What should Information Age schools look like? How does Sudbury Valley School model the type of schooling appropriate for post-industrial societies? A socio-cultural analysis of the history of education presents the background for the development of 21st century schools.
Daniel A. Greenberg (born c. 1934), one of the founders of the Sudbury Valley School, has published several books on the Sudbury model of school organization, and has been described by Sudbury Valley School trustee Peter Gray as the "principal philosopher" among its founders. He is a former physics professor at Columbia University, and is described by Lois Holzman as the school's "chief 'philosophical writer'".
The title of the book is somewhat misleading. It primarily considers the features of pre-industrial, industrial, and post-industrial societies, such as cultural values and working conditions. Greenberg makes several interesting observations about these societies. In the final part of the book, he discusses what post-industrial societies might eventually be like, and what types of schools will make the transition from the industrial to post-industrial age easier.