ABSTRACT
This chapter provides the rationale and background to the whole volume. It is divided into four sections, each addressing the core components that make up this book and its contribution into the field. After situating the volume within the field of curriculum studies, especially within the theory and practice of multiliteracies, the chapter provides insights into the education of young children in Finland. It then moves on to defining multiliteracies from the perspectives of international research literature and Finnish curriculum texts and pedagogies. This is followed by an introduction to The Joy of Learning Multiliteracies (Monilukutaitoa Opitaan Ilolla, MOI) research and development program launched by the Finnish Ministry for Education and Culture to address the importance of multiliteracies in the lives of young children. The chapter ends with an outline of the individual chapters of the book, discussing how each chapter provides a unique yet complementary angle to multiliteracies and curriculum innovation in Finland and beyond.
