Pedler,Mike & Abbott,Christine (2013) Facilitating action learning McGraw‐Hill (Maidenhead & New York) isbn 978‐033524597‐0 204 pp £19.99 http://www.mheducation.co.uk/9780335245970‐emea‐facilitating‐action‐learning‐a‐practitioners‐guide

This most helpful book supports action learning practitioners in organising collaborative working and knowledge generation and implementation. The case studies help inspire and motivate readers to take action, and the book as a whole leans towards practical guidance rather than being loaded with theory. It's a readable text for aspiring action learning practitioners aiming to drive forward and implement such ideas, and to share learning at system‐wide scale. It also serves as a quick reference guide for the personal libraries of more seasoned practitioners and other leaders and developers. If the content of this book is likely to be relevant to you, I recommend that you buy a copy for your own use. Nancy El‐Farargy     

Thouësny,Sylvie & Bradley,Linda ed (2011) Second language teaching and learning with technology (Research‐publishing.net,Dublin) isbn 978‐1‐908416‐00‐1 217 pp Free of charge http://research‐publishing.net/publication/978‐1‐908416‐00‐1.pdf

This ten‐chapter volume aims to approach a number of current issues “from well‐established web‐based learning environments to mobile learning, through current web 2.0 applications such as blogs, which foster intercultural contexts and/or diverse means of computer‐mediated interaction”. In this sense, this valuable book aims to enable readers to gain a deep understanding of the field and to provide research procedures and processes to facilitate the learning of foreign languages through the use of information technology. If the content of this book is likely to be important to you, I recommend you buy a copy. Jesús García Laborda     

Thouësny,Sylvie & Bradley,Linda ed (2011) Second language teaching and learning with technology (Research‐publishing.net,Dublin) isbn 978‐1‐908416‐00‐1 217 pp Free of charge http://research‐publishing.net/publication/978‐1‐908416‐00‐1.pdf

This ten chapter volume intends to approach a number of current issues “from well‐established web‐based learning environments to mobile learning, through current web 2.0 applications such as blogs, which foster intercultural contexts and/or diverse means of computer‐mediated interaction”. In this sense, the valuable book aims to enable readers to gain a deep understanding of the field and to provide research procedures and processes to facilitate the learning of foreign languages through the use of information technology. If you expect the content of this book to be relevant to you, I recommend that you buy a copy for your own use. Jesús García Laborda     

Strom,Paris S & Strom,Robert D (2014) Adolescents in the internet age. IAP (Charlotte,NC & Eurospan,London) isbn 978‐1‐623‐96762‐8 444 pp $45.99 (boards $85.99, ebook $50) http://www.infoagepub.com/products/Adolescents‐In‐The‐Internet‐Age‐2nd‐Edition

This text discusses contemporary research that relates to adolescents' technology use, and evaluates a range of recent literature. However, while the topic is likely to appeal to a wide audience, you should be mindful that the book is primarily targeted at the USA, and even in that context is best borrowed rather than bought. Lucy R Betts     

Knowledge‐ and Evidence‐Based Education: Reasons,Trends, and Contents

Education is in need of reform, and the development of the sciences of mind and brain are candidates to contribute to the renovation of the way people are instructed and of the tools that mediate learning. Knowledge‐ and evidence‐based approaches to education put forward the fact that educational systems are inadequate to provide an answer to the challenges of the 21st century and claim that education should be guided by scientific principles rather than by intuition and professional wisdom only (or, worst, by tradition). This is because sciences that are capable of shedding light into learning process have dramatically advanced during the last half‐century and, still more meaningfully, during the last 20 years. The time has come for a new science of learning to rise, which is structured around cognitive and neuroscience, investigates topics that stem from educational problems, and rests on rigorous forms of in‐laboratory and in‐vivo evaluation.     

Torrance,Mark et al ed (2012) Learning to write effectively Brill (Leiden,Netherlands) isbn 978‐1‐78052‐928‐8 431 pp €113.95 http://www.brill.com/learning‐write‐effectively‐current‐trends‐european‐research

The European Co‐operation in Science and Technology Research Network supported European research on learning to write effectively from 2008 to 2011. This book outlines the results—with eight editors presenting over ninety contributions from people in a dozen or more European countries. There are four sections: writing development; learning and teaching writing; document design; and tools for studying writing. Thus the coverage is broad, but thin. It's probably best to order this text for the library unless you are personally involved in research on writing. James Hartley