Looking for a good new book to read? Well look no more because we've rounded up some of the best books exploring the past, present and future of making, education and technology. Get these on your bookshelf.
Mindstorms: children, computers, and powerful ideas
If pi-top had a patron saint it would be Seymour Papert. His 1980 book Mindstorms kickstarted the computer revolution in schools. A must read.
Lifelong Kindergarten: Cultivating Creativity Through Projects, Passion, Peers, and Play
A great read by our good friend Mitchel Resnick in which he makes the case for why the rest of our school years, and even the rest of our lives, should be more like kindergarten.
The Maker Mentality
Nicholas Provenzano (a.k.a The Nerdy Teacher) featured in episode two of our podcast, where he talks about setting up and running maker spaces in your school or community. His first book 'Your Starter Guide to Makerspaces' is also well worth a read if you're planning on setting up a maker space.
Teaching in the Fourth Industrial Revolution
The book addresses the hard moral, ethical and pedagogical questions facing education today so that progress can serve society, rather than destroying it from within our classrooms. A great read for anyone who has an interest in educating our youth for these uncertain times, highlighting why teachers will always matter.
The End of Average
Hardly anyone is an average person, but from our education system to jobs, the world is designed one-size-fits-all when it's actually one-size-fits-none.
Learning Reimagined
Written by our very own Graham Brown-Martin, Learning Reimagined takes its readers on a journey in search of innovation in the way we learn and teach. Filled with case studies and interviews, the book invites the reader to join the author as he travels the world to investigate the challenges that today's educators face.
Life Lessons
Melissa Benn is one of the most clear-sighted and vocal campaigners for improving our education system. In her book, she shows why and how we need to rethink education for life.
The Art of Tinkering
150+ makers share their stories behind their beautiful and bold work in this book. After reading it, you'll never look at everyday materials the same way.
Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance
What makes high achievers successful? Grit — a combination of passion and perseverance, says Angela Duckworth in this inspiring book.
The Anti-Education Era
Today's schools are eager to use the latest technology in the classroom, but rather than improving learning, the new e-media can just as easily narrow students' horizons. The book is a powerful and important call to reshape digital learning, engage children in a meaningful educational experience, and bridge inequality.
Too Big to Know: Rethinking Knowledge Now That the Facts Aren’t the Facts, Experts are Everywhere, and the Smartest Person in the Room Is the Room
Having all knowledge available in our pockets has changed everything, from what knowing means to whether it matters. Check out this book if you want to have a better understanding of the future of knowledge in a connected world, and how networked organizations and networked thinking will lead to better, smarter decisions.
The Information
Looking for an introduction to information theory? Look no further — James Gleick's book tells the story of information technologies that changed the very nature of human consciousness, providing portraits of the key figures contributing to the inexorable development of our modern understanding of information.
De-Testing and De-Grading Schools: Authentic Alternatives to Accountability and Standardization
De-Testing and De-Grading Schools, edited by the late Joe Bower, is a collection of essays by various educators on the issue of high-stakes testing and grades in the classroom.
Invent to Learn
The maker movement is strong, and this book is a great reflection of this. Any educator or parent who believes that children should be given the opportunity to explore, learn, and discover should read it!
Hanging Out, Messing Around, and Geeking Out: Kids Living and Learning with New Media
This book is the result of a three-year ethnographic investigation into how young people are living and learning with new media in varied settings -— at home, in after-school programs, and in online spaces.
Fab: The Coming Revolution on your Desktop
Personal fabrication is the ability to design and produce your own products, in your own home, with a machine that combines consumer electronics with industrial tools. In FAB, Neil Gershenfeld, the renowned MIT scientist and inventor, describes how personal fabrication is possible today, and how it is meeting local needs with locally developed solutions.
Have we missed out one of your favourite maker, education or learning books? Let us know in the comment section down below or tag @Getpitop on Twitter with your suggestions. Happy reading!
