BA Hons Social Work

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BA (Hons) Social Work

• Jacquie Lee
• Head of Centre,
• Applied Community Studies, School of Health
  Social Sciences
• University of Wales Institute Cardiff

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Knowledge Transfer

• Blended Approaches to Teaching for Blended
  Approaches to Learning

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The Employers

• Mainly Local Authority Social Services
• Recruitment retention crisis
• Grow your own
• Critical, reflective professional practitioners
  who are fit for purpose
• Rapidly changing knowledge base need for
  CPD/lifelong learners

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The Students

• Profile -White, female, 33yrs old.
• Working with caring responsibilities returning to
  education
• Majority Seconded.
• Geographically dispersed

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UWIC DipSw

• Largest provider of social work education
  training in Wales
• Full Part time routes using mixed modes of
  structure delivery open distance learning

• Collaborative Working with Employers
• Some involvement of service users carers in
  teaching assessment

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BA (Hons) Social Work
Key Features

• ALL Learning is Learning for Practice whether
  college or practice based

• Principle Integration/knowledge transfer
• - Programme Partnership

• Full Time Programme on Part time attendance

• Principle Flexibility to meet employer/student
  needs

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Framework for Practice Based Learning-Process
Flowchart
1. Student Profile/Interim Review (July)
2. Practice Learning Contract (Level I)
3. Practice Learning Arrangements inc.
Supervision Contract Calendar
4. Individual Learning Agreement
(Semester 1)
5. Mid Point Review (Levels II III
only)
6. Portfolio of Practice Evidence inc. critical
reflection on past learning future learning
needs (end of each Level)
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Programme Structure

• One day attendance
• One day directed/online study
• Blended approach of didactic traditional methods
  PBL/online learning
• Agency based Learning sets/tutorial groups
• Work based learning

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Pedagogy

• Constructivist
• Situated work based learning
• Community of Practice
• Adult Learning theory Knowles, Kolb, Schon, etc
• Theory practice mutually inclusive NOT
  application of one to the other

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Method

• Blended Teaching Learning Approaches for
  Blended Learning
• i.e. Knowledge transfer across settings
• via Strategic use of Problem Based learning
  Directed Study/Online Learning

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Strategic

• Embedded within the Programme from the outset of
  development as part of the structure delivery
  teaching learning strategy
• To meet specific needs purposes
• Not a bolt-on or add on or replacement to
  traditional approaches

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Problem Based learning
Shift of emphasis from WHAT students learn to HOW
students learn i.e.

• Learning to learn

• What knowledge do I need to know-
  Identifying own learning needs

• How do I find it Research skills

• How do I apply it application of theory to
  practice

• Is it valid/reliable critical, reflective
  thinking skills

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What is problem-based learning?

• Problem Based Learning is centred on the
  learning that emanates from a real problem. The
  learning is more important than the solution of
  the problem.
• Dr J. Kaya Prpic and Dr Roger G. Hadgraft

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Why use PBL? PBL .. active, contextualised
learning which promotes critical thinking and
problem solving while enhancing communication
skills and team working.  (Wilkie, K. Burns,
I. 20034)
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PBL/Online Learning on the DipSW

• PBL on the Programme
• SWOT
• Soc Proc I II
• Values
• CAL

• T L Strategies questionnaire
• Focus Groups
• Pre Course Committee Forums
• IT Audit/ Student Learning Needs Profile

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Student Experience

• Give me what Im used to/expect!

• Signpost materials, then signpost again!

• Bite size Chunks not the whole feast!

• Real Virtual- Its good to talk!

• Its me, not the technology!

• Improves IT Literacy research skills

• Why doesnt it read like a book?!

• Printing the Book.

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Tutor Experience

• Opens gateways of knowledge

• Not just for techno geeks!

• Learner led learning

• Knowledge exchange and transfer

• Resourcing issues Rooms, timetabling, time

• Facilitates small group working/interactivity

• More accessible to students

• Co-ordination of team teaching/VLE site

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Aspirations

• Learning as a collaborative enterprise
• Integration of college work based learning
• College work based co-facilitation via a
  real/virtual community of practice
• Lifelong learners/PPD
• Knowledge Society via Knowledge transfer the
  recognition of Work Based Learning as having
  academic value

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Concluding Comment

• Experience in, of itself, does not generate
  learning. It is the processing of those
  experiences by critical, reflective thinking
  theorising that generates learning. It is this
  evidence base which gives that learning both
  professional credibility academic value.