Identifying student work skills and personal values for work-integrated learning: a host organisation perspective

There is a wealth of experience and expertise in managing and supervising existing student placements as part of the Work-Integrated Learning experience (WIL). However, to maximise our capacity to address the potential diversity of WIL students, there is a need for greater insight into the key demands and expectations of relevant industry/host organisations. Such knowledge is fundamental to develop and refine existing frameworks for assessing student suitability for placement and employability, which in turn will inform the preparational learning for placement and the student's success in placement. This paper shares and discusses the interim findings from the first stage of an incremental survey conducted with placement host organisations across disciplines in Planning & Sciences, and Social Work & Human Services, in an Australian university. This cross-disciplinary research uses a quantitative data collection method and analysis of preselected work skills and personal value attributes, informed by relevant literature across both discipline domains on tertiary student work placements and fundamental employability facets. Through this approach, the potential and value of cross-disciplinary research, teaching and cooperation is highlighted, concluding that the trend shown in the data points towards an imperative to include a focus on personal values within tertiary education teaching practices

Social work students' feedback about students' suitability for field education and the profession

Many students successfully complete placement while for a minority of students placement may be a time when questions are asked about suitability for placement and professional practice. Research undertaken with final year social work students examined their ideas about suitability and unsuitability for field education and practice and presented them with a model developed with field educators in an earlier phase of the research. The aim of the study was to incorporate students’ understanding into the discourse of suitability/unsuitability to further develop a suitability/unsuitability model for collaborative discussions between students, educators and supervisors. Twenty-eight students responded to an online survey. The results show that students identify a critical understanding of self, skills, knowledge, attitudes and contextual factors as important in assessing students’ suitability for field education. Identified indicators of ‘unsuitability’ included lack of preparedness to learn, lack of capacity to demonstrate an understanding of professional values and ethics and inability to maintain professional boundaries or demonstrate basic practice skills. Students overwhelmingly supported the use of the presented model and made suggestions for further development of the model. The discussion emphasises the importance of using a pedagogically informed formative assessment strategy in a timely manner to address professional suitability with students

Using a community development approach to reimagine field education during Covid-19

This paper reports on an Australian online placement project that was put in place after face to face placements were stopped due to the Covid-19 pandemic in early 2020. James Cook University [JCU] social work students were offered the opportunity to participate in an online Community Connectors Project [CCP] based on an Asset Based Community Development model [ABCD] to complete their placement. Twenty students participated in the CCP. The values and principles of ABCD guided the project and meant that students were encouraged and supported to lead and design smaller placement projects responding to identified community needs. This article is collaboratively written by students, field education staff and a community partner. Here we specifically report on the collaboration between one group of students and a community partner, working together to develop a domestic violence practice guideline for a Health setting. The article describes the context of the CCP, ABCD as a framework, the student leadership, the domestic violence project and the collaborative partnership. Our reflections consider students as knowledge brokers, challengers and enablers of collaboration and future research engagement

Students’ suitability for social work: developing a framework for field education

Social work field education is a path of evaluating student suitability for the social work profession. This evaluation relies heavily on the field educator’s practice framework and interpretation of the professional standards of social work. The variable nature of this framework to guide evaluation can be problematic in providing guidance to field educators and students when problems emerge relating to the student’s conduct. This article presents an approach for discussing suitability and un-suitability based on the authors’ work with field educators. The authors ran workshops with field educators exploring student suitability and unsuitability for social work. Based on this work they developed a model defining those terms and sought and integrated feedback from field educators, further refining the model that is presented here. Key considerations in determining suitability are a student’s willingness and ability to critically reflect on and address identified concerns. Assessing suitability for social work is presented as a joint endeavour of students, field educators and academic liaison people as key stakeholders that is steeped in professional values, ethics and standards

It's up to you-the need for self-directed learning for social work students on placement during Covid-19

Covid-19 in 2020 took social work programs by surprise and for many students, an e-placement was offered as the only alternative learning opportunity to complete their placement that year. In this paper we report on a mixed method study with data collected via an online survey with quantitative and qualitative questions exploring students’ experiences in e-placements. Eighty-two students who had undertaken an e-placement responded to the survey that was sent to 1500 social work students enrolled in 21 Australian universities. The results summarise demographic data about the students and a description of the e-placements used, as well as qualitative themes about the students' experiences and recommendations about e-placements. Four themes were prominent in the qualitative data; "opportunities for flexible learning but can be challenging", "Learning new skills but missing out on others", "drive your own learning" and "the need for structure, support and connection". Most students reported that they learnt a range of social work skills, but this required them to take initiative to ensure that learning occurred. The implication for social work education underscores the importance of future proofing social work field education through examining the learning and providing proactive support and clear structures for alternatives to traditional placements

Social work students' feedback about students' suitability for field education and the profession

Many students successfully complete placement while for a minority of students placement may be a time when questions are asked about suitability for placement and professional practice. Research undertaken with final year social work students examined their ideas about suitability and unsuitability for field education and practice and presented them with a model developed with field educators in an earlier phase of the research. The aim of the study was to incorporate students’ understanding into the discourse of suitability/unsuitability to further develop a suitability/unsuitability model for collaborative discussions between students, educators and supervisors. Twenty-eight students responded to an online survey. The results show that students identify a critical understanding of self, skills, knowledge, attitudes and contextual factors as important in assessing students’ suitability for field education. Identified indicators of ‘unsuitability’ included lack of preparedness to learn, lack of capacity to demonstrate an understanding of professional values and ethics and inability to maintain professional boundaries or demonstrate basic practice skills. Students overwhelmingly supported the use of the presented model and made suggestions for further development of the model. The discussion emphasises the importance of using a pedagogically informed formative assessment strategy in a timely manner to address professional suitability with students

Social work e-placements during Covid-19: learnings of staff and students

This paper describes and explores e-placements that engaged social work students in semester 1 of 2020 due to placement disruption after the Covid-19 pandemic unfolded. The term e-placement describes a placement undertaken off-site from the placement organisation or agency. Students at James Cook University [JCU], Queensland, Australia, who could not continue in onsite placements were offered the opportunity to participate in a Community Connector Project [CCP] to complete their placement. The aims of the project were to provide an online supported placement experience in order to deliver a comprehensive and interactive learning experience for students to meet the learning outcomes of a field education experience, work with the community to explore community needs during the pandemic, share and distribute existing information and resources, and/- or develop further information and resources. Twenty students chose to participate in the CCP. The project included bi-weekly meetings, small group and individual work. This paper was written collaboratively between field education staff, students and a service provider. It presents practice reflections on the project, its outcomes, challenges and learning. Implications for education practice are drawn. Implication Statement • Students in e-placements can feel overwhelmed and isolated and need targeted support and rich opportunities for collaboration and exchange; • E-placements can be valuable learning opportunities; • E-placements are resource intensive if student learning and safety are to be prioritised

Social work e-placements during Covid-19: learnings of staff and students

This paper describes and explores e-placements that engaged social work students in semester 1 of 2020 due to placement disruption after the Covid-19 pandemic unfolded. The term e-placement describes a placement undertaken off-site from the placement organisation or agency. Students at James Cook University [JCU], Queensland, Australia, who could not continue in onsite placements were offered the opportunity to participate in a Community Connector Project [CCP] to complete their placement. The aims of the project were to provide an online supported placement experience in order to deliver a comprehensive and interactive learning experience for students to meet the learning outcomes of a field education experience, work with the community to explore community needs during the pandemic, share and distribute existing information and resources, and/- or develop further information and resources. Twenty students chose to participate in the CCP. The project included bi-weekly meetings, small group and individual work. This paper was written collaboratively between field education staff, students and a service provider. It presents practice reflections on the project, its outcomes, challenges and learning. Implications for education practice are drawn. Implication Statement • Students in e-placements can feel overwhelmed and isolated and need targeted support and rich opportunities for collaboration and exchange; • E-placements can be valuable learning opportunities; • E-placements are resource intensive if student learning and safety are to be prioritised