Teaching in the Knowledge Society: Education in the Age of Insecurity

by Andy Hargreaves

We are living in a defining moment, when the world in which teachers do their work is changing profoundly. In his latest book, Hargreaves proposes that we have a one-time chance to reshape the future of teaching and schooling and that we should seize this historic opportunity. Hargreaves sets out what it means to teach in the new knowledge society―to prepare young people for a world of creativity and flexibility and to protect them against the threats of mounting insecurity. He provides inspiring examples of schools that operate as creative and caring learning communities and shows how years of “soulless standardization” have seriously undermined similar attempts made by many nonaffluent schools. Hargreaves takes us beyond the dead-ends of standardization and divisiveness to a future in which all teaching can be a high-skill, creative, life-shaping mission because “the knowledge society requires nothing less.” This major commentary on the state of today’s teaching profession in a knowledge-driven world is theoretically original and strategically powerful―a practical, inspiring, and challenging guide to rethinking the work of teaching. “When it comes to the role of teachers in society, no one leads the pack like Andy Hargreaves. Teaching in the Knowledge Society is brimming with original insights―cutting-edge ideas from a cutting-edge scholar. This new book pulls the reader in from the first paragraph and never lets go―a delight to read from cover to cover.”
―Michael Fullan, Dean, Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto.
“Clearly the most informed, intelligent, and cogent critique of the current wave of standardization. A must-read for those who are concerned (educators, parents, policymakers) about the impact of bureaucratization and standardization on both students and their teachers!”
―Ann Lieberman , Senior Scholar at the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching
“In this day, when test scores serve as a proxy for school quality, Andy Hargreaves builds an eloquent and compelling case for the importance of moral vision and social commitment in schools.”
― Susan Moore Johnson , Pforzheimer Professor of Teaching and Learning, Harvard Graduate School of Education

Genres: Education

240 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2003

About the author

Andy Hargreaves is Research Professor at Boston College, Visiting Professor at the University of Ottawa, Distinguished Visiting Professor at Hong Kong University, Professor II at the University of Stavanger, and Honorary Professor at Swansea University. He is Past President of the International Congress for School Effectiveness and Improvement, Adviser in Education to the First Minister of Scotland and from 2016-2018 to the Premier of Ontario. Andy is founder of the Atlantic Rim Collaboratory (ARC): a group of 9 nations committed to broadly defined excellence, equity, wellbeing, inclusion, democracy and human rights.
Andy has consulted with the OECD, the World Bank, governments, universities and professional associations worldwide. He has given keynote addresses in 50 countries, 47 US states and all Australian states and Canadian provinces. Andy’s more than 30 books have attracted multiple Outstanding Writing Awards. Andy is ranked in the top 20 scholars with most influence on US education policy debate. In 2015, Boston College gave him its Excellence in Teaching with Technology Award. He holds Honorary Doctorates from the Education University of Hong Kong and the University of Uppsala in Sweden.

Reviews

[Gediminas · Rating 3 out of 5]

There’s this old story about three bricklayers working alongside each other. When asked what they are doing, one answers “I’m laying bricks”, another answers “I’m building a wall”, and the third answers “I’m building a cathedral”.

In one of Richard Hamming’s lectures he suggested that if you asked a similar question, a significant number of university lecturers would likely answer “I’m teaching ”. I would likely have answered in a similar way myself, without giving it a second thought.

But this question stayed with me, and I became curious about the goal/purpose of education (esp. higher education), so that I could tailor the course I teach accordingly.

The topic of this book seemed to be at least somewhat related, so I gave it a try.

In the end, it did not exactly answer my question, but it gave some useful ideas and a better feel for the context.