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Glenn H. Reynolds
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The Education Apocalypse: How It Happened and How to Survive It Kindle Edition

by Glenn H. Reynolds (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 110 ratings
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For decades, the U.S. invested ever-growing fortunes into its antiquated K-12 education system in exchange for steadily worse outcomes. At the same time, Americans spent more than they could afford on higher education, driven by the kind of cheap credit that fueled the housing crisis. The graduates of these systems were left unprepared for a global economy, unable to find jobs, and on the hook for student loans they could never repay. Economist Herb Stein famously said that something that can’t go on forever, won’t. In the case of American education, it couldn’t—and it didn’t.

In The Education Apocalypse, Glenn Harlan Reynolds explains how American education as we knew it collapsed – and how we can all benefit from unprecedented power and freedom in the aftermath. From the advent of online education to the rebirth of forgotten alternatives like apprenticeships, Reynolds shows students, parents, and educators how—beyond merely surviving the fallout—they can rethink and rebuild American education from the ground up.
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  1. Print length
    154 pages
  2. Language
    English
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    On Kindle Scribe
  4. Publisher
    Encounter Books
  5. Publication date
    May 12, 2015
  6. File size
    2410 KB
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Customer reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars
110 global ratings

Customers say

Customers find the content very informative, thoroughly researched, and easy to understand. They describe the book as an easy, quick read that is well-thought-out. However, some readers feel the pacing is too slow and the book lacks substance.

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ContentReadabilityValue for moneyPacing
21 customers mention "Content"21 positive0 negative

Customers find the book very informative, easy to understand, and thoroughly researched. They say it provides a good summary of the situation facing higher and secondary schools. Readers also mention the book provides some practical, specific details for "how" to improve education.

"An extremely concise, encompassing, easy to read single source on current issues/problems in the educational industry...." Read more

"...assessment of the status of legal education is especially honest and credible coming from a professor of law...." Read more

"...educational circumstances will find the book stimulating and provocative; it may help them change course by helping them realize they are not alone..." Read more

"...It's quick and concise, but packed with documented info and keen insights...." Read more

15 customers mention "Readability"15 positive0 negative

Customers find the book easy to read, fun, and well-thought-out. They say it's written in an accessible style and is a good starting point for further pursuit of a solution.

"An extremely concise, encompassing, easy to read single source on current issues/problems in the educational industry...." Read more

"...It is a fun quick read on an important issue (the justification for a 4 star). Unfortunately there is too little substance in the 104 pages...." Read more

"But imho he's right about everything else. This is a must read for parents, and it'll be a scary read for folks in the industrial/governmental..." Read more

"...and willingness to cover big issues in few words, make this an easy read that provides a lot of insight...." Read more

4 customers mention "Value for money"4 positive0 negative

Customers find the book to be worth the price.

"...to perhaps take advantage of the "new school" that he recommends: less expensive, diversified, online-based, flexible, apprenticeship-leaning, and..." Read more

"...The section, "How We Got Here" is really worth the price of the book...." Read more

"Educating our Youth is becoming much less expensive, and much more effective because we can video tape our best Teachers and Professors, thus making..." Read more

"...our education system and why it is impotent today ALONE is worth the price of the book." Read more

4 customers mention "Pacing"0 positive4 negative

Customers find the book's pacing slow. They say it's not meaty enough and doesn't signify much.

"...Unfortunately there is too little substance in the 104 pages...." Read more

"...It's just not meaty enough. At most there are only a few hints." Read more

"...But overall, the book is messy. It often forgets who its audience is. It doesn't really provide any solution for the problems it discusses." Read more

"The author tends to emote. Full of Sound and Fury. Not signifying much. I was hoping for better. On the positive side, it was a quick read." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

Mark
5.0 out of 5 stars More than enough info.
Reviewed in the United States on February 17, 2014
Verified Purchase
An extremely concise, encompassing, easy to read single source on current issues/problems in the educational industry. If there was the need for one more page, I'm sure Glenn would have added it.

I'm a regular reader of Glenn's blog and bought this book as small payback for all the web time he's given me. Didn't even intend to read it figuring I'd seen it all from his website. Then I see this little, 104 page book come in the mail and I'm thinking "you've got to be kidding me". Based on how concise and pithy his blog titles are, I should have known better than to judge his work by its size. And the small size got me to actually read it. Wow!

(Sorry for the length of this commentary but I am clearly NOT Glenn.) After reading the first couple pages I couldn't help starting to highlight items as if it were a class assignment. First started with a line here or there. Then I'm circling a paragraph or two. Now I'm dogearing a page or two. Not many books of mine get dogeared pages; but, halfway through I'm starting to dogear the top AND bottom of a page for significance. Already I've singled out more than I typically would in a complete text three times this size, and then it happened. I have a double dogeared page facing a double dogeared page with the need to double dogear the following page. That's never happened before. Admittedly, my review skills are self taught but have served me well through several degrees. They've come up way short in reading this 'little' book of Glenn's. And I thought I'd already been up on the subject through his blog.
3 people found this helpful
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common reader
4.0 out of 5 stars What is "The New School"
Reviewed in the United States on February 13, 2014
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The Herb Stein truism that “If something can’t go on forever, it won’t” – repeated redundantly in the pages of this book – is certainly the author’s main thesis of the inevitable bursting of the debt to value bubble in higher education. He makes succinct analogies to economic bubbles (as is this one). His assessment of the status of legal education is especially honest and credible coming from a professor of law. It is a fun quick read on an important issue (the justification for a 4 star). Unfortunately there is too little substance in the 104 pages. The title ‘The New School’ as well as the chapter headings lead the reader to believe the book will discuss the transition to a new paradigm in education brought on by MOOC and other technologies. The author clearly defines the issues of excess reliance on debt and the relevance of higher education but he stops with these definitions. Each chapter reads like an introduction to the genuine article but to our disappointment it never comes. (His C-span book-notes presentation was better than the book). The book is a good starting point for further pursuit of a solution to that essential transition. The classic book ‘The innovator’s Dilemma’ by Clayton Christensen offers some parallels to the transitions – in that the actions of academia, like any firm dominating a market for a product, is not acting irrationally in continuing to serve that market in the existing business model, as the market research will continue to show that the customer still demands the product. It is only when the disruptive technology, usually from an upstart firm, creates a new product that the change becomes obvious and inevitable. Still, it would be encouraging to believe that the value inherent in our existing educational institutions could be preserved while adopting efficiencies of interactive learning. Perhaps Mr. Reynolds will produce a new edition of his book exploring these possibilities – or perhaps just an interactive Massive Open Online Course.
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Barry Krakow, M.D.
5.0 out of 5 stars New Ideas from The New School
Reviewed in the United States on January 6, 2014
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“Everyone knows there’s a problem” with both higher and lower education, writes Glenn Reynolds, a law professor and creator of the world famous Instapundit.com blog. But, sadly many people in America remain in denial, unwilling to see the writing on the…er, screen. Reynolds in his usual terse and cohesive style has produced a small gem that consistently demonstrates how current educational frameworks trigger increasing costs without commensurate gains in outcomes. Worse, we seem to be moving inexorably toward a critical period where the financial underpinnings of these dysfunctional frameworks are no longer sustainable. Even if money was there, isn’t it time we were all asking why so much money spent on education doesn’t produce better educated students?

Reynolds correctly points out the players involved in the modern decline of education, and no surprise virtually all the culprits are those who continue to reap money, power or security by maintaining the status quo: teachers’ unions, college administrators, lending institutions, and the government. But, as he reiterates, “something that can’t go on forever, won’t.” The question is whether these entities can go to school on the troubles staring them in face, or will they continue groping for more taxpayer money, no doubt, with a battle cry: “it’s all for the children?”

This work is a forward thinking effort that outlines several alternatives, many of which are inevitable no matter the degree of resistance dredged up by the old school. Many parents and students who are already questioning their current educational circumstances will find the book stimulating and provocative; it may help them change course by helping them realize they are not alone in their concerns about who is in charge of the learning systems for their children. The book should be mandatory reading for a whole lot of educators who absolutely will never read it. So, I offer this suggestion to anyone interested in seeing real change in our model of education: buy at least one copy of The New School and give it to a teacher or a principal at your area school.
4 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

beau loots
5.0 out of 5 stars The pernicious consequences of socialism
Reviewed in Australia on October 27, 2015
Verified Purchase
A well written, logical review of the consequences of policy deviations from the purpose of institutions demanded by political correctness.
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