Michael Barber

The Very Big Picture

It is argued that education systems are of considerable importance in the evolving world’s economic and social order. A range of policies are offered which it is argued will improve British educational practices and outcomes considerably. Further advances are argued to be necessary in the improvement of global knowledge management, extending international networks, rethinking public/private collaboration, learning the lessons of research on the human brain, embracing educational transformation and cherishing the ethical core of education.

Reforming the American School System

This article traces the history of public education in the United States and then analyzes its performance, as of 2008, before proposing a radical agenda for its transformation – much of which has been taken up by the Obama administration. The relationships between public education, economic growth, and the fulfillment of civil rights are explored. The relative decline of public education in the United States compared to other systems is commented on before proposals for the future – based on emerging international evidence – are made.