This chapter examines how baker apprentices in Danish bakeries learn to become bakers. Learning is part of everyday practices shaped by conflictual issues involving, among other factors, economy, gender, power structures, and identities. In the first part of the chapter, I discuss why modern learning theories often fail to integrate contradictions and conflicts as important elements in understanding learning processes. In the second part, I present an ideology of critical relational thinking, drawing on Gramsci and the concept of situated learning (Lave and Wenger 1991), both of which link learning to processes of social change. This perspective foregrounds the role of contradictions and conflicts in shaping practice. In the final section, I apply these ideas empirically, analyzing how apprentices’ everyday activities both reflect and transform the social dynamics of their workplaces.

This chapter examines the modes of learning associated with a practice deeply embedded in Brazilian society: football (soccer). Recognizing its unique position in the country – as part of everyday life, with minimal formal instruction, varying levels of participation, and strong historical, cultural, and identity dimensions. The ethnographic analysis focuses on the participation contexts of young footballers in the periphery of a Brazilian metropolis (Belo Horizonte, MG). Drawing on the perspective of learning as inherently embedded in social practices (Lave 2019), the chapter explores both the formation of young footballers and the historical development of the practice itself. By focusing the analysis on learning, it articulates the concepts of access and participation, seeking to trace the dynamics of football practices while acknowledging the foundational complexity that characterizes them. The aim is to foreground the discussion on how each participant is constituted, simultaneously and through the very relationships to which they contribute.

This chapter arises from the challenge of understanding how children of different ages participate in household care in Belo Horizonte (Brazil). We analyse their different learning trajectories based on in-depth interviews conducted in their homes. We explore interconnections between children’s experiences and inequalities related to gender, race, and social class. We used illustrated cards from a children’s board game to approach the material possibilities within the domestic space. We examine questions about children’s access to different household spaces and to participation in some household tasks and not others. These conditions shape how they learn to participate and even not to participate, rather than simply failing to learn how to participate. These differences reveal fundamental aspects of care practices – caring for oneself, caring for others, and caring for the world we live in.

Danish production schools in the period 1970–2000, had a remarkable and ambitious vision for marginalized young people: Those attending the schools should, through their collaborative engagements in learning/work, leave the schools with a stronger grasp of their own future possibilities. Neither the process of realizing this goal nor the outcome of the process could be simple. So how did participants engaged in producing commodities in woodworking, metal, catering or other workshops, at the same time create possibilities for self-transformation so that they could change themselves with respect to their pasts and futures? In this counterhegemonic project unusual everyday practices emerged from a perspective on learning, not conceived as a thing in itself but always as an aspect of changes by/for/in participants’ participation in the historically politically constituted contradictory everyday lives in which they are engaged.

The prologue gives an overview and teaser for the whole book.

This chapter is about computational learning theory, which is the complexity-theoretic foundation for supervised machine learning. It covers algorithms and hardness results for PAC (Probably Approximately Correct) learning, the connection between PAC learning and VC dimension, boosting, and the mistake-bound model of exact learning.

This chapter explores the social and cultural setting of Mulligans Flat Woodland Sanctuary (MFWS) from a historical and local community perspective. It draws on archival research about Indigenous management and early European land uses and explores social meanings, experience and practices through semi-structured interviews with local residents, participatory observation of community stewardship groups and action research that involved staging community engagement events in the Sanctuary.

Insights that emerged from this study show the MFWS is highly valued by urban neighbours as a place for passive recreation and nature immersion, and there are opportunities to expand local learning about the ecological values and research. Understanding the social and cultural meanings of the MFWS provides the foundation to design community outreach and education programmes that nurture this place attachment and provide pathways to environmental care. A suite of key messages is provided to help guide these engagement programmes at the Wildbark Learning Centre.

Inclusion is a term used frequently, but what does it really mean? Inclusion in its simplest term is ‘the action or state of including or of being included within a group or structure’ (Oxford Dictionary). This is a fundamental right of all people, but unfortunately when diversity exists, this is not a right afforded to everyone. The Oxford Dictionary has an alternate definition which elaborates on this initial one. Inclusion is also defined as ‘the practice or policy or providing equal access to opportunities and resources for people who might otherwise be excluded or marginalized, such as those who have physical or intellectual disabilities and members of other minority groups’. As recognised in this definition, inclusion is about opportunities for all, including those with disability, developmental delay, neurodivergence, mental health difficulties, cultural diversity, variations in socio-economic status, LGBTQIA+ people, gender diversity, people experiencing trauma, unique family structures, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, just to name a few! While there are differences in what every individual needs to be included, the principles of inclusion and the foundation of everyone having the same rights, should not change.

In today’s evolving educational landscape, collaboration and networking are essential for creating an inclusive and engaging learning environment. This chapter invites you to explore how building strong connections with colleagues, your school community, and wider networks can enhance your teaching and professional growth. By collaborating proactively, you can co-develop plans, adapt strategies, assess student progress, and draw on the strengths of others.

Transitions are essentially changes in relation to physical locations, routines and experiences. This explanation from 2012 still appropriately identifies some of the key transitions in early childhood. Transitions happen whenever children switch from parent to educator, move from place to place, or change from one activity to another. However, since 2012, we have become more aware of the significance of different transitions and the impact they can have on many other aspects of a child’s life. This chapter will start by defining what transitions are in early childhood and the different transitions that occur for most children into, within and beyond the ECEC service. Individual children respond differently to transitions so we will explore how both large and smaller transitions can impact and influence some children. This chapter will conclude with the importance of maintaining high expectations for all children, through embedding different strategies that can be used to support all children during transitions, whether they are large transitions in early childhood or smaller transitions during the day.

This chapter explores the rationale behind, and the importance of understanding, the unique profiles of each child being cared for, across early childhood settings. The purpose of this is to frame ways in which all children can be supported to achieve the best developmental, educational and wellbeing outcomes possible, now and in the future. Drawing on the principles and frameworks discussed in Chapter 1, this chapter will support further understanding of the importance of individualised care and education for every child.

Chapter 9 concludes the book by further probing the theory’s generalizability, mechanisms, and implications. It starts with the theory’s applicability to the illustrative case studies of India and Mexico. It next hones in on the ideational mechanisms – learning and experimentation – that account for how a developmentalist legacy is updated and discusses other potential mechanisms, including emulation and competition. It lastly assesses three implications of the book’s theory. The first is whether state support for nationally controlled MNCs can continue to be an effective strategy under the current wave of backlash to globalization in advanced economies. The second is whether states that lack a developmentalist legacy can support the internationalization of national firms at a more limited scale. The third is whether the internationalization of national firms is compatible with more expansive definitions of development that go beyond structural transformation.

You may have thought that as an early childhood education and care (ECEC) provider, your unifying focus will be centred around on the children in your setting. Supporting children’s learning and wellbeing may indeed be the priority, but this cannot be achieved without the positive involvement of children’s family members. Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems model describes the layered systems of support that children can be influenced by, acknowledging that no individual child exists in a vacuum (See chapters 1 and 2 for further details). The resources and wellbeing of the family as a whole will have an impact on children’s development, behaviour and engagement in ECEC settings, as well as at home and other community settings.

The early years of a child’s life represent a critical period of development where identities form, relationships flourish and foundations for lifelong learning are established. Within this formative landscape, inclusion emerges not only as an educational approach but as a fundamental human right and ethical imperative. In Australian early childhood contexts, inclusive practice exists at the intersection of policy, pedagogy and personal commitment. This chapter establishes the conceptual underpinnings of inclusion and inclusive practice and invites the reader to consider inclusion not as an additional responsibility, but as the very essence of quality early childhood education and care. By creating environments where every child experiences belonging, participation and growth, we honour each individual child, while also laying the groundwork for a more equitable society.

Chapter 9 examines the evaluation stage of policymaking, where the effectiveness and worth of policies are assessed to inform future improvement or termination. It distinguishes between process (formative) and impact (summative) evaluation, introducing logic models and theory-based approaches to trace causal chains from inputs to outcomes. The chapter details the roles of internal evaluators (government analysts, performance managers), external evaluators (consultants, think tanks, the judiciary, the public, international organizations), and participatory approaches involving members of policy communities and the public. It explores the technical and political challenges of establishing evaluation criteria, defining performance measures, collecting data, and drawing conclusions. The chapter discusses the barriers to effective evaluation – data limitations, cognitive biases, political resistance, and institutional inertia – but underscores the importance of evaluation in fostering policy learning, adaptation, and accountability.

Chapter 16 examines what it means to be a primary mathematics teacher in a professional context. It considers the attributes of effective mathematics educators, the requirements for professional accreditation, and the value of professional learning and engagement with mathematics education networks. You will also reflect on your preparation for the LANTITE and how to continue developing your identity as a confident and capable mathematics educator.

Chapter 14 focuses on diversity in the primary mathematics classroom and the need to create inclusive and responsive learning environments. It examines strategies to recognise and value students’ diverse cultural, linguistic, and learning needs, and offers practical approaches for differentiation and equitable participation in mathematics. You will explore how inclusive pedagogy supports all learners in developing confidence and capability as mathematical thinkers.