Noting that teens are disengaged in school and increasingly dispirited by social problems, the authors argue that these students need learning environments that foster engagement, connection, and a greater sense of purpose. They make the case for deep learning--learning that helps students "make connections to the world, to think critically, work collaboratively, empathize with others, and, most of all, be ready to confront the huge challenges that the world is leaving their generation." Deep learning in this mode is possible in schools, the authors say, but requires significant paradigm shifts in education.