The aim of this research is to understand the feasibility conditions of a “good” prac-tice learning experience in the training of social workers.
The theoretical considerations on practice learning stemmed from three mail ap-proaches: a learning-centred approach, a system-centred approach (practice place-ment, operational milieu, professional system), and a reflexivity-centred approach. Each approach yielded its own definition of a “good” practice learning experience.
32 semi-structured interviews were carried out with practice students and supervisors active in two Social Work Italian degree course, following a non-standard methodol-ogy and a constructivist epistemological model. A non-representative sample was se-lected with an informed choice.
Based on the answers, three idealtypes were discovered, describing how students “put themselves to the test” in their placement: as “agents”, aiming towards operative knowledge, as “actors”, aiming towards a circular theory-practice knowledge, as “au-thors”, aiming towards a “personal” knowledge, in Polanyi’s sense. Both students and supervisors have shown advanced awareness of the professional nature of Social Work and its characterising constituents: shared culture, authoritativeness based on certified competences, the deontological code, the theoretical reference corpus.</br
