Liberating Learning: Technology, Politics, and the Future of American Education

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Liberating Learning: Technology, Politics, and the Future of American Education (eBook) Pub. Date: 7/15/2009 Publisher: Wiley, John & Sons, Incorporated
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Liberating Learning: Technology, Politics, and the Future of American Education Pub. Date: 4/27/2009 Publisher: Wiley, John & Sons, Incorporated

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Overview

Praise for Liberating Learning

"Moe and Chubb have delivered a truly stunning book, rich with the prospect of how technology is already revolutionizing learning in communities from Midland, Pennsylvania to Gurgaon, India. At the same time, this is a sobering telling of the realpolitik of education, a battle in which the status quo is well defended. But most of all, this book is a call to action, a call to unleash the power of technological innovation to create an education system worthy of our aspirations and our childrens' dreams." —Ted Mitchell, CEO of the New Schools Venture Fund

"As long as we continue to educate students without regard for the way the real world works, we will continue to limit their choices. In Liberating Learning, Terry Moe and John Chubb push us to ask the questions we should be asking, to have the hard conversations about how far technology can go to advance student achievement in this country." —Michelle Rhee, Chancellor of Education for the Washington, D.C. schools

"A brilliant analysis of how technology is destined to transform America's schools for the better: not simply by generating new ways of learning, but also—and surprisingly—by unleashing forces that weaken its political opponents and open up the political process to educational change. A provocative, entirely novel vision of the future of American education." —Rick Hanushek, the Paul and Jean Hanna Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution, Stanford University

"Terry Moe and John Chubb, two long-time, astute observers of educational reform, see technology as the way to reverse decades of failed efforts. Technology will facilitate significantly more individualized student learning—and perhaps most importantly, technology will make it harder and harder for the entrenched adult interests to block the reforms that are right for our kids. This is a provocative, informative and, ultimately, optimistic read, something we badly need in public education." —Joel Klein, Chancellor of the New York City schools

Editorial Reviews

Publishers Weekly

In this follow up to the authors' Politics, Markets, and American Schools, Moe and Chubb "think of public education not as the current institution, but in terms of its vital responsibility," in which case "technology promises to be a very good thing." When focused on this thesis, the Hoover Institution associates (Moe is a political science professor, Chubb founded an education consulting group) make a consistently intriguing case-not just for computers in the classroom, but for a full-scale system revamp. Unfortunately, they spend much time blaming teachers and teachers' unions for standing in the way, and fail repeatedly to address the realities of teaching. Many of the authors' assumptions will strike elementary educators as plainly wrong; for example, the idea that "computer-based approaches... simply require far fewer teachers per student" ignores the fact that teenagers can rarely be counted on to do what they're asked. It's also highly unlikely that parental demand will bring about a merit pay system; any school teacher will tell you that parental disinterest or neglect is rampant. Finally, and most distressingly, Moe and Chubb seem oblivious to the challenges poverty presents. Unfortunately, shallow thinking and a seeming lack of real classroom experience short circuit an important topic.
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Library Journal

Moe (political science, Stanford Univ.) and Chubb (founder, EdisonLearning) provide yet another look at how to improve the American educational system. Technology, they write, has changed most major aspects of American society, but not today's classrooms, which look much as they did 50 years ago. The authors prescribe technology as the answer to improving U.S. education, along with freeing the system from the grip of special interests and entrenched politics. Until schools are free to experiment with technology and can experiment without interference from the government, teachers' unions, and other vested interests, educational reform will not get very far. The authors support their claims with well-documented examples; a final chapter gives their prescription for real change in American education. The book is thoughtfully written and with well-defended arguments. However, on an issue that's been discussed for years this book doesn't really cover any new ground. Conservative thinkers (pro-autonomy, pro-technology) will agree with the conclusions, while more liberal researchers will argue against them. VERDICT The book is recommended for those studying or working in our educational system because even though it doesn't provide many new arguments, it strongly defends existing arguments.—Mark Bay, Univ. of the Cumberlands Lib., Williamsburg, KY

Product Details

ISBN-13: 9780470442142
Publisher: Wiley, John & Sons, Incorporated
Publication date: 4/27/2009
Edition number: 1
Pages: 240
Sales rank: 707,165
Product dimensions: 6.20 (w) x 9.10 (h) x 1.00 (d)

Meet the Author

Terry M.Moe is the William Bennett Munro Professor of Political Science at Stanford University, a senior fellow atthe Hoover Institution, and a member of Hoover's Koret Task Force on K-12 Education.

John E. Chubb is founder and Chief Development Officer of EdisonLearning, which partners with school districts and charter schools nationwide to improve student achievement. Dr. Chubb is also a member of the Koret Task Force on K-12 Education.

Moe and Chubb are the coauthors of Politics, Markets, and America's Schools.

1 The Seeds of Change 1

2 The Need for Achievement 13

3 The Politics of Blocking 29

4 Technology on All Fronts 57

5 The Resistance 99

6 A New Era 149

Notes 185

Index 215

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