Plays And Learning

1. Define play and its role in early childhood education
2. Explain different learning theories and their application to preschool education
3. Design and organize stimulating learning environments
4. Apply Montessori principles in a preschool setting
5. Identify appropriate play materials for different developmental stages
6. Develop daycare activities that promote holistic child development

13 weeks, about 42 hours in total. Yours will differ.

1. Week 1Module 1:

   • Unit 1 Play: Basic Concepts · 3 hours

     Define play and its characteristics. Discuss the significance of play in childhood. Examine stages of play: solitary, parallel, cooperative.

2. Week 2Module 1:

   • Unit 2 Learning at Childhood · 3 hours

     Define learning and its relationship to experience. Discuss theories of learning: Stimulus-Response and Cognitive. Explain preschool learning styles.

3. Week 3Module 1:

   • Unit 3 Kinds of Learning · 3 hours

     Define learning and its relationship to development. Describe classical and operant conditioning. Explain imitation, concept learning, and rule learning.

4. Week 4Module 1:

   • Unit 4 The Interrelationship between Play and Learning · 3 hours

     Examine the meanings of play and learning. Explain the relationship between play and learning. Outline preschool children's learning styles.

5. Week 5Module 1:

   • Unit 5 Growth and Development of the Preschool Child · 3 hours

     Define growth and development. Distinguish between maturation and learning. Identify trends in preschool child's growth and development.

6. Week 6Module 2:

   • Unit 1 The Environment In Early Childhood Education · 3 hours

     Define the term environment. Examine various aspects of the environment. Highlight relevance of environment in early childhood education.

7. Week 7Module 2:

   • Unit 2 Planning the Environment · 3 hours

     Design and arrange appropriate environments for preschool. Justify choice of components in the physical environment. Plan indoor and outdoor spaces.

8. Week 8Module 2:

   • Unit 3 Play-Based Learning and Teaching Models · 3 hours

     Define developmental appropriateness. Examine play-based Model of Learning and Teaching. Discuss awareness, exploration, inquiry, and utilization.

9. Week 9Module 2:

   • Unit 4 Play Materials · 3 hours

     Identify the purpose of play. Suggest ways of using play in preschool. Suggest play materials appropriate for use in preschool.

10. Week 10Module 2:

    • Unit 5 Day Care Learning Activities · 3 hours

      Identify components of daycare activities. List activities for different age levels in daycare. Suggest learning materials for daycare.

11. Week 11Module 3:

    • Unit 1 Outdoor Facilities · 3 hours

      Identify activities that aid developmental needs. Explain relationship between activities and child's development. Discuss gross motor activities.

12. Week 12Module 3:

    • Unit 2 Organising the Outdoor Learning Environment · 3 hours

      Design and arrange physically appropriate environment for preschool. Plan and organize play-based outdoor environment. Discuss learning centers in outdoor environment.

13. Week 13Module 3:

    • Unit 3 Play: The Montessori Approach · 3 hours

      State antecedents of the Montessori approach. Discuss components of the Montessori method. Motor education, sensory education, language education.

    • Unit 4 Principles of Learning and Instruction: The Montessori Method · 3 hours

      Discuss Montessori learning principles. Discuss role of a Montessori teacher. Critique the Montessori method.