Availabilities:

Not currently available in 2020

Unit Summary

Unit type

PG Coursework Unit

Credit points

12

AQF level

8

Level of learning

Introductory

Former School/College

Former School of Education

Unit aim

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 a personal response to a range of early childhood education issues.

Unit content

Module One: Theoretical Perspectives of Play and Pedagogy

  • Foundations
  • Developmental perspectives
  • Sociocultural perspectives
  • Critical perspectives
  • 'Post' perspectives

Module Two: Teaching and Learning through Play 

  • Play-based policies: Curriculum/learning frameworks
  • Play-based policies: Assessment/documentation
  • Whose play? Inclusive practice
  • Digital play and popular media
  • Creating playful spaces

Learning outcomes

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.

GA1: , GA2: , GA3: , GA4: , GA5: , GA6: , GA7:
On completion of this unit, students should be able to: GA1 GA2 GA3 GA4 GA5 GA6 GA7
1 analyse types of play in learning, 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 early childhood 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–5 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. analyse types of play in learning, 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 early childhood 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–5 years)
    • GA1:
    • GA5:
  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: