Schools and Informal Learning in a Knowledge-Based World

In this review of Schools and Informal Learning in a Knowledge-Based World the reviewer finds a thoughtful, conversation-starting book aimed at educators and policy makers curious about how schools can recognise learning that happens outside formal classrooms. The book's single biggest reason to buy is its clear focus on bridging the perceived gap between formal curriculum and the knowledge young people bring from family, peers and community, making it useful for anyone exploring reforms or organising schools to value diverse knowledge sources.

Key Features

• Focus on informal learning: Explores how informal learning complements formal subjects and why recognising non-school knowledge matters for student development.
• Policy and practice dialogue: Opens a debate on school organisation and the kinds of environments that facilitate recognition of informal learning.
• Practical perspective: Discusses concrete organisational implications for schools seeking to certify or acknowledge knowledge learned outside school settings.
• Interdisciplinary framing: Examines the tension between subject-based certification and broader social knowledge, useful for curriculum rethink.
• Accessible scholarship: Written to bridge research and practice so readers from different educational roles can engage with the ideas.

Who It's For

This book is best for education researchers, school leaders, curriculum developers and policy makers who want a thoughtful account of how informal learning interacts with formal schooling and how systems might adapt to recognise it. It will also interest postgraduate students in education theory and comparative education.

Readers seeking step-by-step classroom activities or a curriculum textbook may find the emphasis on debate and organisation less immediately practical; similarly, those wanting an empirical handbook full of case studies might look elsewhere.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Clear argument that informal learning complements rather than replaces formal knowledge, which broadens how educators view student experience.
• Usefully connects theory to school organisation, offering guidance for leaders considering systemic change.
• Accessible language helps bridge the gap between researchers and practitioners interested in education policy.

Cons

• Not a source of classroom-level lesson plans or extensive empirical case studies, so readers expecting practical activities may be disappointed.

Specifications

Our Verdict

Schools and Informal Learning in a Knowledge-Based World is a valuable read for those shaping education systems who want to acknowledge how family, peers and community shape student knowledge. It is good value for readers seeking conceptual clarity and guidance on organisational change, though it is less suited to those looking for classroom-level resources.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does this book offer classroom activities?
No. The book focuses on debate and school organisation rather than step-by-step classroom activities.

Who wrote the book?
It is authored by Javier Calvo de Mora and Kerry J. Kennedy as part of the Asia-Europe Education Dialogue series.

Will it help with education policy work?
Yes. Its discussion of recognising informal learning and school organisational implications is directly relevant to policy and reform discussions.