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This interactive book was created by Deakin University, which is located on the traditional lands of the Wadawurrung people in the Geelong region, the Wurundjeri and Boon Wurrung people in the greater Melbourne region, and the Gunditjmara people in the Warrnambool region.

Education has a long and rich heritage on the Australian continent, which we hope to honour and reflect in the ways we have shaped the words, concepts, imagery, and activities in this interactive textbook.

In sharing our knowledges in this text, we also recognise the profound impact global Indigenous voices have had in education, learning, and human ontologies.

Catalysts for textbook creation

This book has been shaped by the generative power of people in three interconnected areas.

Firstly, the research and practice of academics in the School of Education and NIKERI at Deakin University. Specifically, an identified lacuna in assessment practices drawing from play-based learning.

Another inspiration for this text was an Australian professional learning program designed to develop and strengthen teachers’ understanding of the role of play in children’s learning. A team of diverse Deakin staff conceptualised and created this program for a Victorian Department of Education (Australia) initiative.

The final stimulus for the creation of this work was growing global concerns for teachers supporting children transitioning to school. This is particularly relevant when children have missed crucial preschool experiences that privilege social learning, learning through play and introductions to formal education due to the pandemic.

However, it’s important to note that the many benefits of play-based learning and the ways in which play-based approaches strengthen young children’s learning capabilities, dispositions, and learning processes remain of value in the school environment beyond the contexts of the pandemic.