Learning in two communities: the challenge for universities and workplaces

Abstract

This article reports on a longitudinal study of school-to-work transitions in four professions: education, social work, physiotherapy, and occupational therapy. Each of these professions is characterized by the need for an undergraduate degree for certification; extensive, supervised internships before graduation; and, to a greater or lesser extent, supervision for beginning professionals after graduation. Students in their last years of university, beginning professionals in their first years of practice, and the experienced practitioners who supervise both these groups were interviewed. The article draws on theory and data to help explain why the move from classroom to workplace is often so difficult, and make recommendations to stakeholders in the training and induction of new practitioners in these professions. The recommendations may be extrapolated to other workplaces.

Imagined, prescribed and actual text trajectories: the “problem” with case notes in contemporary social work

“…Most existing work has focused on the writing of social work students (e.g. Horton and Diaz 2011;Rai 2004;Rai 2006), with some work on graduate social workers' writing on work placements (Paré 2002;Le Maistre and Paré 2004;Paré and Le Maistre 2006). Key findings from work placement writing, echoed in more recent small studies (e.g.…”

An Investigation of the Standardised Patient Interview Rating Scale (SPIRS) for the Assessment of Speech Pathology Students in a Simulation Clinic

“…Second year undergraduate students participated in a 12-week simulated clinic module, designed to develop their foundation clinical skills before entering into further clinical placements. Such experiences are considered important for students in the health sciences, to scaffold and facilitate their transition from the academic boundaries of the classroom to the real world environment of a workplace Theodoros 2010, Le Maistre andParé 2004). Students at early stages of their clinical learning are typically self rather than client-focussed, are nervous about interactions with clients and their families, and require significant direction and structure to manage clinical situations (McAllister and Lincoln 2004).…”

Text Work as Identity Work for Legal Writers

“…These studies examined the transitions for engineers (Winsor, 2001), social workers (LeMaistre & Paré, 2004), architects (Dias, et al, 1999) and government workers (Freedman & Adam, 1996). These studies challenge the notion that teaching writing to law students can be an authentic activity so that students can "hit the ground running" as they enter practice.…”