Reflexive Practice Learning as the Potential to Become a Competent Future Practitioner
Abstract
The article presents an example of social work education, in which reflexive practice learning was used to help students work competently in professional practice. Within an action research project, new forms of mentoring support for students working with families facing multiple challenges were developed as part of their practice learning. This paper presents the results of a qualitative analysis of the students’ reflections on mentoring meetings. Content analysis was used for data analysis. The analysis shows that practice learning should be framed as a reflexive dialogue between mentors and students. Students need opportunities to share experiences and expand their knowledge with other students in small mentoring groups. The continuous and concrete support that the mentoring group provided to the students in practice enabled them to deal with the sense of uncertainty that often arises in collaborative processes of help.
Downloads
References
Argyris, C., & Schön, D. (1974). Theory in practice: Increasing professional effectiveness. Jossey-Bass.
Asakura, K., Bogo, M., Good, B., & Power, R. (2018). Teaching note – social work serial: Using video recorded simulated client sessions to teach social work practice. Journal of Social Work Education, 54(2), 397–404. https://doi.org/10.1080/10437797.2017.1404525
Bates, A., Bates, M, & Bates, L. (2007). Preparing students for the professional workplace: Who has responsibility for what. Asia-Pacific Journal of Cooperative Education, 8(2), 121–129.
Birkenmaier, J., & Berg-Weger, M. (2007). Practicum companion for social work. Integrating class and field work(2nd ed.). Saint Louis University: Pearson.
Bogo, M. (2010). Achieving competence in social work through field education. University of Toronto Press.
Bogo, M. (2015). Field education for clinical social work practice: Best practices and contemporary challenges. Clinical Social Work Journal, 43(3), 317–324. http://doi.org/10.1007/s10615-015-0526-5
Burton, J. (2015). Practice learning in social work. Palgrave.
Chow, A., Lam, D., Leung, G. M., Wong, D., & Chan, B. (2011). Promoting reflexivity among social work students: The development and evaluation of a programme. Social Work Education, 30(2), 141–156. https://doi.org/10.1080/02615479.2011.540377
Clapton, G., Cree, V. E., Allan, M., Edwards, R., Forbes, R., Irwin, M., Paterson, W., & Perry, R. (2006). Grasping the nettle: Integrating learning and practice revisited and re-imagined. Social Work Education, 25(6), 645–656. https://doi.org/10.1080/02615470600833634
Council on Social Work Education. (2015). Report of the CSWE Summit on Field Education 2014. CSWE. https://www.cswe.org/Centers-Initiatives/Initiatives/Summit-on-Field-Education2014
Creswell, J. W. (2007). Qualitative inquiry and research design: Choosing among five approaches. Sage.
Čačinovič Vogrinčič, G., & Mešl, N. (2019). Socialno delo z družino. Soustvarjanje želenih izidov in družinske razvidnosti [Social work with families. Co-creation of desired outcomes and family transparency]. Fakulteta za socialno delo.
Čačinovič Vogrinčič, G., & Šugman Bohinc, L. (2000). Učinkovitost (uspešnost) razgovora v socialnem delu z družino [The effectiveness (efficiency) of the conversation in social work with a family]. Socialno delo, 39(3), 175-189.
D’Cruz, H., Gillingham, P., & Melendez, S. (2007). Reflexivity, its meanings and relevance for social work: A critical review of the literature. British Journal of Social Work, 37, 73–90. https://doi.org/10.1093/bjsw/bc1001
Engelbertink, M. M. J., Kelders, S. M., Woudt-Mittendorf, K. M., & Westerhof, G. J. (2022). The added value of autobiographical reflexivity with persuasive technology for professional identities of social work students: A randomized controlled trial. Social Work Education, 41(5), 767–786. https://doi.org/10.1080.02615479.2021.1889810
Fook, J., & Gardner, F. (2007). Practising critical reflection: A resource handbook. Open University Press.
Fortune, A. E., Rogers, C. A., & Williamson, E. (2018). Effects of an integrative field seminar for MSW students. Journal of Social Work Education, 54(1), 94–109. https://doi.org/10.1080/10437797/.2017.1307149
Garcia-Aracil, A., Monteiro, S., & Almeida, L. (2021). Students’ perceptions of their preparedness for transition to work after graduation. Active Learning in Higher Education, 22(1), 49–62. https://doi.org/10.1177%2F1469787418791026
Healy, K. (2005). Social work theories in context: Creating frameworks for practice. Palgrave Macmillan.
Hernandez-March, J., Martin del Peso, M., & Leguey, S. (2009). Graduates’ skills and higher education: The employers’ perspective. Tertiary Education and Management, 15(1), 1–16. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13583880802699978
Jivanjee, P., Pendell, K., Nissen, L., & Goodluck, C. (2015). Lifelong learning in social work: A qualitative exploration with social work practitioners, students, and field instructors. Advances in Social Work, 16(2), 260–275. https://doi.org/10.18060/18407
Kodele, T., & Mešl, N. (2015). Refleksivna uporaba znanja v kontekstu praktičnega učenja [The reflective application of knowledge in the context of practical learning]. Socialno delo, 54(3/4), 189–203.
Kodele, T., & Mešl, N. (Eds.). (2016). Družine s številnimi izzivi: Soustvarjanje pomoči v skupnosti [Families with multiple challenges: Co-creating help in the community]. Univerza v Ljubljani, Fakulteta za socialno delo.
Kolb, D.A. (1984). Experiential learning. Prentice Hall.
Kourgiantakis, T., Sewell, M. K., & Bogo, M. (2018). The importance of feedback in preparing social work students for field education. Clinical Social Work Journal, 47, 124–133. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10615-018-0671-8
Lam, O. B., Wong, D. K. P., Hui, S. K., Lee, F. W. L., & Chan, E. K. L. (2006). Preparing social workers to be lifelong learners: Use of problem-based learning as a training component in the social work curriculum. Journal of Teaching in Social Work, 26(3–4), 103–119. https://doi.org/10.1300/J067v26n03_07
Mackay, R., & Millar, J. (2012). Involving service users in the classroom with social work students. Nurse Education Today, 32, 167–172. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nedt.2011.10.004
Madsen, W. C. (2007). Collaborative therapy with multi-stressed families (2nd ed.). The Guilford Press.
Maidment, J. (2000). Methods used to teach social work students in the field: A research report from New Zealand. Social Work Education, 19(2), 145–154. https://doi.org/10.1080/02615470050003520
Marquez, M. R. (2016). Continuing professional education and competency: Implications for social work practice. International Journal for Innovation Education and Research, 4(6), 156–165. https://doi.org/10.31686/ijier.vol4.iss7.570
Mešl, N. (2008). Razvijanje in uporaba znanja v socialnem delu z družino: procesi soustvarjanja teoretskega znanja v praksi [The development and application of knowledge in social work with the family: The processes of co-creation of theoretical knowledge in practice]. Univerza v Ljubljani, Fakulteta za socialno delo.
Noble, C. (2001). Researching field practice in social work education. Integrating of theory and practice through the use of narratives. Journal of Social Work, 1(3), 347–360. https://doi.org/10.1177%2F146801730100100307
Papouli, E. (2014). Field learning in social work education: Implications for educators and instructions. Field Scholar, 4.2. https://www.fieldeducator.simmons.edu
Parker, J. (2007). Developing effective practice learning for tomorrow’s social workers. Social Work Education, 26(8), 763–779.
Parton, N., & O’Byrne, P. (2000). Constructive social work: Towards a new practice. Palgrave McMillan.
Rai, G.S. (2004). International fieldwork experience: A survey of US schools. International Social Work, 47(2), 213–226. https://doi.org/10.1177/0020872804034138
Saltzburg, S., Greene, G. J., & Drew, H. (2010). Using live supervision in field education: Preparing social work students for clinical practice. Families in Society, 91(3), 293–299. https://doi.org/10.1606/1044-3894.4008
Schön, D. (1991). The reflective practitioner: How professionals think in action. Ashgate-Arena.
Shulman, L. S. (1998). Theory, practice, and the education of professionals. The Elementary School Journal, 98(5), 511–526.
Sicora, A. (2019). Reflective practice and learning from mistakes in social work student placement. Social Work Education, 38(1), 63–74. https://doi.org/10.1080/02615479.2018.1508567
Taylor, C., & White, S. (2000). Practising reflexivity in health and welfare: Making knowledge. Open University Press.
Thompson, N. (2000). Theory and practice in human services. Open University Press.
Toseland, R. W., & Rivas, R. F. (2014). An introduction to group work practice (7th ed). Pearson.
Trede, F., Macklin, R., & Bridges, D. (2012). Professional identity development: A review of the higher education literature. Studies in Higher Education, 37(3), 365–384. https://doi.org/10.1080/03075079.2010.521237
Vaismoradi, M., Turunen, H., & Bondas, T. (2013). Content analysis and thematic analysis; implications for conducting a qualitative descriptive study. Nursing and Health Sciences, 15(3), 398–405. https://doi.org/10.1111/nhs.12048
Videmšek, P. (2021). Supervizija v socialnem delu: učenje na podlagi dobrih izkušenj [Supervision in social work: Teaching from good experiences]. Univerza v Ljubljani, Fakulteta za socialno delo.
Wayne, J., Bogo, M., & Raskin, M. (2010). Field education as the signature pedagogy of social work education. Journal of Social Work Education, 46(3), 327–229. https://doi.org/10.5175/JSWE.2010.200900043
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:
- Authors are confirming that they are the authors of the submitted article, which will be published online in the Center for Educational Policy Studies Journal (for short: CEPS Journal) by University of Ljubljana Press (University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Education, Kardeljeva ploščad 16, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia). The Author’s/Authors’ name(s) will be evident in the article in the journal. All decisions regarding layout and distribution of the work are in the hands of the publisher.
- The Authors guarantee that the work is their own original creation and does not infringe any statutory or common-law copyright or any proprietary right of any third party. In case of claims by third parties, authors commit themselves to defend the interests of the publisher, and shall cover any potential costs.
- Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/deed.en that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work.