Play, Learning and Development

Course aim

To develop students’ pedagogical knowledge of the role of play in learning and development including understanding, valuing and advocating for play as a fundamental right for all children birth to 8 years.

Course content

Students will undertake a theoretical and practical exploration of play, including ‘hands on’ inquiry based workshops where students get to experiment with a wide range of materials and resources to create engaging and challenging learning activities and environments for infants and young children which ensure equity of access and participation inclusive of culture, gender and disability. Students will consider multiple perspectives on what play is, the value of play for the child and the benefits of play. Students will critique different theoretical perspectives of play and consider the role of the early childhood educator in supporting the development of play and the pedagogical practice of play for children birth to 8 years. Students will reflect on their experiences as learners, consider the relationship between play, learning and development, and understand the importance of understanding the child’s perspective and co-constructing meaning in play.

Textbook(s)

Nil

Prerequisite(s)

Nil

Corequisite(s)

Nil

Teaching method

Note: These components may or may not be scheduled in every study period. Please refer to the timetable for further details.

Assessment

Essay

Fees

EFTSL*: 0.125
Commonwealth Supported program (Band 1)
To determine the fee for this course as part of a Commonwealth Supported program, go to:
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Fee-paying program for domestic and international students
International students and students undertaking this course as part of a postgraduate fee paying program must refer to the relevant program home page to determine the cost for undertaking this course.

Non-award enrolment
Non-award tuition fees are set by the university. To determine the cost of this course, go to:
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Not all courses are available on all of the above bases, and students must check to ensure that they are permitted to enrol in a particular course.

* Equivalent Full Time Study Load. Please note: all EFTSL values are published and calculated at ten decimal places. Values are displayed to three decimal places for ease of interpretation.