EDF5821 Play and childhoods
Faculty of Education
EDF5821 Play and childhoods is a level 5, 6-credit-point, postgraduate unit from the Faculty of Education, offered in 2026 in Semester 2 at Clayton. It has no prerequisites.
- Credit points
- 6
- Offered in 2026
- Semester 2
- Clayton
- Assessment
- No exam
- 2 tasks
- Workload
- 144 hours
- per semester
This is the 2026 handbook entry. See the 2027 entry.
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Requisites
Before EDF5821
No prerequisites or corequisites besides the enrolment rules below.
After EDF5821
No unit lists EDF5821 as a prerequisite in the 2026 handbook.
Enrolment rules
Must be enrolled in D6001
Overview
This unit will examine play as a pedagogical construct. You will investigate both historical and contemporary approaches to defining and theorising play. Developing an understanding that play is culturally and socially defined, you will examine the role of play across multiple childhoods and their worlds. Critiquing dominant ideas of play they will engage in examining how cross-cultural variations, collective relationships, digital spaces and the range of play contexts in which children find themselves today influence children’s access to, and interpretation of, play in their worlds. You will explore notions of playfulness across generations including your own experiences with playfulness to develop skills and knowledge of how they might support and lead playful learning environments. Drawing on contemporary theoretical perspectives of play, and with the use of current curriculum frameworks, you will formulate a personal position statement about the role of play as a pedagogical construct to support children’s learning that is connected to their worlds.
Offerings in 2026
| Teaching period | Campus | Mode |
|---|---|---|
| Second semester | Clayton | On campus, block |
Assessment
- Poster presentation: Analysis of a playful learning event (2000 words or equivalent)Presentation50%
- Designing play pedagogy (2000 words or equivalent)Presentation50%
Assessment details may change. Please refer to the assessment information in Moodle closer to the start of the teaching period.
Learning outcomes
When you finish this unit, you should be able to:
- 1
research, analyse and critique multiple theories of play to examine ‘play’ as a pedagogical construct in early childhood education
- 2
examine contemporary play-based learning theories and critically analyse their relevance across multiple childhoods and their worlds
- 3
design and implement appropriate play-based learning experiences for diverse children and childhoods
- 4
examine different forms of documentation of children’s play with the purpose of identifying their strengths and challenges
- 5
critically examine and discuss the role of the adult in child-led play-based learning contexts.
Workload and teaching
- Tutorials18 hours
- Lectures6 hours
- Teaching approachActive learning
The minimum total expected workload to achieve the learning outcomes for this unit is 144 hours per teaching period comprising a mixture of scheduled learning activities and independent study.
Usually, you can expect to engage with:
• 24 hours* of scheduled learning delivered on campus via weekly/regular directed learning activities; and
• the remaining hours to be allocated towards self-directed/independent study
Scheduled learning activities may include a combination of teacher directed learning, peer directed learning and online engagement.
*Subject to variation due to professional experience requirements
You will be provided with the opportunity to engage with relevant literature and resources. Further, you will be encouraged to deepen your understanding of topic areas through collegial discussion and debate, and by participating in activities designed to extend your understanding.
Learning resources
Recommended resources
Please visit the unit Moodle site for further information.
Where it fits
EDF5821 is part of 2 areas of study in the 2026 handbook.
Contacts
- Unit Coordinators
- Associate Professor Ana Mantilla
- Chief Examiners
- Associate Professor Ana Mantilla
Common questions
What are the prerequisites for EDF5821?
EDF5821 has no prerequisites, but enrolment rules apply.
When is EDF5821 offered?
In 2026, EDF5821 runs in Semester 2 at Clayton.
How much work is EDF5821?
The handbook expects about 144 hours of study across the semester. No students have rated its difficulty yet.
Does EDF5821 have an exam?
No. EDF5821 has 2 assessment tasks and no exam.
Which majors and minors include EDF5821?
EDF5821 is part of Early childhood and primary education; and Early childhood education.