Reinventing Curriculum | Blog

Here you'll find analysis and views on technology, policy and curriculum in elementary and secondary education by two outspoken technology advocates, Elliot Soloway and Cathie Norris. Reinventing Curriculum is published twice per month. Below you will also find the archive for Elliot and Cathie's previous blog, Being Mobile.


AI + 5G = New Internet in 2020

The marriage of two emerging technologies – AI and 5G – are about to remake the Internet. In this week’s blogpost we speculate on the changes these technologies and this New Internet will engender.

Toward the Digital Transformation of K-12

Digital transformation — where organizations move from analog, paper-and-pencil processes, to fundamentally new processes enabled by digital technologies — is happening in virtually every industry. In this blog post — Part 1 of a two part series — we explore the what, why, and how of digital transformation outside of K-12.

In Figure 1, we display the learning analytics for one of the three-person groups.

Learning Analytics Can Be Deceiving

"… Learning analytics … has the potential to transform American education …" A(nother) Holy Grail? Perhaps. In this week’s blog post we present a cautionary tale from a real classroom with real students and real learning analytics.

2 Free Chrome Extensions That Make a Teacher’s Life Easier

While it might look like a piece of software is broken, the truth is the Internet (or the Google Drive) upon which that software depends is down. But, how can a teacher know if the Internet (or the Google Drive) is up or down in his/her classroom at that moment in time? In this week’s blog post, we describe two free Chrome extensions — the Internet Traffic Signal and the Google Drive Traffic Signal — that tell a teacher, at a glance, if the Internet (or the Google Drive) is up or down.

1-to-1, Blended Learning Enables Personalized Learning: Walk Through an Example Lesson

"1-to-1, blended learning is the future of educational technology." Never hath a truer statement been spoken! 1-to-1, blended learning enables student inquiry, which is at the core of personalized learning. And personalized learning is the hottest item in K-12 today. Walk with us through a blended learning lesson in this week’s blog post.

Mr. Venn and His Diagram: Now, In a Free, Collabrified, App!

Mr. Venn and His Diagram: Now, In a Free, Collabrified, App!

The Venn Diagram has been a powerful tool for visualization. Now, CollabrifyVenn, a device-independent, browser-based, drag-and-drop, "text-editor" for Venn Diagrams, makes it easy for learners to change their Venn Diagrams and thus enables learners to engage in the iterative process of Venn Diagramming.

Teachers Learn Just Like Students: A Case Study From Singapore

Professional development is out; professional learning is in. In this week’s blog post we visit Singapore schools again. We describe how researchers and experienced teachers, there, scaffold fellow science teachers who are learning inquiry pedagogy through inquiry. In turn, those science teachers will use the same sorts of scaffolds to support their students who are learning science through inquiry.

Understanding Digital Transformation: Part 1 - Background

"Businesses will spend $1.1 trillion in 2018 on digital transformation…" Trillion. All in 2018. Phew! In this week’s blog post, then, we explore the notion of digital transformation outside of K-12 — what is "digital transformation?" What is its goal? Who is doing it? Armed with that understanding, then, in a subsequent blog post we will explore the "digital transformation" of K-12.

Computational Thinking: A Powerful Idea Whose Time Has Come!

In this week’s blog post, we explore the value of computational thinking, first as it helps to explain a 30-year old, "cold case," empirical finding, and second as it may well be a "disruptive education intervention!"

BLC18: Come to the Best Little Conference on Educational Technology!

Alan November has run the Building Learning Communities (BLC) Conference since 2000, each year drawing almost 1,000 educators from all over the world to "be challenged and be affirmed." In this week’s blog post we describe the "Pixie Dust," the formula, that Alan and his team use to create a unique venue for educators to come together and immerse themselves in "education and technology."

Being Mobile | Podcast

The Being Mobile podcast series features Elliot Soloway and Cathie Norris at their outspoken best, having lively conversations about a different mobile technology topic each month.

  • Bringing Down Barriers to Mobilism

    Fresh from UNESCO Mobile Week in Paris, Elliot and Cathie report on how students in developing countries are using feature phones for education. April 2013; File Type: WMA; Size: 2,919 KB Length: 04:00 Listen Now

  • One Tablet Per Child?

    Falling prices for computers and data plans could have a major impact on K-12, but is your infrastructure ready? March 2013; File Type: WMA; Size: 2,039 KB; Length: 02:48 Listen Now

  • What Does "Successful" Mean?

    When it comes to using mobile devices in class, Elliot and Cathie caution against mistaking engagement for achievement. February 2013; File Type: WMA; Size: 2,757 KB; Length: 03:47 Listen Now

  • Welcome to the Podcast

    Mobilists Elliot and Cathie introduce their podcast and explain why mobile technologies are becoming an inescapable part of the classroom. January 2013; File Type: M4A; Size: 7,246 KB; Length: 03:39 Listen Now