Book excerpt: This fully updated, fourth edition of An Introduction to the Study of Education provides a comprehensive and reflective introduction to the study of education, inviting students to question what education is, who it is for and what purpose it serves. Taking the reader from the early years through to lifelong learning, it examines all forms of education and learning. This new edition includes ten completely new chapters and a step-by-step guide to essay writing. There is also a companion website to accompany the book, featuring additional chapters which can be visited at www.routledge.com/cw/matheson.This fully updated, fourth edition provides: a full exploration of the historical, sociological, philosophical and psychological roots of education; a clear focus on the individual levels of education – preschool, compulsory, post-compulsory and lifelong learning; the latest debates within special educational needs; an in-depth examination of learning styles; insights into the historical development of education and the role of, and background to, research in education; a focus on current educational practice and diversity across the United Kingdom and Ireland. Written in a clear and accessible style, this is the essential core text for all beginning students on undergraduate and postgraduate courses in Education Studies and all those interested in education today, where it came from and where it is going.