Search results for ‘Subject term:"social work education"’ Sort:
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Enhancing social work students' learning experience and readiness to undertake practice learning
- Authors:
- WILSON George, KELLY Berni
- Publisher:
- Higher Education Academy. Subject Centre for Social Policy and Social Work
- Publication year:
- 2010
- Pagination:
- 10p.
- Place of publication:
- Southampton
Although there is a call to develop a new social work pedagogy more firmly grounded on empirical evidence of what works, knowledge and understanding of how students acquire, apply and develop professional social work knowledge and expertise remains limited. This paper evaluates the effectiveness of social work education by analysing student perceptions of the strengths and limitations of their education and training on the Bachelor of Social Work at Queen’s University, Belfast. It aims to contribute evidence-based understanding of the challenges and opportunities students identified themselves within contemporary practice environments. Qualitative data was acquired before, during and after practice learning. The majority of students identified managing risk as a top priority for their future learning. Other unmet learning needs students included time management, dealing with drug and alcohol misuse and experience of court work. Students expressed uncertainty about agency expectations for newly qualified social workers and support available including protected case load and supervision. Overall, the findings of this study indicate high levels of student satisfaction with preparatory teaching and practice learning opportunities during qualifying training.
Building partnerships in social work education: towards achieving collaborative advantage for employers and universities
- Author:
- WILSON George
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Social Work, 14(1), 2014, pp.3-22.
- Publisher:
- Sage
Summary: Better partnership working between employers and academic institutions has recently been identified as one of the key developments needed to improve social work education and practice in the UK (Social Work Reform Board, 2010). However, the praxis of collaborative working in social work education remains under-researched and it is unclear what factors are significant in promoting effective partnership. This article contributes to this debate by reporting research that examined the experience of social work academics working with employers to deliver qualifying level social work education in Northern Ireland. Findings: This analysis explores key factors in the dynamics of the collaborative process and identifies both congruence and discord in academic and employer perspectives. The findings highlight the collaborative advantage accruing from partnership working, which include the benefits of a centrally coordinated system for the management and delivery of practice learning. However, the results also indicate that engaging in partnership working is a complex process that can create conflict and tensions, and that it is important to ground collaborations in realistic expectations of what can be achieved. Application: This article identifies opportunities for achieving collaborative advantage and the challenges. It identifies lessons learned about the value of partnership working in social work education and ways to increase its efficacy. (Publisher abstract)
Developing social work education: academic perspectives
- Authors:
- WILSON George, CAMPBELL Anne
- Journal article citation:
- British Journal of Social Work, 43(5), 2013, pp.1005-1023.
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
During the past decade, a new culture of pedagogic research has emerged in social work in the UK. A succession of child-care tragedies that have led to government and public criticism of social work have highlighted the need for improvements to professional standards and stimulated renewed interest in social work education. Research aimed at developing knowledge of ‘what works’ in the educational process have included studies of student experiences and the perspectives of other stakeholders including service users and practice teachers. However, there has been little systematic investigation of the role of academics in social work education and their perceptions of what needs to be done to improve the quality of provision. This paper aims to address this gap in research by examining the perceptions of academics about their work. The findings should provide important lessons of relevance to educators in the UK and in other countries seeking to develop social work education. (Edited publisher abstract)
Reforming social work education: some reflections on the contribution of practice learning
- Author:
- WILSON George
- Journal article citation:
- Practice: Social Work in Action, 24(4), 2012, pp.225-237.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
Social work in the UK is currently undergoing a process of major reform and a wide range of recommendations have been made aimed at improving practice and education. This paper focuses on the Social Work Reform Board's proposals for improving practice learning in qualifying level social work education. It examines how recommendations for better partnership working between Higher Education Institutions and employers and developing critical reflection in agencies are likely to impact on student learning. Drawing on experience of social work education in Northern Ireland it considers the potential of the Reform Board's proposals for improving the quality of practice learning and enhancing students' preparedness for employment. The paper concludes that differences in educational aims and priorities, resistant practice cultures and cut-backs in resourcing could present major obstacles that must be overcome if this potential is to be realised. (Publisher abstract)
Evaluating the effectiveness of social work education: preparing students for practice learning
- Authors:
- WILSON George, KELLY Berni
- Journal article citation:
- British Journal of Social Work, 40(8), December 2010, pp.2431-2449.
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
Evaluating the effectiveness of social work education has become a topic of major interest in the UK in the wake of a succession of child-care tragedies that have undermined confidence in the profession. However, many key aspects of social work education remain under-researched or contested. This paper reports on the first part of a longitudinal study aimed at developing evidence-based knowledge on how student develop professional expertise by considering student perceptions at different stages of their social work education at Queen's University, Belfast. This part of the study investigated student satisfaction with the adequacy of university preparatory teaching for their first practice learning opportunity and their perceptions of how their competence developed across key skills, knowledge and values. The study comprised a survey completed by 55 students which collected data on: student demographics; satisfaction with the course module which provided preparatory teaching; and the usefulness of the course module. Two focus groups were also conducted with a purposive sample of the same cohort of students. The findings indicated a significant level of disjunction between academic and practice learning and suggest that better integration between these two domains of learning is needed if social work students are to be more effectively prepared for the challenges they are likely to encounter in practice.
Evidencing reflective practice in social work education: theoretical uncertainties and practical challenges
- Author:
- WILSON George
- Journal article citation:
- British Journal of Social Work, 43(1), 2013, pp.154-172.
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
Drawing on research with undergraduates at Queen's University Belfast, this paper aims to develop understanding of students' experience of reflective practice. The results suggest that agency systems that have become over-reliant on rules and procedures present formidable obstacles to learning both at an individual and at an organisational level. The paper argues that the relationship between how reflective practice is taught and how it is enacted in practice needs to be better understood if such obstacles are to be overcome. The paper concludes by considering the implications of the findings for developing reflective practice in social work education and practice and highlights the challenges that need to be addressed if reflection and critical thinking are to become more firmly embedded within agency systems and practice cultures. (Edited publisher abstract)
Reforming social work education: some reflections on the contribution of practice learning
- Author:
- WILSON George
- Journal article citation:
- Practice: Social Work in Action, 24(2), 2012, pp.225-237.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
Social work in Northern Ireland is undergoing a process of major reform and a wide range of recommendations have been made aimed at improving practice and education. This paper focuses on the Social Work Reform Board's proposals for improving practice learning in qualifying level social work education. It examines how recommendations for better partnership working between Higher Education Institutions and employers and developing critical reflection in agencies are likely to impact on student learning. Drawing on experience of social work education it considers the potential of the Reform Board's proposals for improving the quality of practice learning and enhancing students' preparedness for employment. The paper concludes that differences in educational aims and priorities, resistant practice cultures and cut-backs in resourcing could present major obstacles that must be overcome if this potential is to be realised.
Developing self-evaluation
- Authors:
- DOUGLAS Harry, WILSON George
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Practice and Staff Development, 5(3), October 1996, pp.35-47.
- Publisher:
- PEPAR Publications
Describes the outcomes of a workshop which examined the concept of self-evaluation and reflective practice in social work education and staff development. Goes on to identify the barriers and explored ways of helping the development of self-evaluation and reflective practice in social work.
Research training and professional social work education: developing research-minded practice
- Authors:
- MCCRYSTAL Patrick, WILSON George
- Journal article citation:
- Social Work Education (The International Journal), 28(8), December 2009, pp.856-872.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
- Place of publication:
- Philadelphia, USA
Aiming to inform the debate about what form research training should take at qualifying level in social work education, this paper discusses the importance attached to empirical and practitioner research in the UK, the development of research-mindedness in social work and social work education, and reports on the findings of a repeated cross-sectional survey of Masters Degree in Social Work students conducted over a 4 year period at Queen's University Belfast, focusing on their perceptions of the value of research training to professional practice and the implications for the design of educational programmes and pedagogical practice. The findings suggested that the majority of students perceived research training as a valuable component of professional development, but that there was a level of scepticism among students about its practical utility; many students in the study felt there was a need to develop research in social work to make it more relevant, accessible and specific. The authors conclude that there is a need for a rethink of research teaching in social work education programmes, and that social work educators need to think strategically about the form and content such training should take so that it not only fits with the different stages of student and practitioner development but also addresses the profession's need for researchers and competent evidence based practitioners.