Learning as Development: Rethinking International Education in a Changing World

Learning is the foundation of the human experience. It begins at birth and never stops, a continuous and malleable link across life stages of human development. Disparities in learning access and outcomes around the world have deep consequences for income, social mobility, health, and well-being. For international development practitioners faced with today's unprecedented environmental and geopolitical pressures, learning should be viewed as a touchstone and target for those seeking to truly effect global change. This book traces the path of international development work―from its pre-colonial origins to the emergence of economics as the dominant discipline in the field―and lays out a new agenda for policymakers, researchers, and practitioners, from early education through adulthood. Learning as Development is an attempt to rethink international education in a changing world.

Daniel A. Wagner (Ph.D. University of Michigan) is the UNESCO Chair in Learning and Literacy, and Professor of Education at the University of Pennsylvania. He is Founding Director of the International Literacy Institute and Director of Penn’s International Educational Development Program. A former Peace Corps Volunteer and Fulbright Scholar, he has served as an advisor to UNESCO, UNICEF, World Bank, USAID, DFID and other agencies, governments, and civil society organizations. He was elected Fellow of the American Educational Research Association and was the recipient of the 2014 UNESCO Confucius International Literacy Prize. He is the author or editor of more than 25 books and many other publications. See www.danwagner.org.