This chapter provides an orientation to both the book series, "Understanding Teaching-Learning" Practice," and this book, "Spaces of Teaching and Learning." It begins by situating the idea of "practice" in educational research and emphasises our interest in the individual and the mind and the links between these and the contexts or spaces in which we find ourselves. Understanding practice in context necessitates that we investigate how individuals interact with one another and the tools and artefacts that make up the context, the flows between the elements. Consequently, the chapter considers how spaces of teaching and learning are being shaped by the interaction of people and things and emphasises that in order to orientate this interaction more closely to help learners achieve their learning outcomes, the ideas of actionable knowledge and ecological thinking are key. The chapter finishes with a brief discussion of the links between the chapters and their contribution to the themes of the book. [For the complete volume, "Spaces of Teaching and Learning: Integrating Perspectives on Research and Practice," see ED611164.]