Unit rationale, description and aim
Play is a fundamental right for all children, regardless of age, abilities, background, or circumstances. It is essential to their learning, development, and overall well-being. In diverse settings, play promotes children’s growth, nurtures creativity and curiosity, and helps them make sense of the world around them.
This unit examines the significance of play in children’s lives (B-5) and highlights the value of play-based pedagogies. Pre-service teachers will explore both historical and contemporary theories and perspectives on play and consider how these inform educational practice. They will develop a professional philosophy statement that demonstrates their understanding of early childhood pedagogy.
Through this unit, pre-service teachers will investigate how the design of learning environments, the selection and use of resources including ICT, and the implementation of intentional teaching strategies can contribute to improved learning outcomes for children. Emphasis will also be placed on how play-based approaches can be adapted to meet the diverse developmental, educational, and cultural needs of all children.
This unit provides foundational knowledge for pre-service teachers’ future coursework and learning.
Campus offering
No unit offerings are currently available for this unit.Learning outcomes
To successfully complete this unit you will be able to demonstrate you have achieved the learning outcomes (LO) detailed in the below table.
Each outcome is informed by a number of graduate capabilities (GC) to ensure your work in this, and every unit, is part of a larger goal of graduating from ACU with the attributes of insight, empathy, imagination and impact.
Explore the graduate capabilities.
Apply knowledge of a range of historical and conte...
Learning Outcome 01
Articulate a well-developed understanding of how c...
Learning Outcome 02
Examine how the key characteristics of play outlin...
Learning Outcome 03
Explain how intentional play-based approaches, alo...
Learning Outcome 04
Create a professional philosophy that embodies con...
Learning Outcome 05
Content
Topics will include:
- What is play?
- Why is play important?
- Historical and contemporary theories and perspectives of play
- Theorists, theoretical foundations and their impact on contemporary practice in early childhood (B-5)
- Teaching strategies that are responsive to the diverse learning strengths and needs of children (B-5)
- Play-based pedagogies
- Play-based learning and curriculum frameworks and documents
- Play-based learning with intentionality
- International perspectives on play-based approaches
Assessment strategy and rationale
This unit includes two assessment tasks, which are designed to meet the unit learning outcomes and develop graduate capabilities consistent with the University’s assessment requirements. Pre-service teachers will be encouraged to adopt ethical and responsible use of GenAI.
The first assessment task requires pre-service teachers to undertake a comprehensive and critical examination of scholarly literature that addresses both historical and contemporary understandings of childhood, learning, and pedagogy. The second assessment expands on the critical analysis of literature by guiding pre-service teachers to develop a professional philosophy statement and create a presentation that outlines this philosophy and explains how contemporary teaching strategies inform their practice.
The assessment tasks for this unit are designed to demonstrate the achievement of each learning outcome. To pass this unit, pre-service teachers are required to: a) submit all assessment tasks, b) demonstrate achievement of every learning outcome, c) achieve a pass (50%) or better for Assessment Task 2, and d) achievea minimum overall passing grade of 50% for the unit overall.
Overview of assessments
Assessment Task 1: Critical Analysis of Literatur...
Assessment Task 1: Critical Analysis of Literature
In this assessment, pre-service teachers will critically analyse scholarly literature on historical and contemporary theories of childhood, learning, and play pedagogy. The task involves examining how foundational theories have shaped early childhood environments and practices, and how contemporary perspectives have expanded or challenged these models.
Pre-service teachers should evaluate how evolving understandings influence teaching and learning for children from birth to eight years (B–8), with a focus on the role of play in fostering development and engagement. Emphasis should be placed on how these theories support inclusive, responsive pedagogies that address the diverse strengths, needs, and backgrounds of all learners, including variations in language, culture, religion, socioeconomic context, and ability.
50%
Assessment Task 2: Professional Philosophy Statem...
Assessment Task 2: Professional Philosophy Statement and Presentation
Building on the critical literature analysis (Assessment Task 1), develop a professional philosophy statement that reflects your understanding of early childhood pedagogy. The statement should align with contemporary approaches, including play-based theories, and show awareness of equity, social justice, and diverse human experiences.
Create a presentation for families outlining your professional philosophy and how current teaching strategies, especially play, inform your practice to support children’s learning and development.
Design a learning environment that embodies your philosophy and pedagogical approach. Consider how the space supports diverse learning strengths, needs, and interests while promoting inclusive engagement for all children.
Include digital images in your presentation to illustrate how educational theories have shaped both your environment design and your overall teaching practice.
50%
Learning and teaching strategy and rationale
This unit adopts a strengths-based, inquiry-oriented approach that positions pre-service teachers as active co-constructors of knowledge. Through interactive seminars, case analyses, peer collaboration, and reflective thinking, pre-service teachers will explore historical and contemporary theories of play, linking these to pedagogical practice. The evaluation of play-based learning philosophies and environments will scaffold the application of theory to practice, supported by digital technologies and inclusive resources.
The rationale for this strategy lies in modelling the very principles of play-based pedagogy—agency, creativity, exploration, and responsiveness. By experiencing learning as dynamic and relational, pre-service teachers develop a grounded understanding of how play supports cognitive, emotional, and social development in diverse early childhood contexts. This approach also fosters critical reflection and equips future educators to advocate for equity and children's rights through intentional, culturally responsive practice.
To meet learning outcomes of the unit, pre-service teachers are encouraged to engage fully with all activities and assessments, including reflective tasks, discussions, webinars, podcasts, and videos.
Representative texts and references
Recommended Texts and Documents
Australian Government Department of Education [AGDE] (2022). Belonging, Being and Becoming: The Early Years Learning Framework for Australia (V2.0). Australian Government Department of Education for the Ministerial Council.
Nolan, A., & Raban, B. (2024). Theories into Practice - Revised Edition: Understanding and Rethinking Our Work with Young Children and the EYLF. Essential Resources Educational Publishers Ltd., 2024.
Robinson, C., Treasure, T., O’Connor, D., Neylon, G., Harrison, C. Y Wynne, S. (2018). Learning Through Play: Creating a Play-Based Approach within Early Childhood Contexts. Melbourne: Oxford University Press.
Recommended References
Australian Education Research Council. (2025, May). Play-based learning with intentionality (Discussion paper).
https://www.edresearch.edu.au/research/discussion-papers/play-based-learning-intentionality
Barblett, L., Hydon, C., & Cheeseman, S. (2022). Leading play-based pedagogies. Every Child, 28(1), 11-13.
Chen, M. Y., Rouse, E., & Morrissey, A. M. (2024). Intentionality and the active decision-making process in play-based learning. The Australian Educational Researcher, 51(4), 1373-1388. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13384-023-00644-6
Correia, N., Aguiar, C., & Amaro, F. (2023). Children’s participation in early childhood education: A theoretical overview. Contemporary Issues in Early Childhood, 24(3), 313-332. https://doi.org/10.1177/1463949120981789
Early Childhood Australia. (2023, October). ECA Statement on Play.
Ebbeck, M., & Waniganayake, M. (Eds.). (2016). Play in early childhood education: Learning in diverse contexts (2nd ed.). Oxford University Press.
Fleer, M. (2017). Play in the early years (2nd ed.). Cambridge University Press.
Fleer, M. (2021) Conceptual Playworlds: The role of imagination in play and learning. Early Years, 41(4), 353-364. https://doi.org/10.1080/09575146.2018.1549024
Fox, E.G., Lang, S.N., & Tebben, E. (2025). Planning for play in early childhood classrooms. Early Childhood Education Journal, 53, 233–244.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10643-023-01591-8
Kangas, J., Lastikka, A.-L., & Arvola, O. (2023). Inclusive Play: Defining Elements of Playful Teaching and Learning in Culturally and Linguistically Diverse ECEC. Education Sciences, 13(9), 956. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci13090956