Unit rationale, description and aim
In this unit, pre-service teachers will explore how the design and affordances of physical environments support young children’s learning, development, and wellbeing. Attention will also be given to the role of the temporal environment—routines, rhythms, and transitions—in shaping children’s behaviour and fostering positive interactions between children and educators.
Pre-service teachers will engage critically with contemporary theories and current issues in environmental design, examining how learning environments can support socially inclusive practices and encourage positive behaviours. The unit also addresses the requirements of policy, curriculum frameworks, and relevant legislation in the context of early childhood education and care.
Through investigation and reflection, pre-service teachers will consider how thoughtfully designed environments respond to the diverse experiences of families and children across various ECEC settings. They will develop strategies to create and maintain inclusive, supportive, and developmentally appropriate learning spaces.
The aim is to understand the learning environment as the “third teacher”—an intentional and engaging context that plays a vital role in inviting, sustaining, and enriching opportunities for every child’s growth 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.
Analyse systems, approved learning frameworks, reg...
Learning Outcome 01
Apply theoretical perspectives about children’s le...
Learning Outcome 02
Demonstrate the interrelationship between design, ...
Learning Outcome 03
Justify intentional teaching strategies and philos...
Learning Outcome 04
Content
Topics will include:
MODULE 1 Learning environments in the early years
EYLF principles and practices
National Quality Standard – Quality Area 3
The environment as the 3rd teacher
Environment and program design in Australia and around the world
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives / Ancestral knowledges
Safety considerations
MODULE 2 Physical environment Indoor
Theory of play affordance
Contemporary approaches, including:
Infant-toddler centres and preschools of Reggio Emilia, Italy and Montessori
Risky play
STEM learning
Children's agency
Place-based approaches
Inclusive community spaces
Nature play
MODULE 3 Temporal environment Communications and interactions
Theory of practice architectures
Considerations for cultural and linguistic diversity
Routines and transitions
Rituals to support social inclusion and wellbeing
Children's agency
Behaviour guidance approach and theoretical underpinnings
Assessment strategy and rationale
This unit comprises two assessment tasks aligned with the unit learning outcomes and designed to build graduate capabilities.
Assessment Task 1 requires pre-service teachers to work collaboratively in small groups to design diverse early childhood learning environments, drawing on relevant theoretical frameworks, approaches, and learning guidelines.
Assessment Task 2 invites pre-service teachers to consolidate their understanding by creating a ‘day in the life’ early years program. This includes a rationale for the structure and design of the routine and physical environment to support children's learning, development, and wellbeing.
Together, these tasks enable pre-service teachers to explore how learning environments influence children's engagement and growth. Pre-service teachers will deepen their understanding of how theory and practice inform the creation of inclusive, supportive, and developmentally appropriate settings.
To successfully complete the unit, pre-service teachers must: 1. submit both assessment tasks, 2. demonstrate achievement of all learning outcomes, 3. attain a minimum of 50% for Assessment Task 1, and 4. attain a minimum of 50% for Assessment Task 2.
Overview of assessments
Assessment Task 1: Presentation Working in...
Assessment Task 1: Presentation
Working in groups of 2 or 3, pre-service teachers will design and present a plan for the use of three key learning environments within an early years program:
- Indoor
- Outdoor
- Beyond (community or extended learning spaces)
The project consists of two components:
- Part A: Design and Use
- Part B: Rationale/Philosophy
50%
Assessment Task 2: Scenario Program Plan Pre-ser...
Assessment Task 2: Scenario Program Plan
Pre-service teachers chose a service scenario:
a) Privately operated Long Day Care service
b) Community Kindergarten/Preschool
c) Bush Kindy program
Following a planning template provided, pre-service teachers detail a ‘day in the life of’ routine plan for a group of kindergarten/preschool age children (4-5 years).
50%
Learning and teaching strategy and rationale
This unit adopts a blended learning strategy combining digital content, collaborative workshops, and reflective practice to deepen pre-service teachers’ understanding of how physical and temporal environments influence children's wellbeing, development, and behaviour. Online modules include visual exemplars, readings, and podcasts, while tutorials and group tasks focus on inclusive design principles across diverse ECEC contexts.
Grounded in sociocultural theory and the Reggio Emilia philosophy of the environment as the “third teacher,” the strategy highlights the significance of space and routines in fostering positive relationships and respectful interactions. Pre-service teachers analyse policies, curriculum frameworks, and legal obligations to design learning spaces that are inclusive, ethical, and developmentally responsive. A key feature of the unit is the encouragement of ethical and responsible use of generative AI, supporting learners to engage critically with AI tools for inquiry and creativity, while maintaining professional integrity. Through multimodal assessments, design challenges, and peer co-inquiry, the unit cultivates critical reflection, innovation, and inclusive practices—ensuring graduates are well equipped to create and sustain quality environments for all children.
Representative texts and references
Recommended texts and documents
Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority. (2025). Guide to the National Quality Framework. https://www.acecqa.gov.au/national-quality-framework/guide-nqf
Curtis, D. & Carter, M. (2015). Designs for living and learning: Transforming early childhood environments (2nd Ed.). Redleaf Press.
Little, H., Elliott, S., & Wyver, S. (2017). Outdoor learning environments: Spaces for exploration, discovery and risk-taking in the early years. Allen and Unwin.
Nolan, A. & Raban, B. (2024). Theories into Practice: Understanding and rethinking our work with young children and the EYLF (Revised Edition). Teaching Solutions.
Porter, L. (2020). Young children’s behaviour: Guidance approaches for early childhood educators (4th ed.). Routledge.
Recommended references
Arthur, L., Beecher, B., Death, E., Dockett, S., & Farmer, S. (2025). Programming and planning in early childhood settings (9th ed.). Cengage.
Daly, L. & Beloglovsky, M. (2014). Loose parts: Inspiring play in young children. Redleaf Press.
Gordon, A. M., & Browne, K. W. (2023). Beginnings & beyond: Foundations in early childhood education (11th ed.). Cengage Learning.
Greenman, J. (2005). Caring spaces, learning places – Children’s environments that work. Exchange Press Inc.
Loader, M. & Christie, T. (2017). Rituals: Making the everyday extraordinary in early childhood. Childspace.
Warden, C. (2016). Learning with nature: Embedding outdoor practice. Sage Publications.