools do business. Her signature legacies may be the Iowa Core and the Authentic Intellectual Work projects, both of which focus... Continue reading
Posted Apr 6, 2010 at Dangerously Irrelevant
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We ARE the system
[cross-posted at LeaderTalk] As school leaders, we have the responsibility to Facilitate learning environments that are respectful, empowering, and engaging for students Create workplaces that are respectful, empowering, and engaging for staff Prepare students for what is and will be, not what was Build trust, not erode it Be buffers,... Continue reading
Posted Apr 3, 2010 at Dangerously Irrelevant
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You can't get to outer space with a rowboat
Posted Apr 2, 2010 at Dangerously Irrelevant
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Support engineering - Crazy high school robots that battle for supremacy
Yesterday I got the e-mail below. I watched the video trailer and made my contribution this morning. Crazy high school robots battling it out for engineering supremacy? How can you not support that?! Hi Dr. McLeod, For the past year I've been working on a documentary following high school robotics... Continue reading
Posted Apr 1, 2010 at Dangerously Irrelevant
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Is 'The School of One' the future of schooling?
Is this school in New York City the future of schooling? The School of One: Program Overview (see also the write-ups at Teaching Matters and The Huffington Post) Continue reading
Posted Mar 29, 2010 at Dangerously Irrelevant
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Should we be ashamed of our ability to predict dropouts?
If we can predict fairly accurately whether a student is likely to drop out in 9th or 10th grade 5 or 6 years earlier, isn’t that a pretty big indictment of our inability as school systems (and a society) to do something about it? Continue reading
Posted Mar 24, 2010 at Dangerously Irrelevant
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