American Education: A History, 4e is a comprehensive, highly-regarded history of American education from pre-colonial times to the present. Chronologically organized, it provides an objective overview of each major period in the development of American education, setting the discussion against the broader backdrop of national and world events. The first text to explore Native American traditions (including education) prior to colonization, it also offers strong, ong… More >>
As a masters candidate in Educational Psychology, I found this to be a helpful text to review the history of the educational system in the U.S. The author definitely leaned toward the liberal side, but he was fairly even-handed in his presentation of the people, social and economic conditions that have impacted the organization and delivery of education in this country. The book was easy to read and full of good references to primary sources of material for further review.
Rating: 4 / 5
History can be a tough sell to many people as many have experienced the mundane books which are often very dry. This book isn’t like that, it offers a fresh view of American history from a perspective of education and how it has evolved. An eye opening experience and objective point of view. The summaries at the end of the chapters may help some preferring a brief overview to stress the key points in a timely fashion. I’m currently a doctoral student in Educational Administration and found this book to be an excellent resource as well. The fold out timeline that comes with the new book is full color and shows many of the individuals that are cited in the book which aids in memory retention for those visual learners out there.
Rating: 5 / 5