Getting Smart by Tom Vander Ark
A comprehensive look at the promise and potential of online learning.
In our digital age, students have dramatically new learning needs and must be prepared for the idea economy of the future.In Getting Smart, well-known global education expert Tom Vander Ark examines the facets of educational innovation in the United States and abroad. Vander Ark makes a convincing case for a blend of online and onsite learning, shares inspiring stories of schools and programs that effectively offer “personal digital learning” opportunities, and discusses what we need to do to remake our schools into “smart schools.”
- Examines the innovation-driven world, discusses how to combine online and onsite learning, and reviews “smart tools” for learning
- Investigates the lives of learning professionals, outlines the new employment bargain, examines online universities and “smart schools”
- Makes the case for smart capital, advocates for policies that create better learning, studies smart cultures
Find Out What Ed Leaders Are Saying
“Provocative and bold, Tom Vander Ark’s Getting Smart challenges long-held assumptions about education, points to why innovation will be so critical to enabling the education system of the future, and paints a vision of what learning could look like throughout society—and how we so desperately need it.”
–Michael B. Horn, Executive Director, Education of Innosight Institute and coauthor of Disrupting Class
“Tom Vander Ark thinks public education ought to join the 21st Century. In the visionary book about a new, and much more effective, way to educate our kids, he explains the potential impact of the digital revolution on education — a learning transformation that is inevitable, even though it’s now still in its infancy. Finally, an education reform book filled with hope, accompanied by a clear articulation of the way forward.”
–Joel Klein, CEO, Educational Division, News Corporation
“Tom VanderArk’s synthesis of the interrelationships between student needs, experiences, schools and opportunity through innovations is thought-provoking and “wicked smart”. Understanding the rapid pace of change throughout the world and the dynamics the digital age forces upon the ossified educational structures in the United States reveals tensions that must be addressed by the nation to overcome the challenges to do what is right for helping today’s students. VanderArk illuminates a pathway that is rational and intelligent – synthesizing the opportunities for adults to get smarter in serving our aspiring youth.”
–Susan Patrick, President & CEO, iNACOL
“Getting Smart is a must read for educational leaders. It explores exactly how today’s students are different; how learning has changed; why, where and how we still need to change; and more. Tom Vander Ark identifies key drivers that are forcing change, and provides a detailed analysis of a wide variety of emerging learning programs, systems and products—all with the view of today’s new reality in terms of learning.”
–Julie Young, President & CEO, Florida Virtual School
Read About Getting Smart In the News
- “7 ways games may save our schools” by Jay Mathews on the Washington Post
- “The man who knows everything” by David Gelles on Financial Times Magazine
- “What Can We Learn About Learning” by Michael Horn on Forbes
- “Getting Smart Envisions a Smarter System of Schooling” by Michael Horn on Forbes
- “The Educational World Is Flat” by Jonathan Wai on Psychology Today
- “Online Learning Benefits Everyone” by Stephanie Hoagland on thinktanK12
- “Transforming Education Through Personal Digital Learning” by Sam Santhosh
- “Tom Vander Ark Publishes New Book” on PresenceLearning
Tom is available for speeches and events for Getting Smart including book signings, author chats and speeches. To have Tom and/or Getting Smart books at your next event contact Caroline at Caroline(at)gettingsmart.com.
