In his classic 1915 book Schools of Tomorrow, famed educator John Dewey made the case that education needed to adopt new instructional approaches based on future societal needs. In one of his most widely quoted commentaries, he predicted that "if we teach today's students as we taught yesterday's, we rob them of tomorrow." Nearly a century later, that analysis still resonates in the Digital Age: If schools do not reinvent themselves to engage students and train them with new skills, it will become even more difficult to produce the results that are needed for competing in a global economy. In this insightful new book, Darrell West examines new models of education madepossible by enhanced information technology, models that will make public educationin the post-industrial age more effective and more relevant. Pilot programs all across America are experimenting with different organizations anddelivery systems. In particular, West examines personalized learning; real-time studentassessment; enhanced teacher evaluation; distance learning; special education;blogs, wikis, and social media; and video games and augmented reality in K--12 andhigher education. Imagine schools where students master vital skills and critical thinking in a collaborativemanner; where teachers assess pupils in real-time and social media; and digitallibraries connect learners to a wide range of authentic informational resources.Teachers take on the role of coaches, students learn at their own pace, technologytracks student progress, and schools are judged based on outcomes. Rather than belimited to six hours a day for half the year, education moves toward 24/7 engagementand learning throughout the year. Technology by itself will not remake education. But if public education combinesincreased digitization with improvements in organization, operations, and culture, wecan overcome current barriers, produce better results, and improve the manner inwhich schools function. Praise for the work of Darrell M. West "If you want to understand the next wave of digital technologies, then Darrell West's The Next Waveis a must-read. Read, learn, put it to use today and tomorrow." --Ted Leonsis, Monumental Sports & Entertainment "Everyone knows our immigration system is broken, but West provides the kind of facts and analysis we need to move the issue forward in Washington." --Michael Bloomberg, Mayor of New York City, on Brain Gain