Getting Smart: How Digital Learning is Changing the World

“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 VANDER ARK’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. VANDER ARK 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, FORMER PRESIDENT & CEO, FLORIDA VIRTUAL SCHOOL