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Unit of Study TCH10515 - Play and Pedagogies in the Early Years (2016)

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Unit Snapshot

  • Unit type

    UG Coursework Unit

  • Credit points

    12

  • AQF level

    7

  • Level of learning

    Introductory

  • Former School/College

    Former School of Education

  • Enrolment information

    Available to B Education (Primary) & (Early Childhood) students only.

Unit description

Focuses on students acquiring an understanding of the range of pedagogies and approaches to curriculum utilised in early childhood education and care. Analyses key issues pertaining to the role of play in learning; the relationships between philosophy, theory and pedagogy to learning environments for young children, and develops an understanding of what it is to be an early childhood educator.

Unit content

1. Setting the contexts: Play and pedagogies in early childhood:

  • history of early childhood education and childcare in Australia
  • ECEC philosophy; guiding principles and key components of early childhood education and childcare pedagogy and programs
  • perspectives, program models, and curriculum models on children's learning, play and development (e.g. developmentally appropriate practice; socio-cultural/constructivist theories; behaviouralist theory; postmodern-post-structural theories in ECEC)

2. Understanding the contexts: Relationships and interactions:

  • theories of play and play in contexts: relationships to learning and development of young children in their many environments (planned and unplanned, social, physical, cognitive, commercial, environmental, cultural, economic, educational contexts)
  • justifications for a play-based pedagogy in early childhood education and care

3. Consolidating and applying knowledge of ECEC philosophy, pedagogy and play:

  • the types of interactions and relationships in ECEC contexts and within ECEC pedagogy
  • Australian and international curriculum frameworks (e.g. DEEWR Early Years Learning Framework 2009; NSW DOCS 'Practice of Relationships' Curriculum Framework for Children's Services; C&K Building Waterfalls, 2009; Qld DETA Foundations for Success, 2010, NZ Education 'Te Whariki')

4. Reflection:

  • issues in early childhood education and childcare curriculum: regulations, relationships and realities

Availabilities

Location Domestic International
Coffs Harbour Session 1 Session 1
Gold Coast Session 1 N/A
Lismore Session 1 Session 1
Online Session 1 Session 1

Learning outcomes and graduate attributes

Unit Learning Outcomes express learning achievement in terms of what a student should know, understand and be able to do on completion of a unit. These outcomes are aligned with the graduate attributes. The unit learning outcomes and graduate attributes are also the basis of evaluating prior learning.

On completion of this unit, students should be able to:

GA1: Intellectual rigour, GA2: Creativity, GA3: Ethical practice, GA4: Knowledge of a discipline, GA5: Lifelong learning, GA6: Communication and social skills, GA7: Cultural competence
Learning outcome count Learning outcome description GA1 GA2 GA3 GA4 GA5 GA6 GA7
1 introduce types of play in learning, history, theories of, and challenges to, play-based pedagogy
2 demonstrate how a play-based pedagogy can be justified
3 analyse key issues pertaining to the role of play in learning
4 discuss the diversity of approaches to curriculum and pedagogy utilised in early childhood education and care, and how they position children, teachers and parents
5 analyse the relationships between philosophy, theory and pedagogy to learning environments for young children (birth-8 years)
6 critically reflect on their personal approach to learning and teaching, the challenges they face and the learning competencies they need to achieve to succeed in their study and career as an early childhood professional.

On completion of this unit, students should be able to:

  1. introduce types of play in learning, history, theories of, and challenges to, play-based pedagogy
    • GA1:
    • GA4:
  2. demonstrate how a play-based pedagogy can be justified
    • GA1:
    • GA5:
  3. analyse key issues pertaining to the role of play in learning
    • GA1:
    • GA4:
  4. discuss the diversity of approaches to curriculum and pedagogy utilised in early childhood education and care, and how they position children, teachers and parents
    • GA1:
    • GA4:
  5. analyse the relationships between philosophy, theory and pedagogy to learning environments for young children (birth-8 years)
    • GA1:
    • GA4:
  6. critically reflect on their personal approach to learning and teaching, the challenges they face and the learning competencies they need to achieve to succeed in their study and career as an early childhood professional.
    • GA4:
    • GA5:

Prescribed learning resources

Prescribed Texts
  • No prescribed texts.

Prescribed Learning Resources may change in future Teaching Periods.