Setting the Scene: Contexts and Development in Early Childhood

This chapter begins with a panoramic overview of the main and most influential theories informing current research and pedagogical practices on contexts and their role in in child learning and development (attachment theory, ecological theory, transactional theory, cultural psychology). We examine this theoretical panorama in three interrelated dimensions: (1) historical dimension which includes “classical” and emerging contemporary theoretical frameworks that remain the most influential in pedagogical practices; (2) developmental dimension which explores theoretical approaches which keep in focus the relations between contexts and development and allow to study from different angles the role of contexts in the development of children; (3) the problematising dimension exploring what kinds of challenges the contemporary research is bringing to traditional and classical views of contexts and their role in child learning and development. In our opinion, this overview provides some grounds to conclude that new theoretical approaches (cultural psychology as an example) make it possible to move from the classical understanding of the role of contexts to a new understanding of contexts across the borders. The chapter goes on to provide a brief overview of research on a diverse range of contexts. Our task was to identify the main trends and tendencies of reconceptualisation of contexts and their role in the child’s development, such as the tendency of moving from classical “gene-environmental correlation” approach to contemporary environmental neuroscience and the shift from schoolification of change to digital and Science Technology Engineering Mathematics (STEM) learning as well as the of new emerging contexts such as multicultural, play-based pedagogy and digital educational contexts. In our opinion, this overview provides some grounds to conclude that new theoretical approaches (cultural psychology as an example) make it possible to move from the classical understanding of the role of contexts to a new understanding of contexts across the borders.