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The concept of social pedagogy can be studied from different perspectives and with diverse foci. According to Eriksson & Markström (2000) there are three main ways to study the phenomenon of social pedagogy: as an area of expertise, academic subject or professional action. In this article the main focus is on social pedagogy as an area of expertise or in other words its knowledge field and territory. Alternatively, according to Brante (2003) the core, the periphery and limits of social pedagogy.

Today's welfare system faces a variety of social challenges in terms of social vulnerability, inequality and the presence of segregated and parallel societies. Within this complexity, the professional practitioner meets opportunities for action, institutional frameworks, and the role of higher education as a future social innovator. The objective of this paper is to suggest an inquiry concerning how social work students form their conception on the complexity of everyday social work practice and professional expertise. The focus is to investigate social work students' process and formation of knowledge regarding challenge based learning (CBL). Methodologically the examination will be based on multi-method data triangulation design. In conclusion this paper suggests the use of socio-ecological and social learning theory to develop more dynamic teaching models to enhance the understanding of the challenging pathways linking social structures in development of students' professional self.

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