A second edition of this book is due out soon, so I thought this might be an opportune moment to revisit my review of the first edition. The article below appeared in Teach Secondary magazine in 2018.

Click the cover to see the book on Amazon UK (affiliate link)

The title of this book invites curiosity: what were the other three ‘revolutions’? The subtitle hints at what the next revolution is: Will artificial intelligence liberate or infantilise humanity?

Rather than launch straight into a discussion of artificial intelligence and what it may offer to education, the author examines the various roles of education, and the tasks which have to be undertaken by teachers, and those that are the responsibility of students.

With copious references and bang up-to-date examples, the book is both fascinating and instructive, although an odd omission from the index is ‘parents’. As with many issues in education, there are always at least two opposing viewpoints, but Seldon performs a fine balancing act. Some of the models of education being tried out around the world may surprise you. The book’s overall message is that some of the future is here now. What happens next is down to us.

I was sent a complimentary copy of this book, but that has not affected this review.

Further reading