Module SOCI42610: Practice Education (stage 2) - 10 credits

Department: Sociology

SOCI42610: Practice Education (stage 2) - 10 credits

Prerequisites

• SOCI30220 Practice Education 1. Students will also be required to be post-qualifying social workers with two years of relevant experience at the commencement of the module.

Corequisites

• None.

Excluded Combination of Modules

• None.

Aims

• The module enables experienced practitioners to build on the learning from stage 1 or equivalent to demonstrate their role in fully managing a pre-qualifying social work placement.
• The module meets the requirements of the Practice Educator Professional Standards for Social Work (PEPS) for stage 2.
• The module will further develop the skills of those supporting and assessing newly qualified social workers, experienced social workers undertaking formal or informal continuing professional development or others engaging in learning and development activities.
• The module will enable Practice Educators at this level to supervise, teach and assess social work degree students up to and including the last placement. In effect, these practice educators will have the authority and capability to recommend, on the basis of appropriate evidence, that the social work students are fit to practise at the point of qualification.
• The module will develop students’ skills and competencies within the following domains identified within the Professional Capabilities Framework:
• Domain A – Organise opportunities for the demonstration of assessed competence in practice.
• Domain B – Enable learning and development in practice.
• Domain C – Manage the assessment of learners in practice.
• Domain D – Effective continuing performance as a practice educator.

Content

• Students will be offered tutorials focusing on the specific requirements of the Stage 2 Practice Educator qualification.
• In conjunction with the delivery of the module, students will be required to act as practice educator for a student at the appropriate stage and receive an assessment of their supervisory practice
• Learning support meetings.
• Observations of practice.
• Guided reading and preparation.
• Reflective commentary.

Learning Outcomes

• By the end of this module students will be expected to be able to demonstrate:
• Critical understanding of their own contribution to the learning of others, including teaching, mentoring and supporting social work or other students and/or colleagues, which demonstrates advanced critical reflection, informed by experience and prior knowledge, skills and key concepts in taking full responsibility for the management of student learning;
• Detailed knowledge of the expected requirements and capabilities of social worker practitioners at the point of qualification
• Detailed knowledge of the expected requirements and capabilities of social worker practitioners at the point of qualification;
• An appreciation of the complexities and challenges to be addressed in delivering work that effectively promotes the rights of service users and carers, and embeds service user-focused values in policy and practice.
• A critical understanding of theory and practice in adult learning.

• By the end of this module students will be expected to be able to demonstrate:
• An ability to plan, organise and evaluate appropriate opportunities for the demonstration of assessed competence in practice;
• An ability to enable critically informed and reflective learning and professional development in practice via formal structured supervision with the learner, with consideration of power dynamics and evidence based practice;
• An ability to take the lead in planning and managing appropriate forms of assessment for professional learners in practice including appropriate range of supervisory models and assessment methods, and the ability to make informed professional judgments on practice capability upholding professional regulatory requirements at the level to be expected at the point of qualification.

• By the end of this module students will be expected to be able to demonstrate:
• Acceptance of personal responsibility in relation to professional codes of conduct, including the ability to address any ethical issues in relation to professional practice and research.
• Critically reflect upon and evaluate their own professional development, demonstrating an ability to transfer educator skills, knowledge and values in mentoring, supervision, teaching and assessment.
• Demonstrate a motivated approach for their own supervision in a challenging environment and context such as dealing with failing learners and formal appeal and complaints procedures.

Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module

• Assessment will be undertaken at an advanced level stage of training against the four domains for social work practice education, in allowing educators to have the authority and capability to recommend, on the basis of appropriate evidence, that the social work students are fit to practise at the point of qualification;
• Directed reading/Independent study tasks: Offer students the opportunity to undertake focused, critical reading about particular aspects of enabling the learning of others, as well as deepening their knowledge through wider reading around subjects that have either been introduced in lectures or are of particular interest/relevance in relation to their employment setting;
• Work-based practice: Throughout the module, all students will undertake work to enable the learning of others as part of their duties within their normal employment setting. This will include conducting direct observations of practice, writing practice report and associated meetings. They will be supervised in this element of their work by their line manager, and supported by a practice mentor who holds a recognised practice teaching qualification or its equivalent. This mode of teaching and learning facilitates a progressive approach to meeting the module learning outcomes, with students being required to have demonstrated most of the competencies associated with the learning outcomes in the first 3 reflective commentary, before they proceed to demonstrate a more critical analysis in the final reflective commentary in stage 2, to evidence their CPD. Additionally, learners will provide a personal profile in stage 1, which will consider the influences on their own teaching style, 1 direct observation of their supervisory practice in stage 1 and a further direct observation In stage 2, feedback from learners and professional mentor, a sample of the practice report evidence in stage 2;
• Tutorials: Individual tutorials are available with the module convenor, providing individual support and guidance in relation to their role in enabling the learning of others;
• Learning support meetings: These provide regular and structured opportunities for students to support each other and share their experiences in relation to their role in enabling the learning of others, including the provision of formative feedback in relation to the module’s learning outcomes;
• Portfolio: The portfolio, which consists of the commentaries on the student’s learning in relation to their practice education role, as well as a personal profile, a direct observation report in stage 1 and another in stage 2, a sample of the practice report, and feedback from student social workers and other colleagues whose learning has been enabled, allows achievement against all of the module learning outcomes to be assessed in a staged manner.

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

Summative Assessment

Formative Assessment:

Through regular planned supervision, the suitably qualified practice mentor will provide ongoing feedback to the learner.

■ Attendance at all activities marked with this symbol will be monitored. Students who fail to attend these activities, or to complete the summative or formative assessment specified above, will be subject to the procedures defined in the University's General Regulation V, and may be required to leave the University