Enhancing Critical Reflection amongst Social Work Students: The Contribution of an Experiential Learning Group in Care Homes for Older People

Abstract

As part of a Practice Learning Centre, representing a partnership between an English University social work department and a non-governmental organisation, 12 students were placed in care homes for older people for their first period of assessed practice. The aims of this initiative were to facilitate: development of critical reflection; deployment of social work skills in a care home setting; and opportunities for social work students to work with care home residents. The learning was captured via four Experiential Groups facilitated by the Practice Educator with responsibility for assessing the students' practice. On-site supervisors also participated. Key learning included understanding of: the importance of critical reflection as a key social work skill; the influence of organisational norms and care home culture on the quality of care practice; the complexity and emotion-rich nature of person-centred care; and the pivotal role of relationships in work with people with dementia. Links made in the Groups-between the experiential and theoretical, the emotional and cognitive, and the structural and personal-demonstrate their value as learning platforms. Placements in care homes have considerable potential to enrich practice education; this is especially important in the context of an ageing population.

An alternative model of community service learning

“…Similar benefits to students and community have been reported in other writings on CSL (Kesten, 2012;Milne and Adams, 2014;St Hill and Yazici, 2014;VanWynsberghe and Andruske, 2007;Zandee et al, 2015).…”

The Impact of Experiential Learning on Social Work Students’ Application of the NASW Code of Ethics Post-Graduation

“…As social work is an applied profession, experiential teaching approaches can be particularly useful in training future practitioners. Exposing students to real-world issues that challenge the social work profession, and facilitating the learning processes around those experiences can facilitate and reinforce critical self-discovery and understanding of the profession (Milne & Adams, 2015;Pugh, 2014a).…”

Untitled

“…As social work is an applied profession, experiential teaching approaches can be particularly useful in training future practitioners. Exposing students to real-world issues that challenge the social work profession, and facilitating the learning processes around those experiences can facilitate and reinforce critical self-discovery and understanding of the profession (Milne & Adams, 2015;Pugh, 2014a).…”