Understanding Play: Pedagogy and Possibilities

Play is central to learning in early childhood education, yet this ubiquitous concept is hard to define. This unit draws on current research of play to extend students’ understanding of play as critical to human belonging, being and becoming. This unit draws on students’ prior experiences in Early Childhood contexts to understand play more deeply and from different perspectives and generate creative and imaginative ways for students to advocate for children’s right to play.

In this unit students will examine approaches to play including Fleer's Conceptual Playworld, Forest schools/bush kinder, PlayWork, and Edwards digital play. There will be a focus on children’s transition to primary school, and the changing role of play in primary school environments. Play therapy and the role of play in social justice will also be explored. Philosophical, practical, theoretical, and cultural contexts; psychology, play research, and brain research inform the learning in this unit.

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, students will be able to:

1. Analyse and articulate how belonging, being and becoming develops through play;
2. Rationalise and design contexts for play that nurture children’s and teachers’ lives;
3. Argue and advocate for play as a critical activity for human beings and particularly in early childhood
4. Critically analyse contemporary theories and pedagogies of play
5. Participate in an academic community of discourse through reflective and critical engagement in academic texts and understanding of principles of academic integrity.