Helping Students Apply Theory to Practice

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Helping Students Apply Theory to Practice

• NCSSS Orientation for Field Instruction
• Susanne Bennett, PhD
• National Catholic School of Social Service, CUA
• Fall 2004

This presentation is the intellectual property of
the author and may be used only with written
permission and appropriate credit.
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• The map is not the territory.--Gregory Bateson
• There is nothing so practical as a good
  theory.--Kurt Lewin
• There is no theory that is not beset with
  problems. --Karl Popper

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NCSSS takes theory seriously

• Our foundation HUMAN BEHAVIOR THE SOCIAL
  ENVIRONMENT (HBSE) and THEORY PRACTICE courses
  introduce many theories to first year students
• Clinical and Combined concentrators choose one
  advanced clinical theory psychodynamic,
  cognitive/behavioral, or transpersonal

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Whats so great about theory?

• Theory makes the difference between a
  professionally educated social worker and a
  trained technician
• Technicians can be trained to implement
  particular techniques in particular circumstances
• Professional social workers educated in theory
  can think what to do under varying circumstances

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What is Theory?

• A system of thought interrelated concepts based
  on inductive deductive reasoning
• The relationship between concepts
• is expressed as hypotheses
• which are tested or testable
• and are intended to explain or predict phenomena

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What is the purpose of theory?

• It helps us organize our thoughts, interpret the
  world, evaluate our actions
• It explains predicts
• Human behavior (micro)
• The impact of social structures (mezzo)
• Social problems (macro)
• It directs research informs policy
• It guides practice
• It gives credibility to the profession

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What is clinical practice theory?

• An interrelated set of concepts that
• Explains the bio-psycho-social-spiritual nature
  of human beings
• Explains the development of adaptive
  maladaptive thoughts, feelings, behavior of
  human systems in transaction with their natural,
  built, social environments
• Predicts how those patterns may change

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Two functions of practice theories

• Explanatory function Theory used for
  explanation assessment
• Ex Eriksons psychosocial theoryassesses
  psychosocial developmental stages
• Ex Systems theoryexplains how people are in
  transaction with their environment
• Ex Attachment theoryassesses quality of
  relationships explains impact of separation

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• The change function Theory that predicts why
  how change takes place
• Ex Cognitive theorychange in thinking results
  in change in feelings behavior
• Ex Structural family theorychange in structure
  boundaries improves family functioning
• Ex Object relations theorychange in
  internalized representations of relating creates
  change in current relationship functioning

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Whats the connection with interventions?

• Techniques interventions are based on linked
  to the explanatory change concepts of the
  particular theory
• Different theories map out different methods of
  intervention

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In other words.

• Theories help you know which way
• to go how to get there!

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Example of appropriate techniques

• Behavioral Theory
• Explanatory conceptbehavior is learned
  antecedents consequences maintain behavior in
  the present
• Change conceptfunctioning improves through
  adapting new behaviors extinguishing old ones
• Techniquespositive reinforcement, negative
  reinforcement, response-cost

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• Systems theory
• Explanatory conceptpersons are in continual
  transaction with their environment
• Change conceptfunctioning improves when a person
  is connected to supportive networks external
  resources
• Techniqueslink, network, make referrals,
  advocate, broker

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• Psychodynamic theory
• Explanatory conceptsinternal external forces
  impact emotional development past experiences
  impact present reality
• Change conceptfunctioning improves through
  resolving internal conflicts expressing affect
  within the client-worker relationship
• TechniquesSupport, clarification,
  interpretation, use of transference relationship

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How to help students apply theory to practice

• Respect the value of theory as a guide to
  practice
• Be clear about the theories that underpin the
  clinical interventions in your agency
• Ask students what theories they are learning
  how they may or may not apply in your setting

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• Through conversation process recordings,
  encourage students to demonstrate explanatory
  change concepts their link to the interventions
  used
• Encourage students to THINK critically about
  their clinical work critique the outcome of
  their interventions (a key to evidence-based
  practice)

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Be open to new ways of knowing

• All theories cannot explain all behavior, but
  looking at behavior through the lens of different
  theories can expand and deepen understanding of
  the behavior and the individual.

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What is your theory base?

• Is it what you studied in school?
• Is your preferred theory base really a good fit
  with your agencys mission, the populations
  served, or the problems addressed?
• What have you tried that worked with your
  students to help them apply theory to practice?