It is now nearly thirty years since sociocultural theories of learning created great excitement and debate amongst those concerned with learning in diverse contexts. Since that time significant advances have been made in sociocultural theory and research. Various sociocultural approaches to the understanding of learning (for example, sociocultural psychology, sociocultural discourse, cultural historical activity theory) have been developed and consolidated and new challenges are currently being addressed. In the motivational arena sociocultural approaches deriving from Vygotsky have only begun to emerge relatively recently. In this Volume the editors examine and evaluate the achievements of past sociocultural theory and research, and consider the future directions of sociocultural theory and research in the domains of learning and motivation. This book begins with: (1) Sociocultural Theories of Learning and Motivation: Looking Back, Looking Forward (Dennis M. McInerney, Richard A. Walker, and Gregory Arief D. Liem); and (2) Conceptual and Methodological Issues in Sociocultural Research and Theory Development in Education (La Tefy Schoen). It is then divided into two parts. Part I, Motive, contains the following: (1) Object/Motives and Emotion: A Cultural-Historical Activity Theoretic Approach to Motivation in Learning and Work (Wolff-Michael Roth); (2) Motives as a Central Concept for Learning (Marilyn Fleer); (3) Motive and Motivation in Learning to Teach (Gordon Wells); (4) Motivation, Engagement, and Identity: Opening a Conversation (Susan Bobbitt Nolen, Christopher J. Ward, and Ilana Seidel Horn); (5) Participation by Design: Improving Individual Motivation by Looking Beyond It (Daniel T. Hickey); and (6) Examining Change in Motivation: The Potential of Sociocultural Theory (Judith MacCallum and Kimberley Pressick-Kilborn). Part II, Learning, presents: (7) Tabletalk: Navigating and Negotiating in Small-Group Learning (Mary McCaslin, Ruby I. Vega, Erin E. Anderson, Christine N. Calderon, and Angela M. Labistre); (8) Learning as (One Part) Identity Construction: Educational Implications of a Sociocultural Perspective (Jennifer A. Vadeboncoeur, Renira E. Vellos, and Kristen P. Goessling); (9) The Changing Face of Conceptual Change Learning--An Emerging Sociocultural Approach (Erica Sainsbury and Richard A. Walker); and (10) Learning Together: The Educational Experiences of Adolescents in Moscow (Janine Bempechat, Anna Mirny, Jin Li, Kenzie A. Wenk, and Susan D. Holloway).