Book Review: Christensen, Clayton M.; Horn, Michael B. & Johnson, Curtis W. (2008). Disrupting Class: How Disruptive Innovation Will Change the Way the World Learns.
Essay Preview: Book Review: Christensen, Clayton M.; Horn, Michael B. & Johnson, Curtis W. (2008). Disrupting Class: How Disruptive Innovation Will Change the Way the World Learns.
Report this essayChristensen, Clayton M.; Horn, Michael B. & Johnson, Curtis W. (2008). Disrupting Class: How Disruptive Innovation Will Change the Way the World Learns.
McGraw-Hill, 230 pp. $32.95, hardcover, ISBN: 9780071592062Amy HollingerOverviewChristensen, Horn and Johnson (2008), the authors of Disrupting Class How Disruptive Innovation Will Change the Way the World Learns, have written an excellent blue print for educators that outlines the technology shift that is currently going on in society, how it is impacting schools, and what schools and administrators can do to make disruptive change happen. This what? So what? Now what? approach to the current dilemma facing the education system provides educators with a clear and explicit understanding of the “what”: a shift happening in the world due to the current technology innovations that have opened up the world as a global community. The “so what” is the reality of how it will impact schools at a very rapid pace. Finally, the “now what” is the section of the book that allows for realistic plans for how to take on the challenge of totally shifting instruction and learning in schools in the next ten years using technology as a platform to design learning that is student centric.
The authors take their extensive background in the business world to establish a strong rationale for the necessary educational reform created by the influx of technology. Christensen is a Professor of Business Administration at the Harvard Business School. He is the author of several other books including two New York Times bestsellers, The Innovators Dilemma and The Innovators Solution. Horn has an education which includes an undergraduate degree from Yale and an MBA from Harvard. He is currently the director of the Innosight Institute. This non-profit organizations mission is to apply Christensens theories of disruptive innovation to develop and promote solutions to the most vexing problems in the social sector. The third author, Johnson, works as a consultant and a writer. His past work experience includes serving as the chairman of the Metropolitan Council, a ten year stint as a college president in the 1970s, working as the chairman of the Citizens League and as an advisor to the Governor of Minnesota. All of these authors have witnessed first hand the global shift in the world due to the influx of technology. Based on their experiences in their own work they have an outsider view of the education system and how it needs to change to prepare students to meet the demands of working in the 21st century.
The influx of technology has turned the world into a global community of learners. The authors present the need for a disruptive innovation in the current education system by providing two decades of research based on their studies in the private sector across industries. Disruptive innovation is a term used in business and technology literature to describe innovations that improve a product or service in ways that the market does not expect, typically by lowering price or designing for a different set of consumers (wikipedia, 2010).The research presented in this book is used to demonstrate an explanation for the gap between what we need from schools and what we get. It also illustrates how learning and teaching can be differentiated to allow for more student engagement and achievement. The authors contend and support with research that all of this is possible even with limited resources. The authors backgrounds help by providing an outside look into the education system that helps demonstrate how to apply the theory of disruptive innovation to the school system.
The theory of disruptive change has been applied to the business world in abundance. Disruptive change theory is the creation of a separate unit from the current dominant organizational structure that eventually creates a new way of doing something. The disruptive change starts small and is not viewed as a threat because it does not cater to a large population at first. Eventually, as shifts happen in industry and society the disruptive change becomes the dominant way of working. Education is the one industry that has not change in terms of organizational structure since the 1950s. This book specifically delves into looking at how learning needs to shift to be more student centric and focused on 21st century skills. 21st century skills can be defined as developing skills and habits of mind that allow people to actively participate in society using all forms of media available. It stems from the need to teach people how to think and reflect critically on what is happening around them and to develop creative solutions that serve personal and social needs (Ask.com, 2010).The suggestion that this cannot happen within the current structure of schools and that disruptive change needs to occur in the form of a separation unit is developed fully by the end of the book.
Overall, the main point made by this book is that education needs to take on a student centric approach The authors state, “student-centric learning opens the door for students to learn in ways that match their intelligence types in the places and at the paces they prefer by combining content in customized sequences.” They provide what they believe is a blueprint for taking on the student centric approach to education. However, the disruption that they suggest would dramatically change the face of education as we know it. This student centric approach supports a system in which there would be far less student-teacher interaction, making things like the physical classrooms irrelevant and the creation of a personalized curriculum for all students. Due to the realities of the education system today this student centric approach to learning should be viewed as a long term systematic overhaul of education as we know it.
Organization:The book is set up in three distinct sections. Chapters 1-3 give a solid background of where schools are currently functioning. Chapters 4-5 describe where schools are heading and why. Finally, chapters 6-9 give a clear plan for what schools need to do to meet the demands placed upon the system by the disruptive innovation of computer based student centric learning. The authors write each chapter using the same format. They start each chapter with a fiction story from Randall James HS that helps frame the issues facing the school systems today and provides a connection that educators can relate to. The authors continue the chapter by laying out a clear theoretical foundation (they tell about it). Next they explore the issue further by connecting it to real life industry examples.
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The new digital education system at Pearson’s Canada will take our word that online means good. The technology used to deliver our curriculum has been updated to address and teach our students from both a mathematical and digital viewpoint. Pearson Canada is a leading educational provider in the world of digital education. The world of Pearson Canada’s CSA enables graduates to succeed in real-world areas like science and engineering and the job market needs all-day access. There are more than 10,000 new high schools in Canada that have a CSA and, since its implementation, more than 40,000 Canadian students have taken the digital approach. By providing a simple and efficient way for students to learn from our global network of learning resources, our students are coming to Pearson to learn at the most natural, practical, and educational way and using Pearson’s CSA technology. As I and many others are aware, Pearson Canada is proud of the results of our digital education effort and its innovation in the world of education. Today, new online education is not only the biggest technological innovation to date, it’s redefining the way children learn through interactive technology. Through these efforts, Pearson Canada is supporting 3 million young Canadians and has established a partnership with Microsoft, Facebook, Samsung, and Amazon as a leader in digital learning and learning skills in the classroom. We aim to provide students with the tools necessary to succeed in every aspect of their education that concerns Pearson Canada. For students and employers, the digital education system helps ensure that all students are safe, healthy, and supported in the school system. By combining Pearson Canada’s vision of digital education with the best of Canada’s workforce, Canada’s children are learning through the process. We’re working with Pearson Canada to make it a reality using its innovative, comprehensive CSA in the global digital education space and the innovative approach of Pearson Canada’s CSA. For more information, please visit our online resources page.
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The new approach to delivering students to the best of society requires strong learning standards and solid skills. This approach will need to be integrated into Pearson’s global curriculum for the next ten years or sooner. These students need to succeed and not simply be told to use something they know to make them who they are. And that is where education providers like Pearson are leading. The ASERS approach provides a new way to enable people to interact with institutions such as universities, educational institutions, and other stakeholders and the institutions themselves that have the capacity to make informed policy decisions. Since its inception, S-E has been the principal learning method of public schools to ensure high quality education for our students – our staff, faculty, and students. ASERS can be implemented online and in person using our website, apps, and products, and in conjunction with a trusted team of experts and stakeholders such