IN THIS INSPIRING BOOK, entrepreneur, educator, and creativity expert, Emily Greene, shows us how the disruption of school during the pandemic is our watershed moment to reinvent a better way to learn. The coronavirus pandemic brought our lives to a halt, daily routines were upended, and school changed overnight. While pandemic-era learning is exposing the glaring deficiencies in our school systems, Greene lays out an uplifting, achievable way for parents, caregivers, and educators to help children rediscover the joy of learning. She shares new research, combined with personal stories, tips, and activities, to help lighten the load that parents and children feel as we navigate this unprecedented disruption of school. She guides us through the Seven Wonders of Learning--Unlearning, Free Time, Curiosity, Making, Creativity, Individuality, and Joy--offering practical strategies to help bring back balance and optimism as we reimagine school. We walk away uplifted, with a new perspective on how to use this unexpected disruption of our children's schooling to nurture their hearts, souls, and natural curiosities. We carry forward a can-do sense of urgency to help our children come away from this difficult period with new insight, strength, and a reclaimed joy of learning.

There is a revolution happening in higher education—and this is how it's unfolding

A Science “Reading List for Uncertain Times” Selection “A must-read for anyone with even a passing interest in the present and future of higher education.” —Tressie McMillan Cottom, author of Lower Ed “A must-read for the education-invested as well as the education-interested.” —Forbes Proponents of massive online learning have promised that technology will radically accelerate learning and democratize education. Much-publicized experiments, often underwritten by Silicon Valley entrepreneurs, have been launched at elite universities and elementary schools in the poorest neighborhoods. But a decade after the “year of the MOOC,” the promise of disruption seems premature. In Failure to Disrupt, Justin Reich takes us on a tour of MOOCs, autograders, “intelligent tutors,” and other edtech platforms and delivers a sobering report card. Institutions and investors favor programs that scale up quickly at the expense of true innovation. Learning technologies—even those that are free—do little to combat the growing inequality in education. Technology is a phenomenal tool in the right hands, but no killer app will shortcut the hard road of institutional change. “I’m not sure if Reich is as famous outside of learning science and online education circles as he is inside. He should be...Reading and talking about Failure to Disrupt should be a prerequisite for any big institutional learning technology initiatives coming out of COVID-19.” —Inside Higher Ed “The desire to educate students well using online tools and platforms is more pressing than ever. But as Justin Reich illustrates...many recent technologies that were expected to radically change schooling have instead been used in ways that perpetuate existing systems and their attendant inequalities.” —Science

Clay Christensen's groundbreaking bestselling work in education now updated and expanded, including a new chapter on Christensen's seminal "Jobs to Be Done" theory applied to education. "Provocatively titled, Disrupting Class is just what America's K-12 education system needs--a well thought-through proposal for using technology to better serve students and bring our schools into the 21st Century. Unlike so many education 'reforms,' this is not small-bore stuff. For that reason alone, it's likely to be resisted by defenders of the status quo, even though it's necessary and right for our kids. We owe it to them to make sure this book isn't merely a terrific read; it must become a blueprint for educational transformation." —Joel Klein, Chancellor of the New York City Department of Education "A brilliant teacher, Christensen brings clarity to a muddled and chaotic world of education." —Jim Collins, bestselling author of Good to Great “Just as iTunes revolutionized the music industry, technology has the potential to transform education in America so that every one of the nation’s 50 million students receives a high quality education. Disrupting Class is a must-read, as it shows us how we can blaze that trail toward transformation.” —Jeb Bush, former Governor of Florida According to recent studies in neuroscience, the way we learn doesn't always match up with the way we are taught. If we hope to stay competitive-academically, economically, and technologically-we need to rethink our understanding of intelligence, reevaluate our educational system, and reinvigorate our commitment to learning. In other words, we need "disruptive innovation." Now, in his long-awaited new book, Clayton M. Christensen and coauthors Michael B. Horn and Curtis W. Johnson take one of the most important issues of our time-education-and apply Christensen's now-famous theories of "disruptive" change using a wide range of real-life examples. Whether you're a school administrator, government official, business leader, parent, teacher, or entrepreneur, you'll discover surprising new ideas, outside-the-box strategies, and straight-A success stories. You'll learn how: Customized learning will help many more students succeed in school Student-centric classrooms will increase the demand for new technology Computers must be disruptively deployed to every student Disruptive innovation can circumvent roadblocks that have prevented other attempts at school reform We can compete in the global classroom-and get ahead in the global market Filled with fascinating case studies, scientific findings, and unprecedented insights on how innovation must be managed, Disrupting Class will open your eyes to new possibilities, unlock hidden potential, and get you to think differently. Professor Christensen and his coauthors provide a bold new lesson in innovation that will help you make the grade for years to come. The future is now. Class is in session.

In New York City in 2009, a new kind of public school opened its doors to its inaugural class of middle schoolers. Conceived by a team of game designers and progressive educational reformers and backed by prominent philanthropic foundations, it promised to reinvent the classroom for the digital age. Ethnographer Christo Sims documented the life of the school from its planning stages to the graduation of its first eighth-grade class. Disruptive Fixation is his account of how this "school for digital kids," heralded as a model of tech-driven educational reform, reverted to a more conventional type of schooling with rote learning, an emphasis on discipline, and traditional hierarchies of authority. Troubling gender and racialized class divisions also emerged. Sims shows how the philanthropic possibilities of new media technologies are repeatedly idealized even though actual interventions routinely fall short of the desired outcomes—often dramatically so. He traces the complex processes by which idealistic tech-reform perennially takes root, unsettles the worlds into which it intervenes, and eventually stabilizes in ways that remake and extend many of the social predicaments reformers hope to fix. Sims offers a nuanced look at the roles that powerful elites, experts, the media, and the intended beneficiaries of reform—in this case, the students and their parents—play in perpetuating the cycle. Disruptive Fixation offers a timely examination of techno-philanthropism and the yearnings and dilemmas it seeks to address, revealing what failed interventions do manage to accomplish—and for whom.

COVID-19 and the Classroom: How Schools Navigated the Great Disruption presents social science research that explores how schools navigated the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic from March 2020 through the 2020-21 school year. This book also serves as a history book, documenting what this period was like for those involved in the enterprise of educating children. The book is divided into three sections, allowing for an in-depth exploration of the pandemic’s impact. The first section examines how teachers, parents, and school leaders experienced the pandemic, including what this looked like when schools first closed for in-person instruction. Part two explores how schools reopened, both in the United States and abroad, and discusses the trade-offs associated with these decisions. This section also explored how private schools fared and the rise of “pandemic pods”. The book concludes with a look at how a range of teacher preparation programs continued their work in uncertain times. This volume represents one of the first to share scholarship on how schools negotiated the COVID-19 crisis.

"Arguing that the school-to-prison pipeline is "one of the most urgent educational issues of our time," this volume seeks to (1) examine how and why increasing numbers of students, disproportionately youth of color, are being taken from our schools into our prisons and (2) consider what school-based educators can do to disrupt this flow and dismantle the school to prison pipeline, using examples drawn from both schools and prisons. Incorporating perspectives from both 'ends' of the pipeline, the volume provides specific strategies on curriculum, pedagogy, and disciplinary practices that can help redirect our collective efforts from carceral practices to education that will be valuable for all educators in keeping students in school and out of prison"--

Navigate the transition to blended learning with this practical field guide Blended is the practical field guide for implementing blended learning techniques in K-12 classrooms. A follow-up to the bestseller Disrupting Class by Clayton M. Christensen, Michael Horn, and Curtis Johnson, this hands-on guide expands upon the blended learning ideas presented in that book to provide practical implementation guidance for educators seeking to incorporate online learning with traditional classroom time. Readers will find a step-by-step framework upon which to build a more student-centered system, along with essential advice that provides the expertise necessary to build the next generation of K-12 learning environments. Leaders, teachers, and other stakeholders will gain valuable insight into the process of using online learning to the greatest benefit of students, while avoiding missteps and potential pitfalls. If online learning has not already rocked your local school, it will soon. Blended learning is one of the hottest trends in education right now, and educators are clamoring for "how-to" guidance. Blended answers the call by providing detailed information about the strategy, design, and implementation of a successful blended learning program. Discover a useful framework for implementing blended learning Unlock the benefits and mitigate the risks of online learning Find answers to the most commonly asked questions surrounding blended learning Create a more student-centered system that functions as a positive force across grade levels Educators who loved the ideas presented in Disrupting Class now have a field guide to making it work in a real-world school, with expert advice for making the transition smoother for students, parents, and teachers alike. For educational leaders seeking more student-centered schools, Blended provides the definitive roadmap.

Empower learners to think disruptively in your classroom or school... The world continues to change in ways that are difficult to predict. Regardless of the forces at hand, educators play a pivotal role in preparing students for success now and in the future. Eric Sheninger makes the compelling case that the best way to do this is to future-proof learning for ALL kids by creating a disruptive thinking culture in our classrooms and schools. Broken into four parts, this book combines stories, insight from thousands of school visits, practical strategies, research, and examples from classrooms to assist educators in transforming their practice. Each chapter ends with a "disruptive challenge" that encourages readers to actively apply concepts from the book into their professional practice. Readers will develop an understanding that: Disruptive change is the new normal. As such, our mindset must evolve in ways that help students develop meaningful competencies critical for their success in an unpredictable world. Comfort is the enemy of growth. We must critically evaluate if the way things have always been done in the classroom sets learners up for success now and in the future. Improvement in all we do is a never-ending journey. Learning is a process, not an event. It requires educators to develop and use instructional practices and pedagogical techniques that meet the unique needs of all students. Outlier practices promote disruptive thinking. Some innovative educational practices add value while others do not. When we discover new and better ways of empowering learners, we must act, making "outlier" practices the new norm. Packed with ready-to-use ideas and embedded resources, including the latest digital tools, templates, and artifacts from real classrooms, readers will learn: Why a mindset shift is essential in preparing learners for an unpredictable world.How to implement strategies that focus on developing critical competencies.How to ensure equity through personalization.What to reflect on to improve and build powerful relationships.

Drawing upon decades of research and myriad authentic classroom experiences, Kathleen M. Budge and William H. Parrett dispel harmful myths, explain the facts, and urge educators to act against the debilitating effects of poverty on their students. They share the powerful voices of teachers—many of whom grew up in poverty—to amplify the five classroom practices that permeate the culture of successful high-poverty schools: (1) caring relationships and advocacy, (2) high expectations and support, (3) commitment to equity, (4) professional accountability for learning, and (5) the courage and will to act. Readers will explore classroom-tested strategies and practices, plus online templates and exercises that can be used for personal reflection or ongoing collaboration with colleagues. Disrupting Poverty provides teachers, administrators, coaches, and others with the background information and the practical tools needed to help students break free from the cycle of poverty.