About the Book

This provocative book approaches education reform by highlighting what works, while also demonstrating what can be accomplished if we redefine conventional schools. We can make the schools we have more efficient, more effective, and more equitable, all while creating powerful opportunities to support all aspects of students' development.

Table of Contents:
List of Figures List of Programs Preface An Education in Schools An Education in School Reform Why This Book? Acknowledgments About the Authors Introduction School Improvement in (Norwegian) Perspective Improving Schools and Transforming Education Design and Organization PART 1: WHY SHOULD SCHOOLS CHANGE? Chapter 1: Increasing Access and Quality What Has Improved in Schooling in the Developing World? What Has Improved in Established Educational Systems? Improvement Is Not Enough The Bottom Line Chapter 2: Establishing Equitable Learning Opportunities Equity, Opportunity, and Education The Vicious Cycle: Economic Inequality + Inequality of Educational Opportunity Separate and Unequal How Inequality Adds Up The Bottom Line Chapter 3: Learning With Purpose What Are Schools For? The Power of Unanticipated Learning The Education We Need for a Future We Can’t Predict The Bottom Line Key Ideas From Part 1 PART 2: WHY DON’T SCHOOLS CHANGE? Chapter 4: The “Grammar of Schooling” Always Pushes Back The Possibilities of Incremental Improvement The Challenges of Radical Change What It Really Takes to Improve Chapter 5: Beliefs Endure, but Times Change “Real School” and “Real Learning” Real Differences in Values Turbulent Conditions Improving in “Niches” Key Ideas From Part 2 PART 3: HOW CAN SCHOOLS IMPROVE? Chapter 6: From Common Concerns to High-Leverage Problems Identifying Common Needs and Concerns From Common Concerns to High-Leverage Problems High-Leverage Problems and Foundational Skills From High-Leverage Problems to Systemic Improvement Looking for Leverage: Finding Productive Problems Chapter 7: Solving Problems and Developing Micro-Innovations Micro-Innovations for Teaching and Learning Expanding the Power of Educators Micro-Innovations Across the System Micro-Innovations Beyond the Classroom An Abundance of Needs and Possibilities Key Ideas From Part 3 PART 4: HOW CAN EDUCATION CHANGE? Chapter 8: The Conditions for Learning Plugging Into Schools Finding the Right Fit Scaling Into School Systems Chapter 9: From Possibilities to Practice Building the Infrastructure for New Forms of Learning Evolution and Expansion of the Infrastructure for Learning Spandrels: Planning for Unpredictable Opportunities Creating the Conditions for Improvement Key Ideas From Part 4 PART 5: WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO CHANGE SCHOOL SYSTEMS? Chapter 10: Capacity-Building Investing in Expertise and Materials Relationships and Social Networks From “Best Practice” to Comprehensive Support Chapter 11: Coherence and Common Understanding What Does Curriculum “Renewal” in Finland Really Entail? Coherence Inside and Outside Schools in Singapore Beyond Alignment Chapter 12: Collective Responsibility Trust in Society Accountability, Answerability, and Responsibility Building the Capacity for Collective Responsibility Improvement in a Norwegian Context The Mechanisms That Can Support Education Into the Future Key Ideas From Part 5 PART 6: CONCLUSION/REPRISE Chapter 13: From Improvements to Movements Pursue a Series of High-Leverage Problems Develop New Approaches to Critical Challenges Take Small Steps to Make Big Changes Key Ideas for Creating the Education We Need Condense Schooling and Increase Learning Chapter 14: The Problems and Possibilities for Improvement in Every System Improvement in Context Steering Toward the Future Between Nudges and Disruption High-Leverage Leadership References Index