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dc.contributor.authorDomakin, Alisonen
dc.date.accessioned2016-03-08T11:33:58Zen
dc.date.available2016-03-08T11:33:58Zen
dc.date.issued2015-04en
dc.identifier.citationDomakin, A. (2015) 'The Importance of Practice Learning in Social Work: Do We Practice What We Preach?' Social Work Education 34 (4):399en
dc.identifier.issn0261-5479en
dc.identifier.issn1470-1227en
dc.identifier.doi10.1080/02615479.2015.1026251en
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10547/600881en
dc.description.abstractThis paper reports on themes identified from focus group discussions with practice educators, in which they articulated concerns about factors that limited their work with students on placement. Four key themes are identified from analysis of the data: (1) The absence of workload relief for agency based practice educators; (2) A lack of knowledge about the academic curriculum in qualifying social work programmes; (3) A sense of isolation from universities placing students with them; (4) Concerns about the quality of practice learning experiences they could provide to students. Expressions of guilt and anxiety were a prominent feature of the focus group discussions. Almost all the practice educators felt that their work in this role was not good enough. They were concerned about standards and missed opportunities to work developmentally with students who may be at risk of failing, or conversely to stimulate those who were more able. The findings suggest that universities should consider whether practice educators are sufficiently connected with other parts of the social work education system to fulfil their role.
dc.language.isoenen
dc.publisherTaylor & Francisen
dc.relation.urlhttp://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/02615479.2015.1026251en
dc.rightsArchived with thanks to Social Work Educationen
dc.subjectpractice educatoren
dc.subjectuniversityen
dc.subjectworkload reliefen
dc.subjectknowledge of curriculumen
dc.subjectisolationen
dc.subjectsocial worken
dc.subjectsocial work educationen
dc.subjectL500 Social Worken
dc.titleThe importance of practice learning in social work: do we practice what we preach?en
dc.typeArticleen
dc.identifier.journalSocial Work Educationen
html.description.abstractThis paper reports on themes identified from focus group discussions with practice educators, in which they articulated concerns about factors that limited their work with students on placement. Four key themes are identified from analysis of the data: (1) The absence of workload relief for agency based practice educators; (2) A lack of knowledge about the academic curriculum in qualifying social work programmes; (3) A sense of isolation from universities placing students with them; (4) Concerns about the quality of practice learning experiences they could provide to students. Expressions of guilt and anxiety were a prominent feature of the focus group discussions. Almost all the practice educators felt that their work in this role was not good enough. They were concerned about standards and missed opportunities to work developmentally with students who may be at risk of failing, or conversely to stimulate those who were more able. The findings suggest that universities should consider whether practice educators are sufficiently connected with other parts of the social work education system to fulfil their role.


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