Thrive
The Purpose of Schools in a Changing World

Thrive explores the purpose of education in a transforming world and how young people can thrive in this unpredictable environment.

Valerie Hannon (Author), Amelia Peterson (Author)

9781108834827, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 18 February 2021

240 pages
23.5 x 15.8 x 1.8 cm, 0.54 kg

'Valerie Hannon and Amelia Peterson paint an unsettling picture of the growing gap between the knowledge, skills, attitudes and values that tomorrow's world will require and what our current school systems provide. But the most compelling part of the book lies in the scenarios and answers it provides to close this gap, and to do so not by replacing schools but by reimagining and transforming them.' Andreas Schleicher, Director for Education and Skills at the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development

Every generation faces challenges, but never before have young people been so aware of theirs. Whether due to school strikes for climate change, civil war, or pandemic lockdowns, almost every child in the world has experienced the interruption of their schooling by outside forces. When the world we have taken for granted proves so unstable, it gives rise to the question: what is schooling for? Thrive advocates a new purpose for education, in a rapidly changing world, and analyses the reasons why change is urgently needed in our education systems. The book identifies four levels of thriving: global – our place in the planet; societal – localities, communities, economies; interpersonal – our relationships; intrapersonal – the self. Chapters provide research-based theoretical evidence for each area, followed by practical international case studies showing how individual schools are addressing these considerable challenges. Humanity's challenges are shifting fast: schools need to be a part of the response.

1. The need for purpose: why we have to ask 'why?'
2. New answers to 'why'
3. The context for a new purpose: an age of disruption
4. What does it mean to 'thrive' – globally?
5. Pathfinders for a thriving planet
6. Stronger together: building thriving societies
7. Pathfinders for thriving societies
8. The inter-personal purpose
growing strong bonds
9. Pathfinders for thriving relationships
10. Me, myself and I: towards the thriving self
11. pathfinders for the thriving self
12. Agency: a key outcome for learners
13. From schools to learning ecosystems
14. Beyond beautiful exceptions: the challenge of scale
15. Getting purposeful.

Subject Areas: Teaching skills & techniques [JNT], Open learning, home learning, distance education [JNQ], Schools [JNL], School/community relations & school/home relations [JNKP], Curriculum planning & development [JNKC], Organization & management of education [JNK], Educational strategies & policy [JNF], Education [JN]