The nature and shape of Australian families has changed significantly in recent decades (Smit 2005; Berlyn et al., 2008). Even with these changes, there have been many contested understandings about what constitutes fatherhood (Fletcher et al., 2008; BBC, 2000). There has been an emerging trend internationally to understand fatherhood (Scourfield, 2006; Milner, 1993; O’Hagan, 1997; Featherstone, 2003; 2006; Daniel et al., 2005). Despite this interest, there is still more need for research to be undertaken in Australia about the attitudes of professionals towards fathers, male input into family life and, in particular, the experiences of fathers who are described as being absent from family based services. This will result in a greater understanding and application of ‘father inclusive practice’ (Berlyn et al., 2008; King, 2009).

In the past 20 years, social change and expectations for both maternal and paternal responsibilities have highlighted the need for services for families to better understand the role of a father in family relationships. In Australia, as well as internationally, there have been many contested understandings about what constitutes ‘good fathering’ in research, social media and in the political sphere. More specifically, there has also been an emerging trend to understand the challenging task of recruiting and maintaining men’s involvement in child and family services programmes, particularly those fathers who are deemed a risk to children and mothers, violent or have been separated from their children. That many child and family/welfare services have exercised dedicated effort to work with fathers is still a relatively recent phenomenon, and has only emerged following criticism that services have been too geared towards working only with mothers. Despite this increasing interest, there is still ongoing need for more research to be undertaken in Australia. An important area of focus is the views of professionals about their perception and engagement of fathers, particularly the views of fathers who are described as being absent from family-based services. The purpose of this article is to report briefly on a study undertaken to examine how child and family welfare workers engage fathers in their work. First, this paper will describe some of the social and health benefits to fathers and their children, focusing on the key role of attachment through play. Research into effective service delivery involving fathers will then be presented, concluding with key practice factors necessary for fathers to be involved in family life.

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Guidance for external examiners for the degree in social work, produced by the Prepared by:The Higher Education Academy Subject Centre for Social Policy and Social Work (SWAP)with the Joint University Council Social Work Education Committee and the four UK Care Councils (the General Social Care Council, the Care Council for Wales, the Northern Ireland Social Services Council and the Scottish Social Services Council)

This guide is intended for social work educators tasked with delivering teaching on mental health, for those teaching other areas to think how issues of mental health and distress intersect, and for course directors. Part of a series, being produced by the College of Social Work - intended as guidance, not prescription!

Social workers have always paid careful attention to the ethical dilemmas in their practice. The power invested by the law in some of the social work tasks make this imperative. The complexities of the rights of each individual within the family are keenly debated in current social work practice. In legal situations who is the client? Does each family member have appropriate representation and so on. While the issues can be clarified it is not always simple to solve an ethical dilemma since the rights and interests of the individuals may be in opposition.

This guide provides detailed guidance in respect of all post-Reform Board changes in the arena of social work admissions.

This collection of Burning Issues has been compiled by the Mental Health in Higher Education project (mhhe) and the Higher Education Academy (subject centres1) Special Interest Group for Mental Health (MHSIG). It provides a snapshot of the views of educators - from across the disciplines - about key issues that they face in teaching.

A guide to challenging behaviour in mental health and social care settings.

A guide to the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards

How to run your own mood

A guide to the stress and vulnerability model in mental health and disorder

A short article on the value of support workers in mental health care settings

The DiBL tools have been created to make it easier for educators to create enquiry-based blended learning designs. This item is a large planner that helps you consider a range of issues when developing an enquiry-based blended learning design.

The DiBL tools have been created to make it easier for educators to create enquiry-based blended learning designs. This item contains a large number of learning activities that can help stimulate a creative approach to learning and teaching activities.

The DiBL tools have been created to make it easier for educators to create enquiry-based blended learning designs. This item contains a glossary of learning activity designs. Use this to consider a range of activities that you could employ in your teaching approach.

This resource sheet has been developed by the Mental Health in Higher Education project (mhhe), in conjunction with the Social Policy and Social Work Subject Centre of the Higher Education Academy (SWAP). It aims to raise awareness of the need for a focus on: developing emotional intelligence, enhancing resilience and those qualities that underpin it, and maintaining personal wellbeing for students who will become practitioners in health and social care. It outlines the rationale for highlighting these issues across the disciplines, and provides some pointers to examples of current practice and resources.

Notes accompanying presentation to the LILAC 2011 information literacy conference held at the British Library, 19 April 2011. See also the PowerPoint slideshow.

Page from the history of social work initiative, about Alcoholics Anonymous

Page from the history of social work initiative, about the work of Charles Murray

Page from the history of social work initiative, about the work of Ann Hartman

Page from the history of social work initiative, about the Fundamental Principles of Disability

Page from the history of social work initiative, about the work of Joel Fischer

Page from the history of social work initiative, about the work of Sherry Arnstein

Page from the history of social work initiative, about the work of Jane Jacobs

Page from the history of social work initiative, about the work of Erving Goffman

Page from the history of social work initiative, about the work of Carl Rogers

Page from the history of social work initiative, about the work of William Henry Beveridge

Page from the history of social work initiative, about the work of Orwell, Griffin and others.

Page from the history of social work initiative, about the work of Alice Salomon

Page from the history of social work initiative, about the work of Mary Ellen Richmond

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Page from the history of social work initiative, about the work of Octavia Hill

Page from the history of social work initiative, about the work of Thomas Chalmers

Page from the history of social work initiative, about the work of Elizabeth Fry

Page from the history of social work initiative, about the work of Jane Addams

In 2010 SWAP undertook a survey of postgraduates who teach social policy and a key outcome of the resulting report highlighted the requirement for resources to aid in the teaching of qualitative and quantitative methods. In response SWAP has now published two information sheets which list a selection of web resources from the field, which you may find useful in your teaching.

In 2010 SWAP undertook a survey of postgraduates who teach social policy and a key outcome of the resulting report highlighted the requirement for resources to aid in the teaching of qualitative and quantitative methods. In response SWAP has now published two information sheets which list a selection of web resources from the field, which you may find useful in your teaching.

This helpsheet offers some pointers for social work academics wishing to increase student awareness of homelessness by holding an event.

Donald Forrester, University of Bedfordshire provides a short introduction to some of the tools he has used to research substance use and how those tools translate into teaching social work students

A helpsheet created in partnership with service users about ways to embed service user experience in teaching and learning about alcohol and drugs

A short four page summary created by Sarah Galvani suggesting different levels of engagement with substance use across the social work curriculum

A short information sheet prodcued by Rachel Lart, University of Bristol summarising useful resources for the teaching of drugs and society to social policy students

A short information sheet prodcued by Sarah Galvani, University of Bedforshire offering ideas for teaching domestic violence and substance use in the social work curriculum

A short information sheet prepared by Ian Paylor at Lancaster University. The sheet includes suggestions for ways to discuss blood bourne viruses in social work teaching

This SWAPBox how to guide explains the 'Groups' function and how to make the most of it, including creating a group page, joining an existing group and contributing resources to group pages.

The publication includes interviews and case studies with social policy and social work academics across the UK who have successfully embedded internationalisation in the curriculum

This chapter analyses the current challenging context for educators in the area of mental health and, drawing on the work of the Mental Health in Higher Education project (mhhe), explores how learning and teaching about mental health can be enhanced through increased networking and the sharing of perspectives and ideas. Reference: Anderson, J. & Burgess, H. (2007) Educators Learning Together: linking communities of practice, ch 10 in Stickley, T. & Basset, T. (eds) Teaching and Learning about Mental Health, Chichester: Wiley

The purpose of the seminar, held in York on 8/9 April 2002, was to initiate a debate about how learning and teaching in mental health in higher education might be enhanced. The objectives were: to develop a shared understanding of different approaches to learning and teaching, to identify strengths, development needs and other drivers for change, to explore ways of improving teaching and learning within and across different disciplines, to test assumptions and explore perhaps unforeseen problems and consequences, and to consider how to take the work forward and the role the LTSN might play in this. Five or six participants were invited by each of the four LTSNs (Health Sciences and Practice; Medicine, Dentistry and Veterinary Medicine; Psychology; and Social Policy and Social Work -SWAP), all of whom had a special interest in mental health issues in learning and teaching.

An increasing number of Higher Education Institutions now employ people whose remit is to recruit, train and support service users and carers to contribute to professional programmes. In turn, service user and carer involvement development worker posts need to be well constructed and supported. That is the focus of these guidelines, which it is hoped will be of use both to universities considering or planning such posts and to those with a worker already in post.

The Guide contains a general introduction to the topic and, drawing on a range of current initiatives, pointers towards good practice in relation to each of the components of effective involvement. A range of evaluation tools are offered which may be useful in charting progress and identifying the next steps to be taken.

The current period is dominated by two significant realities which have enormous implications for social work: first, the increasing evidence of the damaging and dysfunctional nature of our economically divided society; second, the banking collapse and bailout. The former poses serious questions about the efficacy of individualised interventions which predominate through much of contemporary statutory social work, while the latter flatly contradicts every argument ever made about the cost of welfare being "too great". In this context, there is an opportunity for re-articulating radical traditions within social work that focus on structural, collective and non-pathological models. We begin by offering a critique of ‘old’ Radical Social Work (RSW) noting it’s emergence from the so-called ‘crisis of Labourism’ of the late 1970s, and the leftward shift within key sections of society in the context of working class radicalisation and the emergence of the New Social Movements (NSM), chief amongst these being feminism, anti-racism and service user activism. Paradoxically while the language of opposition to ‘oppression’, which RSW took from the involvement in NSM’s into social work, has become mainstream, the project of wider social transformation and equality of outcome, which it also saw itself as part of, has been completely marginalised within social work. Crucial to the political marginalisation of radical currents resides in the question of the relation of social work to the neoliberal capitalist state. The idea of being ""in and against the state" was cleverly appropriated by the New Right, who had their own agenda to dismantle the welfare state. It is this that explains RSW’s current difficulty at an analytical level - its language of "liberation", "empowerment" and "anti-oppression" are no longer ‘radical’ in the sense that they now sit comfortably within a neoliberal managerial discourse. In order for a dissenting radical current to re-emerge within social work it is essential that an agenda is set out which genuinely challenges the managerialism which has impoverished and demoralised front-line practice, as well as defending and reconstructing the best traditions within social work’s rich history.

The study upon which this paper is based aimed to explore the experiences of students enrolled on „Access to Social Work‟ courses striving to navigate their way from further education (FE) to higher education (HE) social work programmes. The study was set within the context of widening participation policy and more stringent Department of Health (DH) entry requirements for social work education introduced in 2003. These requirements stipulate that all applicants to social work education must demonstrate key skills in literacy and numeracy equivalent to grade C GCSE, and personal suitability for social work (DH, 2002).

The tool has been developed from Personal Construct Psychology and wider constructivist perspectives of teaching and learning. Through a series of activities within structured interviews, learners are enabled to: - draw out their own personal observations and interpretations within their practice - progressively refine and develop these constructs to reflect and highlight their own core values - systematically score these values as learning aims use these learning aims as a basis for an action plan to develop their own professional practice.

Capturing and organising self-generated personal constructs Charting awareness of professional values and identity Encouraging learner centred enquiry into practice and learning aims

An example of how the learning aims scale can be completed - for use in PIVOT Stage 3 activity

For use in PIVOT Stage 3 activity

This activity enables you to generate your own learning aims to work with in your practice setting. These aims will be based on the constructs that you previously identified in the earlier stages of PIVOT. Therefore they will be unique and (most) meaningful only to you. The intention of this activity is to make the constructs more concrete in terms of your own development. You will be prioritising and scaling up to three constructs to develop personal goals and learning objectives and you will be identifying significant steps in reaching these.

For use in PIVOT Stage 1 activity

For use in PIVOT Stage 2 activity

Template for use in PIVOT STage 1 activity

This activity helps you to examine the ways in which you see yourself and others with whom you have worked, particularly in relation to being a social worker. It is the first stage of thinking about professional identity and values (and the first stage of PIVOT).

This activity aims to encourage reflection on professional values and on skills development through exploring some of your own views about yourself as a social worker.

This PowerPoint presentation was used at a recent SWAP workshop to introduce new users to the SWAPBox repository. It could be used by anyone looking to give a quick overview of the repository. Also included are three sets of exercises for novice users of SWAPBox to start trying different functionalities of the repository - these should be done in conjunction with the relevant 'How to Guides' in the Getting Started Section of SWAPBox. The exercises also include a brief feedback form for users to reflect on the ease of completing the different tasks.

The current study explores the development of the Bulgarian child maltreatment discourses that emerged in the public domain after the fall of Communism in 1989. An argument is made that by examining the way in which child abuse stories are structured and operate in the media and public domain is essential for proper understanding of how social policy and child protection are structured. The author carries out a discourse analysis of the Bulgarian child maltreatment discourses, looks at their historical and cultural roots and draws comparison with the corresponding discourses and child protection policy in the UK. The study suggests a particular model of inquiry that can be replicated in other cultural or practice contexts.

PDF file containing text, screenshots & video. Designed as a standalone introduction to Twitter and how it might be used by students to aid their studies.

This is a Wikipedia "book" created using the Wikipedia PDF generator, which is licensed under a Creative Commons licence.

The social work degree: preparing to succeed is for prospective and current social work students to help them to be successful on their degree. The advice has been written by students on social work courses, so it offers insider tips! Published June 2007

Supporting inclusive learning and teaching helps you make your learning and teaching inclusive for all. It was produced as a result of the introduction of the Disability Equality Duty on 4 December 2006 and requires all public authorities to look actively at ways of ensuring that disabled people are treated equally.

Effective social work curriculum design needs to open up dialogue between professionals at the earliest stage of their professional development and employ creative and innovative approaches to facilitate this. The ten creative pointers presented here emerged from research into social work practitioners’ views of the implementation of Children’s Integrated Services (within the context of the Every Child Matters agenda and passage of the 2004 Children’s Act).

Ensuring students are adequately prepared to undertake practice is a topic of national and international interest in social work education. This project seeks to further develop knowledge in this area by undertaking empirical research into student perceptions of the effectiveness of teaching and assessment approaches to preparation for practice. The study develops previous research already undertaken with students during their first practice learning opportunity by tracking the same cohort into their final practice experience before they qualify as social workers (Wilson & Kelly, 2008). The main aim of the research is to identify ways in which teaching, learning and support might be improved in order to enhance the student learning experience throughout the social work education programme. Key messages from the research will be disseminated through a learning and teaching guide and workshops with social work educators and other stakeholders across the UK.

Approaches to assessment - Inside this issue: 'Changing an assessment method', 'In conversation with Nick Ellison' (Social Policy Association, Learning and Teaching sub-committee) and 'Introducing a formative assessment tool'. Published November 2008

This is the project report of a collaborative project that conducted comparative analysis of current practices in assessment feedback within the SWAP constituency, and explored related NSS data from a range of HEIs. Using both qualitative and quantitative methods, it built upon existing research on this topic carried out at the University of Lincoln and across the sector. The project had an extensive dissemination strategy, including the production of staff and student guides to effective practice and a national conference. In this way the project increased and disseminated knowledge about effective feedback practice.

This user guide looks at the SWAPBox commenting function and explains the reasons for using this feature. It also includes step-by-step guidance on how to add, edit and remove a comment for an OER.

This guide explains how you can identify SWAPBox members sharing your research/teaching interests and how to communicate with them in SWAPBox.

This information sheet lists key dvd, web sites and journals which social work academics might find useful when teaching substance use. They have been compiled by Sarah Galvani and Donald Forrester.

This How to Guide explains how you can quickly and easily upload your existing learning materials to SWAPBox. It also includes information on licensing options.

This case study describes implementation of an interprofessional course for social work practice teachers and community nurse practice teachers to break down professional boundaries and share common good practice.The processes are described; the issues involved in gaining necessary resourcing is discussed, together with the need to develop a common language and concentration on the commonalities of the task of practice teaching. Differing levels of academic aspirations are also described.

This case study describes implementation of a short inter-professional course for health and social care professionals leading to both professional and academic qualifications. The students range from social work practice teachers, mentor training for nurses and midwives, community nurse practice teachers and occupational therapists and the aim is that they benefit learning alongside one another. This study looks at different ways in which learning takes place and appreciates the similarities in approach and setting across professional boundaries. Difficulties in admin support, obtaining the right professional mix and teaching staff are discussed, together with opportunities of extending the course overseas and to other professionals.

This case study focuses on the initial planning of some joint teaching for social work and nursing students at the University of Staffordshire, using a Problem Based Learning (PBL) approach to teach the process of assessment. Five two-hour sessions are planned with each group having equal numbers of nursing and social work students. Not only will this provide opportunities for joint working at an early stage in their professional training, but it is envisaged that it will lead to improved skills in professional problem identification and seeking out relevant information to answer questions raised by the scenarios. Factors which have facilitated this development are noted along with issues which need to be addressed in the planning of teaching multidisciplinary groups of students.

A case study is discussed of ‘joined-up training’ based on an initiative developed between the Medical School, the School of Social Work at the University of Leicester and nursing students from De Montfort University. It brings together trainee health professionals (doctors and nurses) and social workers in a joint investigation based around one GP practice in the city. The aim is to encourage students to work collaboratively with patients/service users, in understanding their perspective on the services provided.The paper draws attention to the potential benefit of this kind of collaborative initiative to agencies, training bodies, students and policy-makers; it concludes by suggesting that the gains identified suggest that this kind of opportunity should be incorporated more centrally into social work and other professional training courses.

This case study discusses the planning, progress and implementation of the validation of the MA Child Protection Pathway at the School of Human and Health Sciences, University of Huddersfield, for post-qualifying social workers and post-graduate health professionals. The proposal took full advantage of developments in work-based learning, learning agreements and the use of mentors. Development issues are discussed, together with reflection on how the course has progressed.

This case study describes stage 1 of a two-part research project which aims to explore the impact of an innovative learning and assessment process. The BA (Hons) Social Work / BSc (Hons) Nursing & Social Work Studies module focuses on partnerships and participation in social work. The study aims to evaluate the contribution to collaborative and individual learning and to explore skill and knowledge development across and within professional boundaries.

This case study explores both the student and staff experience of two core modules delivered as part of the interprofessional/interdisciplinary year one learning and teaching for students in community education, teacher education and social work. The case study, drawn from an action research project, demonstrates that students experienced an initial disorientation which was exacerbated by complex subject areas not seen as relevant by the students. By contrast, the focus on human development and psychology in practice was seen to be useful by the student cohort. Both staff and students felt that environmental factors influenced the quality of teaching on these modules. In general, both staff and students rated the quality of teaching, assessment and staff support as relatively high although there was a consensus that more interactive, task orientated approaches were most effective. Finally, there was both a staff and student view to suggest that interprofessional education is perceived as being more useful at a later stage of the students training beyond year one.

This case study describes the use of a report into the death of a young child as a means of examining interprofessional communication and working with students.

This case study discusses the early stages of implementing an interprofessional unit for level 2 nursing and level 3 social work students. The aim is to give them interprofessional practice experience of using a particular approach to improve client care. The support of line management is highlighted and emphasis is made of the time consuming process implementation will take. The need for practice based managers to understand the relevance is also discussed.

This case study shows how informal peer consultation was turned into structured small peer group presentation and feedback in order to enable students to make an early start on part of their final assessment. The formative task required each student to present sources of evidence on five different perspectives on a social issue of their choice. Guided peer feedback, coupled with tutor feedback on referencing, was then used by students to develop their final written assignments. Outcomes and student feedback indicate that this is an approach worth further development.

This case study is based on teaching practice which is being developed at The Family Institute (Cardiff). We are interested in the underlying principles and processes in the application of systemic ideas to wide areas of different forms of practice including social work, health services and education services across statutory, voluntary and private sectors and in particular in the training of family and systemic psychotherapists. This particular case study looks at how the 'practicum' can become a moment of transformation in education and development - a moment when light floods the arena. During one particular study day with a group of professionals reflecting on their experience of how language defines systems and how feedback influences change in relationships and depends on context, we were struck by the energy the conversation had generated and we became particularly interested in trying to find a vehicle where some of what was being described about practice 'out there' might be experienced 'live' in the here and now for students. This case study describes a role-play exercise as such as vehicle.

The group ‘A voice of reason’, which is comprised of young people with experiences of being in care, worked together with 60 first year social work students in a 3 hour session structured around two group exercises. The first exercise was about meeting and greeting, emphasising the importance of first impressions. The second exercise focussed on the qualities which make up the ideal social worker. This involved drawing around a person on a large sheet of paper and placing the ‘good’ qualities inside the body and the negative characteristics outside. The discussion generated during this process gives the student an insight into the lived experience of the young people.

I have been leading a group of service users, tutors and social workers on the PQ in social work at London South Bank University in the use of poetry as a medium for expressing their creativity in learning. I wanted to invite tutors working with social workers following Leadership and Management and Practice Education Awards and practice assessors following the Enabling Others Unit to think about the relationships between service users, students and practice assessors.

In this case study formative peer assessment was introduced on an essay that would eventually be submitted for summative assessment on a first year social work undergraduate social policy module. The aim was to promote students’ understanding of the assessment criteria and process in order to enhance their learning and achievement.

This project was an intergenerational initiative developed via a partnership between London South Bank University Faculty of Health and Social Care and ‘1st Framework, 3rd Thought’, an older people’s drama company. Through the use of drama and film making, a small group of social work students worked together with older actors and film makers over a period of two days. As a result they developed a digital resource of 16 short clips that can be used as stimulus material in teaching and learning in health and social care on the theme of intimacy and sexuality in later life.

A new programme unit was developed for inclusion in Post Qualifying Awards at the Specialist level to meet the revised GSCC requirements that all such awards should develop skills and knowledge that would prepare candidates to 'enable the learning of others'. The unit was designed to enable specialist social workers to provide basic support to a wide variety of learners in the workplace, equipping them to facilitate and assess the development of competency and develop an understanding of how they could also support 'learners' to develop the wider notion of professional capability.

This case study describes the experience of using posters for assessment and includes feedback from students.

The aim of this case study was to devise a classroom exercise under 'controlled conditions' in an attempt to ensure that we were assessing social work students' own work, rather than something that they had found - or bought - on the internet. The aim was to stimulate learning beyond "acquisition of knowledge and skills" towards "changes in behaviour" (Barr et al 2000 cited in Carpenter, 2005) and the development of skills required of emerging social work practitioners.

This case study describes an exercise asking social work students to identify their core assumptions, beliefs, values, principles and ethics and resulting attitudes and behaviours that flowed from these.

This case study focuses on the involvement of service users in learning and teaching about assessment and the context in which this occurs at the University of Glasgow. One of a number of methods of assessment taught to social work students is person centred planning. Learning takes place through students participating in a series of exercises which can be used in person centred planning. In the final session, John, a service user, was introduced to the class and he explained how person centred planning had helped him take control of various aspects of his life. While this was a positive experience for both John and the students, the need for careful preparation prior to bringing service users into the classroom is essential.

A national Special Interest Group called the Sexuality Symposium was established as a community of practice to enhance discourse and debate between practitioners, research, academics and students in social work. The Sexuality Symposium is a virtual and real support network aimed at providing mutual support, an increased knowledge base, growing confidence and enhancement of practice around sexuality.

A pilot enquiry into the key moments, processes and people involved in the enhancement of student learning on a social work degree training programme.

This case study describes how we developed an interprofessional PGCert/PGDip/ MA: Education (Professional Practice Learning) as a pathway in the Integrated Masters Programme, Faculty of Education at University of Plymouth. The pathway has been accredited at GSCC PQ Higher Specialist Level and Advanced Level has been applied for. The pathway is open to anyone involved in supporting and/or assessing adults in their professional practice learning and would be of interest, for example, to social workers, clinical psychologists, health professionals and teachers.

This case study describes stage 1 of a two-part research project which aims to explore the impact of an innovative learning and assessment process. The BA (Hons) Social Work / BSc (Hons) Nursing & Social Work Studies module focuses on partnerships and participation in social work. The study aims to evaluate the contribution to collaborative and individual learning and to explore skill and knowledge development across and within professional boundaries.

This case study outlines an initiative between the University of Edinburgh and local social service agencies in which a pre-practice opportunity has been devised to develop students' awareness of service provision and to evaluate their readiness for practice.

We met with students learning community profiling skills in focus groups during their first year in order to evaluate what they had learnt and the links they made between their learning and their understanding of the social work degree curriculum.

A unit for Communication: Theory and Practice course for foundation year 'welfare practitioners' (undergraduate, post-graduate and employment-based trainee Social Workers and Youth and Community Workers) was developed in which online and experiential classroom based learning is integrated. The support from the institution is discussed, together with the need to conserve opportunities for small group work and experiential learning within the module. The author's reflections and key milestones are identified. Examples extracted from the course are given illustrating these milestones. Additional outcomes are also recognised and the question 'Can online learning contribute to a process that will enable the integration of theory and practice/ experience and further develop knowledge and professional competence? is also answered.

This case study demonstrates how the focus on learning and teaching about assessment is embedded into the DipSW curriculum at the University of Southampton. Beginning with the module Practice Methodologies prior to the first placement, learning about assessment continues until the end of the course. It is proposed that good practice requires assessment that is underpinned with theory and there is an expectation that will be able to articulate a general theory of assessment, not just a descriptive statement of how to do it.

Dr Derek Clifford produced a CD-rom Social Assessment: Applying Critical Auto/ Biographical Methods which he has used with both DipSW students and employees of a local authority social work department to facilitate learning about assessment. In this case study, Derek discusses the development and use of this CD-rom, and also other ways in which he has incorporated e-learning into his teaching about assessment, including email, Blackboard, Pro-Care and CCIS. Used together with other methods of teaching, it is proposed that e-learning can facilitate students developing an understanding of a holistic anti-oppressive analysis of social situations and to relate theoretical principles and basic skills to assessment of a complex case study.

This case study describes a day workshop for social work students attending Post Qualifying Child Care Award programmes, which was organised and run by the universities of Bristol and London (Royal Holloway) and The Hayward Gallery - a creative collaboration. The aim was to use an exhibition on prostitution and trafficking in women at The Hayward Gallery as the focus for an innovative workshop, using art to facilitate learning in an emotive and complex area of practice, and to provide the opportunity for social workers from London and the south west to study together, sharing feelings, practice experience, knowledge and ideas.

We did not have approval for a part time course. When investigating this I came up with 2 startling ideas that might not be that startling to others. Firstly to do what is now a 3-year course part time would take 6 years. The second was that full time students only attend for about 27 weeks a year and are then off working for agencies. The challenge was to design something that allowed 3 days a week attendance over say 45 weeks per year. This would then fit in with our current approval and regulations, which states that a student completing a year's worth of modules within an academic year is classed as full time.

A practice teacher working for Gwynedd County Council discusses the importance of language choice and the opportunities available in a mixed language community (Welsh and English) for social work students needing to develop their language sensitivity and anti-oppressive practice. Tensions regarding language can sometimes arise when working with service users and students are given an opportunity to employ their professional skills in challenging oppression and balancing differing rights, needs and opinions.

This case study describes how a practice assessment tool was developed and introduced for further and advanced pqsw courses in child and adolescent mental health at Anglia Ruskin University. The aim was to develop a useful tool that offers social workers a structured, evidence-based learning experience to improve practice with troubled young people.

This case study describes the way in which students' prior experience is recognised on a social work degree. It explains the APEL process, the evidence students need to obtain and the modules gained through the process. It also describes initial outcomes for students.

This case study is one of four outputs created as the result of a funded project entitled ‘Thinking, learning and ‘doing’ international work experience’. this case study describes how a team of colleagues at Sheffield Hallam University added an international stream to a core level 2 degree module.

This first year module has changed its mode of delivery from the traditional lecture/seminar approach to a problem-based approach. This approach to learning is seen as equipping students with some models and regimes of comparative social policy early on in their university studies which encourages them to see different patterns of policy provision. By encouraging group work throughout the module, students are expected to work as a team, support and learn from one another.

This case study forms one of six submitted to SWAP to illustrate ways in which academics use social policy research in teaching. This initiative develops student appreciation of research/consultancy in the discipline and brings findings from staff research into teaching and learning into the curriculum.

This case study forms one of six submitted to SWAP to illustrate ways in which academics use social policy research in teaching. This initiative develops learner appreciation of research/consultancy in the discipline by bringing data/findings from staff research/consultancy into a community training environment.

This case study forms one of six submitted to SWAP to illustrate ways in which academics use social policy research in teaching. In this case study the lecturer uses teaching and learning processes which simulate research processes. She also uses assignments which involve elements of research processes and gives students first hand experience of research based consultancy.

This case study forms one of six submitted to SWAP to illustrate ways in which academics use social policy research in teaching. In this case study the lecturer is developing student appreciation of research/consultancy in the discipline by bringing data/findings from staff research/consultancy into the curriculum.

This case study is one of four outputs created as the result of a funded project entitled ‘Thinking, learning and ‘doing’ international work experience’. This case study describes the process of students keeping a reflective diary for the duration of a level 5 ‘work and professional development’ module. They were expected to write up their reflections at the end of semester two via an electronic portfolio after they had carried out some form of work experience or work-related activity.

In this case study formative peer assessment was introduced on an essay that would eventually be submitted for summative assessment on a first year social work undergraduate social policy module. The aim was to promote students’ understanding of the assessment criteria and process in order to enhance their learning and achievement.

The use of chatrooms on two level 3 modules, Children's Rights and Children's Rights Project are discussed. Student feedback is encouraging and the lecturer felt that the use of chatrooms and its informal approach aided in seeing what students were thinking and how they understood issues. An excerpt from student guidelines is also attached.

This case study forms one of six submitted to SWAP to illustrate ways in which academics use social policy research in teaching. In this case study the lecturer develops students' appreciation of research/consultancy in the discipline by using teaching and learning processes which simulate research processes. She also develops student research/consultancy skills by using assignments which involve elements of research processes.

For two modules on a social policy degree programme, a role-play approach has been adopted to break with formal tutorials. In the style of 'Shooting Stars' gameshow, students join teams divided into 'Kens' and 'Barbies' to debate a seminar topic. (Real dolls are used to indicate which team member is to talk and these must be passed around for one module). Points are awarded to teams throughout the debate. The seminar questions are non-assessed formative essay questions and students must prepare prior to the seminar. Feedback on this approach is shown from students and the lecturer. An excerpt from the student guidelines is also attached. It should be emphasised that there is increased student participation and the sessions tend to be quite manic and ad hoc.

An account of a special project aimed at addressing recruitment and retention of 16-18 year old students onto both Social policy and Criminology courses at Hull University. It summarises the problems identified at Hull and specific activities piloted to deal with them, initiated by the university's Marketing and Communications department and developed with the Department of Comparative and Applied Social Sciences. It provides a framework with which departments running similar courses can assess their own situation.

The revalidation of this institution's BA (Hons) Social Policy award was designed to expose students to a wider range of assessments. The 10-credit 2nd year module 'Health Policy' uses stimulus response. This comprises 4 weighted sections. Each contains a short extract or quote, which acts as a stimulus for students. Each of these in turn has a number of questions attached. Some of these relate directly to the extract, others require students to develop arguments, read more widely, find new material or relate the extract to wider issues. The implementation and feedback is discussed, and a copy of the assessment is included.

This case-study describes the use of a Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) known as LEARN to provide an information base for students studying a criminology module. The aim is to use the facilities offered by e-learning to provide students with a large amount of text-based information in an accessible form and to offer an interactive online exercise on sentencing policy for follow-up discussion in seminar groups.

This is a very simplistic attempt to get students to think about some of the different areas they have studied within a unit and to encourage them to think about how these might link up. Students may also find these useful in making links between levels as well as between units and are a good way of helping some to put their degree in context. This can help encourage the application of theories and concepts learned in one unit to other units and can encourage more insightful work from those who are able to make these links. Students usually produce far more complex mind maps, but something fairly basic, such as this example, usually works as a starting point

First year social policy students were found to have gaps in their foundational factual knowledge of a module entitled 'government and institutions' which created barriers to more advanced work in subsequent modules. A one-hour multiple choice exam has been developed as part of the assessment. Student feedback is positive and the teaching benefits are that it builds student confidence early on whilst also allowing staff to identify any early problems. A few questions are attached to indicate the level of understanding required. Further developments have occurred.

This case study is one of four outputs created as the result of a funded project entitled ‘Thinking, learning and ‘doing’ international work experience’. Fifteen students elected to join the international stream of a Work & Professional Development module. Of these, three students went overseas to New York for one week and were accompanied by SHU staff. This case study reviews this short international work experience abroad. SHU students took with them projects they needed to carry out in order to fulfil the module’s assessment requirements. These projects were concerned with work-related activity (i.e.the students themselves became researchers, or, the topic under scrutiny was either something they had prior work experience in or was an area that International work experience they were interested in developing as a possible career area).

This case study describes the process of introducing personal development planning into a first year module of a Sociology degree, the activities undertaken and the lessons learned from working with the first cohort who took the module.

This case study reports on the use of a PowerPoint presentation on Assessment Feedback which lectures and tutors at the University of Lincoln could embed in lectures and/or seminars.

This paper discusses the implementation of FirstClass computer conferencing for a second-year undergraduate module over the last six years which has proved challenging for both tutor and student. Asynchronous interaction has aided group collaborative work and the process of the collaboration has been made visible to tutors. Although time-consuming, much has been learned about the process of introducing computer conferencing and what can be expected. Giving students a structure has aided their online discussion and also by dividing them into groups. Emphasis is now on group work rather than the technological aspects of using this type of technology.

In response to institutional requirements regarding the additional curriculum and changing student needs, the social policy teaching team designed a level 1 module which integrated the development of transferable and employability skills with subject specific knowledge and study. While retaining a skills focus, it was tightly structured around conceptual, theoretical and practice-related issues: poverty and social exclusion. Students worked in small ALGs, received supporting lectures and a module handbook. Student feedback was positive even though the workload was relatively demanding. Staff saw cohesion within the student body and also an excellent relationship between staff and students.

This case study is one of four outputs created as the result of a funded project entitled ‘thinking, learning and ‘doing’ international work experience’. This case study reviews the desk based international experience implemented by colleagues delivering the international stream. The main aim was to enable desk-based students an opportunity to develop their work and professional development skills and interests around an international perspective. In effect, we wanted to internationalise these students’ experiences without them having to travel.

A collection of six case studies on 'Using Social Policy Research in Teaching' conducted in 2007. It is hoped that the six case studies will stimulate thinking and ideas for integrating research into teaching and learning activities. The case studies represent a snapshot of the tools and techniques employed by lecturers in social policy to illuminate their own and others' research within their teaching in ways that enhance students' learning experiences and equip them to become research minded and research active. They also show how engagement with what might be seen as 'dry' or 'difficult' policy can be highly enjoyable as well as rewarding.

This case study forms one of six submitted to SWAP to illustrate ways in which academics use social policy research in teaching. In this case study the lecturer develops students' appreciation of research/consultancy in the discipline by using teaching and learning processes which simulate research processes. She also uses assignments which involve elements of research processes and gives students first hand experience of research based consultancy.

An automated assessment of a level 2 unit entitled 'Theories of welfare' was used for 20% of the unit's assessment. The institution was encouraging the use of Blackboard as a VLE. A set of 'gateway' multiple choice questions were offered and which had to be answered correctly to enter the next stage. Students had to attempt all five comprehension exercises on excerpts relating to each of the five theoretical topics. Although there were benefits to student learning in that the gateway questions developed foundation knowledge without penalising incorrect answers, the frustration encountered as technical problems occurred, together with the additional time needed meant that this form of assessment is no longer used.

A staged problem-solving exercise was devised to enable students to make an assessment of whether Esping-Andersen categories or critiques of them aid understanding of differences in health care inputs/outputs in selected countries. The design is around a tutor-led workshop where students are provided with guidance through a set of notes and they work through exercises using statistical tables and referring to theoretical models. An excerpt from the worksheet is also given.

This Tutors' Manual was prepared in 2003 for The School of Social and Political Studies, University of Edinburgh. It covers a wide range of topics including preparing and spending time teaching, marking coursework, as well as administrative tasks and pastoral support.

This report informs on the project 'Younger students in social work education: our new 'non-traditional' students?. The report includes the following sections: 'Introductory Comments', 'Project Aims','Project outcomes','Future plans' and 'Concluding comments'.

This project report informs on a SWAP-funded project 'Teaching, learning and assessing communication skilss with children and young people: Developing the social work qualifying curriculum'. It includes the following sections: 'Background to the dissemination project', 'The aims of the dissemination project', 'The first workshop', 'Follow-up from the first workshop', 'The second workshop' and 'Evaluation and review of the project'.

In 2005 SWAP funded eight projects in social policy and social work education designed to promote the use of effective learning, teaching and assessment activities; to encourage the development and sharing of innovative approaches and to raise awareness of the importance of evaluating the effectiveness of educational methods. The following is the final report Social Work Law in Practice: a research project to explore social work students’ law learning on practice placement.

This guidance is designed to complement established good practice initiatives in the involvement of service users and carers in Social Work training on Degree programmes in Northern Ireland. Based on research conducted with service users, carers, students, agency and academic partners, the guide focuses on the key values which need to accompany such involvement as well as including case studies of good practice to show how service users and carers have been effectively involved to date at all levels of social work training in Northern Ireland.

In 2005 SWAP funded eight projects in social policy and social work education designed to promote the use of effective learning, teaching and assessment activities; to encourage the development and sharing of innovative approaches and to raise awareness of the importance of evaluating the effectiveness of educational methods.

In 2005 SWAP funded eight projects in social policy and social work education designed to promote the use of effective learning, teaching and assessment activities; to encourage the development and sharing of innovative approaches and to raise awareness of the importance of evaluating the effectiveness of educational methods. Interprofessional Education is a report from the Learning from Lives project.

The aim of this funded project was to develop an understanding of the needs of both students and their work-based learning mentors in settings where the student is aiming to demonstrate the underpinning principles and theories of integrated practice. By gaining an insight into these needs the project sought to identify key issues that can contribute to appropriate work-based support for student learning in new roles. An additional specific outcome was to identify and develop appropriate resources that would support a critical understanding of the Integrated Children’s Services agenda in practice settings associated with a Foundation Degree (Working with children, young people and their families).

In 2005 SWAP funded eight projects in social policy and social work education designed to promote the use of effective learning, teaching and assessment activities; to encourage the development and sharing of innovative approaches and to raise awareness of the importance of evaluating the effectiveness of educational methods. The following is the final report The Impact of Work Based Learning on Students’ Understanding of Citizenship and their Role in the Community.

This project report discusses the results of a research study into group learning in social work student practice placements in Northern Ireland. The research was carried out during 2002, and made use of quantitative and qualitative methods to collect data. The report includes a literature review, methodology, findings, discussion and summary of conclusions.

This project report informs on a research study into the experience of first year undergraduate students on an Applied Social Studies Programme. The objective of the project was to gain an understanding of factors that contribute to the support, development of learning, progression and retention of a diverse range of non-traditional entry first year students in order to be able to create appropriate and meaningful changes to learning and teaching support for learning strategies. The report includes background information, methodology, research findings and outlook.

This project report presents and discusses findings from research undertaken into the perceptions of level 2 and level 3 Department of Policy students on receiving feedback. The study furthermore looked at how the students were receiving and using feedback. The report includes literature review, methodology, results and recommendations.

This is the final project report of a 2006 SWAP-funded project on 'Examining the Impact of PBL on Surface and Deep Approaches to Learning'.

This is the project report of a project conducted in 2003/2004 on Information Literacy provision for Social Work.

In 2005 SWAP funded eight projects in social policy and social work education designed to promote the use of effective learning, teaching and assessment activities; to encourage the development and sharing of innovative approaches and to raise awareness of the importance of evaluating the effectiveness of educational methods. The following is the final report of the project Skills Development and Theorising Practice in Social Work Education.

This step-by-step user guide explains how to modify your profile on SWAPBox and how completing certain fields contributes to building the SWAPBox online community. It also recommends other guides that may be of interest to SWAPBox users.

This step-by-step user guide explains how to register on SWAPBox and recommends which other guides might be of interest to SWAPBox users.

This short A4 guide illustrates an enquiry-based blended learning design used to encourage learning and teaching around research skills for social work. Its aim is to describe the learning design and encourage discussion about this type of learning and teaching approach. This flexible enquiry-based blended learning design was created to improve student engagement in the development of research skills and knowledge. The primary aim was to develop a more responsive teaching and learning approach to promote deeper learning outcomes. Evaluation of previous teaching identified two primary issues that needed addressing in order to engage students more effectively in learning around research. Firstly, the postgraduate students came to the module with different levels of previous knowledge and understanding. Some had significant prior knowledge of research methods and experienced material as repetitive or simplistic whilst those whose knowledge of research was limited found some of the material hard to access and understand; this resulted in students becoming disengaged from the learning process. Secondly the research teaching occurred early in the programme, and some considerable time before the students became engaged in independent research for their dissertations. A flexible approach was required that could be used over a 12–18 month period.

This short A4 guide illustrates an enquiry-based blended learning design used to encourage learning and teaching about issues of diversity, values and skills in social work. Its aim is to describe the learning design and encourage discussion about this type of learning and teaching approach. A mixture of face-to-face and online lectures (using the Echo360 lecture capture system), a Workbook, online video case studies and community-based EBL group work activities (27 groups of 3) were used in this blended learning design. The aim of the module was to provide students with opportunities to reframe and reinterpret existing knowledge, values and beliefs to assess the impact these may have on their professional practice when working with diverse communities.

This short A4 guide illustrates an enquiry-based blended learning design used to encourage learning and teaching between students from related social care and health disciplines. Its aim is to describe the learning design and encourage discussion about this type of learning and teaching approach. It is recognised that the delivery of interdisciplinary services provide the most effective outcomes for mental health service users and carers (MHSUC). However, a lack of teaching space, timetabling difficulties, differing curriculum requirements etc can prevent qualifying social and health care students from learning together with MHSUC to develop the skills and knowledge required for effective interdisciplinary post-qualification practice. The aim of this design was to creatively overcome issues of time and space and to embed active MHSUC engagement with students. The objective of the initiative was to promote effective interdisciplinary learning. Initially the Learning Initiative was with Nursing and Social Work students, however it is planned to incorporate Clinical Psychology students and Senior House Officer Medics in the near future.

This short A4 guide illustrates an enquiry-based blended learning design used to teach Child Protection Processes. Its aim is to describe the learning design and encourage discussion about this type of learning and teaching approach. This learning design aimed to provide social work students with the underpinning knowledge, skills and experiences required to operate within the child protection (CP)process from referral through to child protection conference (CPC). A blended learning design was created centered around an incrementally developing problem based case study. Using a mixture of face-to-face teaching, online enquiry-based activities and role-play, students were able to develop the planning, recording, assessing, communicating and presenting skills required to respond to a CP referral, plan an investigation and prepare a report for a CPC.

This digest is for social work students undertaking practice learning. The advice that follows is drawn directly from student responses to a survey conducted at a British Association of Social Workers (BASW) student conference. They provide a rich source of tips based on first hand experience which is why they have been presented without alteration or supplementary comment. SWAP would like to thank BASW and all the students involved for their contributions.

This guide to teaching and learning has been written for lecturers and tutors working within social work education. The guidance and activities can be used at both qualifying and post qualifying levels and across a range of modules and practice learning opportunities. It is not intended to be a prescriptive guide, simply a way to support social work educators seeking to increase or consolidate their current teaching and learning in relation to alcohol and other drugs.