HD 3460 - Serious Fun! The Role of Play Throughout Development

(KCM-HE)

Spring. 3 credits. Student option grading.

Prerequisite: HD 1150. Enrollment limited to: Human Development students.

M. Casasola.

The course examines the role of play in promoting the learning and socio-emotional development of children. Through class discussions, hands-on activities, observations, videos, and discussion of recent empirical findings, the course uniquely combines critical thinking and creativity to facilitate exploring and understanding how play functions to promote development from infancy to adulthood.

Outcome 1: Students will identify, analyze, and evaluate opposing thoughts and theories as they occur in their own and others’ work.

Outcome 2: One of the course aims is to engage students’ critical thinking, develop their writing skills, and encourage creativity.

Outcome 3: By the end of the course, students will be able to apply research findings to outline play solutions for real-world issues or challenges.