EDF5821 · Play and childhoods

Overview

This unit will examine play as a pedagogical construct. You will investigate both historical and contemporary approaches to defining and theorising play. Developing an understanding that play is culturally and socially defined, you will examine the role of play across multiple childhoods and their worlds. Critiquing dominant ideas of play they will engage in examining how cross-cultural variations, collective relationships, digital spaces and the range of play contexts in which children find themselves today influence children’s access to, and interpretation of, play in their worlds. You will explore notions of playfulness across generations including your own experiences with playfulness to develop skills and knowledge of how they might support and lead playful learning environments. Drawing on contemporary theoretical perspectives of play, and with the use of current curriculum frameworks, you will formulate a personal position statement about the role of play as a pedagogical construct to support children’s learning that is connected to their worlds.

Offerings

Assessment

The Handbook does not list a final examination among the assessment items. That is not a guarantee there is none.

Assessment details may change. Please refer to the assessment information in Moodle closer to the start of the teaching period.

Requisites

The Handbook lists no prerequisite, corequisite or prohibition for this unit.

Learning outcomes

1. research, analyse and critique multiple theories of play to examine ‘play’ as a pedagogical construct in early childhood education
2. examine contemporary play-based learning theories and critically analyse their relevance across multiple childhoods and their worlds
3. design and implement appropriate play-based learning experiences for diverse children and childhoods
4. examine different forms of documentation of children’s play with the purpose of identifying their strengths and challenges
5. critically examine and discuss the role of the adult in child-led play-based learning contexts.

Workload

The minimum total expected workload to achieve the learning outcomes for this unit is 144 hours per teaching period comprising a mixture of scheduled learning activities and independent study. Usually, you can expect to engage with: • 24 hours* of scheduled learning delivered on campus via weekly/regular directed learning activities; and • the remaining hours to be allocated towards self-directed/independent study Scheduled learning activities may include a combination of teacher directed learning, peer directed learning and online engagement. *Subject to variation due to professional experience requirements

Student experience, not official rules. Nothing here changes what the Handbook says.