Education to Better Their World

In his seventh and most visionary book, internationally renowned educator and futurist Marc Prensky presents a compelling alternative—based on applying students’ passion to real, world-improving projects—to how and what we teach our children. What education should be about, says Prensky, is improving the world and having individuals improve in the process. He argues that a routinely taught combination of math, language arts, science, and social studies (“The MESS”) increasingly leaves the bulk of our students woefully unprepared for the future. Drawing on emerging world trends, Prensky elaborates a comprehensive vision for K–12 education that includes new goals, new means, a new curriculum, a new kind of teaching, and a new use of technology. This is a book, ultimately, about developing young people’s capacity to accomplish things that will make their world a better place, using means never before available. It offers an innovative and achievable vision for a Global Future Education that will better prepare students from all backgrounds. Visit the book’s website at bettertheirworld.org.

Book Features:

• Documents and presents world-improving projects under implementation.
• Introduces new concepts of “The MESS,” “Applied Passion,” “Apprenticeship to the World,” and “Learning as a means to education (and not its goal).”
• Focuses on a broader curriculum with all the skills kids need.
• Shows how technology can truly support students.
• Details the changing role of the teacher and how teachers can evolve.
• Speaks to parents, politicians, and citizens as well as educators.

Marc Prensky is an internationally acclaimed speaker, author, consultant, and designer in the field of education. He is the founder and executive director of The Global Future Education Foundation and Institute. Contact Marc at marcprensky@gmail.com.

"This book significantly contributes to building an innovative curriculum to prepare our children to make their world better both now and in the future, as it offers a practical list of questions, resources, and ideas for a new education."

—Teachers College Record

"Every now and then a book comes along that helps you see the world in a very different way. This is one of those books. ... Education to Better their World is the most important and insightful book I have read in many years."

—AECT Journal, Charles M. Reigeluth, Indiana University

" Education to Better Their World: Unleashing the Power of 21st-Century Kids makes a case for and provides a model of a better education system to encourage globally conscious children, and is recommended for educators who want to move beyond the basics and into incorporating an approach that encourages kids to 'Better Their World."

—Midwest Book Review

“Educational movements and revolutionary trends like Prensky’s Empowerment to Better the World Model will continue to challenge the ways in which the world addresses the growing needs of the young 21st century learners it serves.”

—Education Review/Reseñas Educativas

"Marc Prensky—one of the smartest people working in educational reform today—offers us a lucid, inspiring, optimistic, doable, and crucial blueprint for how we can build a future with the schools that children desperately need in our modern, high-risk, highly complex, fast-changing, and imperiled world."
—James Paul Gee, Mary Lou Fulton Presidential Professor of Literacy Studies, Regents’ Professor, Arizona State University

"Marc Prensky was always ahead of his time. Education to Better Their World continues this trend in spades. This book is a gold mine and a powerful wakeup call that the future is already here. Read the book and make yourself part of the future today. As we are finding in our own work, students are agents of change—in pedagogy, in learning environments, and of society itself. Exciting possibilities await!"
—Michael Fullan, professor emeritus, OISE/University of Toronto, author of The New Meaning of Educational Change, Fifth Edition

"Marc Prensky's answer to the question 'What is the purpose of education?'—that education should now empower youth to improve their communities and the world—would unleash the energy, creativity, and compassion of students and teachers in ways we have never imagined. We need the better world Prensky envisions and we need it now."
—Milton Chen, The George Lucas Educational Foundation

“Prensky offers perhaps the most compelling case and model yet articulated by anyone for today’s globally empowered children. A must-read book for all educators and anyone who cares about education.”
—James Tracey, Head of School, Rocky Hill School, RI

"Wow. As a takeaway it is good—very good."
—John Seely Brown, Deloitte Center for the Edge

"It's a great book. Filled with food for thought, common sense, provocative ideas—and fun to read."
—Nieves Segovia, Presidenta, Institucion Educativa SEK (SEK International Schools)