The first seven articles of the book provide an overview of how Estonian educational scientists, collaborating with colleagues from Finland and Sweden on one of the articles, have empirically studied the quality of learning environment, teachers' professionalism and their perceptions of their own teaching as well as their professional role and students' coping at school. When dealing with the educational reality, a wholeness-centred educational thinking is represented. Therefore, one of the articles is devoted to the question of how to define youth and interpret the development of the concept of youth. One article deals with creativity in relation to the social field. The last article compares the semantics of the concepts Paideia and lifestyle as expressions of the wholeness-centred educational thinking.

"Tradition and Innovation in Education" presents a number of articles that deal with topics as varied as outdoor education in Estonian kindergartens, student teacher lesson analysis skills, activities that bridge the theory-practice gap and the identity of academics in a changing university environment. In the light of PISA they also discuss how student awareness and the choice of different learning strategies explains the variation in reading proficiency. A user experience evaluation system is offered for pupils with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities, while living, learning and discovery learning is presented as an approach to violin studies for beginners. The volume takes a new look at creativity as being discussed too much and losing its meaning.

Change is now a dominant feature of early childhood systems around the globe and many countries are currently facing significant economic, social and political developments that bring additional challenges that teaching and learning practices need to be able to respond to in a positive and effective way. Early Childhood Education and Change in Diverse Cultural Contexts examines how the educational systems in different countries respond to this change agenda, what they prioritise and how they deal with the adjustment process. Based on original and cutting-edge research and drawing upon diverse theoretical approaches, the book analyses new policies and pedagogical practices in a wide range of different cultural contexts. With contributions from Great Britain, the USA, Finland, Sweden, Iceland, Estonia, New Zealand, South Africa and Singapore, this volume examines how educators might be able to innovate and respond positively to the shifting social and cultural situations in these contexts and others like them. Focusing on early childhood policy, professionalism and pedagogy, the book stimulates debate and dialogue about how the field is moving forward in the 21st century. Early Childhood Education and Change in Diverse Cultural Contexts should be essential reading for academics, researchers and postgraduate students engaged in the study of early childhood education, childhood studies and comparative education. Providing practical examples of how educational systems and educators might respond to change imperatives, the book should also be of great interest to teacher educators, current and pre-service teachers and policymakers around the world.