Facilitating Children's Play and Pedagogy

The module commences with revisiting theory of development and learning including family learning.  Pedagogical strategies of observing, questioning and listening, in order tofacilitate children’s cognitive, social and emotional well-being will be analysed.  Concepts and theories of curriculum and pedagogy will be explored, and students will examine a range of guidelines for practice, learning and curriculum and use relevant frameworks to identify values, knowledge and skills which practitioners are expected to bring to the sector.  

The importance of play and the child's right to play is enshrined in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and the module will allow students to critically reflect on how this has directed the development of national policy and frameworks for learning such as in Scotland, Play Strategy for Scotland: Our Vision (2013) and Early Years Framework (2009) and/or relevant international policy and frameworks.  

Students will develop and evaluate their practice making reference to How Good is Our Early Learning and Childcare, National Health and Social Care Standards and SSSC Code of Practice.   The issue of transitions at all stages of a child’s journey will be examined.  Students will be encouraged to develop skill in sharing observations with the aim of progressing children’s learning and development, in addition to reflective practice and self-evaluation. 

At the end of this module the student will be able to:

• Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the significance of play and pedagogy in the development and wellbeing of children
• Consider the nature of play underpinned by theory, policies and initiatives in relation to children’s lives
• ​Demonstrate an understanding of theory, policy and practice with regard to transition
• ​​Use the above knowledge to critically reflect on own ethical practice, carrying out a range of skills as a member of a team and a leader of learning in an early years establishment
  

This is an SCQF Level 8 module and upon successful completion, participants will be awarded 20 credits.

Delivery

The module will be delivered by blended learning on Fridays: 4 weeks at Lanarkshire campus, other weeks online synchronous, times to be confirmed.

Course presenter

This module will be delivered by Dean Armstrong.

NOTE: This is a university module and upon approval of your application, you will be invited to register and then supported to complete enrolment. To enrol on the university system, the first step involves security set-up using the Microsoft Authenticator app; you will need to ensure that you have a compatible smartphone.

Further information is available at the Student Information Portal.

To access this module via the CPD route, individuals should be ordinarily resident in Scotland.  If you do not meet this criteria, please enquire here.