Introduction

The introduction provides a general introduction to the book, setting out its main purpose and themes, and introducing an overview of the argument in the chapters to follow. Based on empirical material I argue that education has, globally, been too concerned with achievement and attainment of predetermined outcomes. A subsequent argument is that teaching in a global perspective is too direct, on which it omits indirectness. That is why this book seeks to expand the functions of education and teaching, with a particular focus on indirectness (a term which will be carefully defined in the introduction).