View
222
Download
2
Category
Tags:
Preview:
Citation preview
Is it part of the remit of practice educators to encourage students to think critically about the theory they
apply in practice?
Siobhan Maclean
3
At the beginning of my placement I wasn’t sure what critical thinking
meant – I wasn’t even sure if I could think critically at all
Student view?Student view?
I don’t want to lose the ability to take a critical approach to
the organisation and practice
You learn about the theories at University but without pre-
course experience I just didn’t understand how they worked
in practice
…helped me to see myself as a critically
reflective practitioner and that has really
helped build my professional confidence
WHYWHY
The fact is that theory provides more than simply “food for thought” it provides the essential nutrients that enhance, inform and provide validity for social work practice……
Theory also reflects the complexity and diversity of social work practice
THEORY IS THE
FOOD OF SOCIAL
WORK PRACTICE
Theories: recipes for practice?Theories: recipes for practice?
“Theory is typically taught in a way which presents theories as ‘recipes’ for practice. Students often eat but never cook.” (Lopez 2011)
Practice learning gives students the opportunity
to cook
Have you ever been to one of those restaurants where you feel excluded by the menu?
Many social work students feel excluded by the “academic code” (Thompson 2010) used to express some theory…
Taking a critical approachSometimes the recipes don’t work and the food tastes terrible! Students need to feel confident about questioning the ‘practice validity’ of theories and models.
Critical thinking and exploring theory are the key ingredients in moving from competence based assessment to the development of capability
Back to the student voice….
Reflective questions…. I find myself reflecting much more alone at my desk, or driving
home….and now in supervision I can answer my own questions
with some prompting..
Helping me to see the “bigger picture”
– it was beneficial having an off site practice educator
Open approach….the opportunity to explore and get “things wrong” aided my understanding and
professional growth and helped form a framework for future practice
HOWHOW
SURPRISESSATISFACTIONS
DISSATISFACTIONSLEARNING
University of York (2000)
Watson-Glaser model of critical thinking (2007)
STOP AND THINK
Critical thinking is more than the Critical thinking is more than the icing on the cake…….icing on the cake…….
It is the cake
And we can have our cake and eat it……….
So….It is part of the remit of practice educators to encourage students to think critically about
the theory they apply in practice.
HOW DO YOU DO IT?WHAT ARE THE CHALLENGES?
Siobhan Maclean
Siobhan MacleanKirwin Maclean Associateswww.kirwinmaclean.comenquiries@kirwinmaclean.com
@SiobhanMaclean
with greatly valued input from:First placement students Tara Cartwright and Katrina Gallagher and final placement student Emma Harper
Recommended