‘Moving In’: Difficulties and Support in the Transition to Higher Education for In-service Social Care Students

McSweeney, Fiona

doi:10.1080/02615479.2013.770832

Cited by 9 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 58 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…These objectives have also been achieved with participants indicating that their day-to-day practice had changed as a result of the learning accrued on the programme. This finding mirrors the outcome of similar studies on in-service training programmes for social care practitioners (McSweeney, 2014). Specific areas where practice had changed included using assessment tools and models of reflective practice, a focus on outcomes and indicators of change, insight into the impact of broader policy and environmental issues on children and families, and regular application of the Family Support principles to inform specific interventions and as an overall criterion to guide practice.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 60%

Enhancing Family Support in Practice through Postgraduate Education

Devaney¹

2014

Social Work Education

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Family Support as a named orientation is a relatively new concept in service provision for children and their families in the Republic of Ireland. Notwithstanding this, there are a number of practitioners across a range of disciplines and agencies within this arena who apply a Family Support approach in their day-to-day work. Furthermore, it is increasingly expected that these practitioners and agencies work together in a collaborative manner with the intention of providing the best possible assistance and support. Practitioners are also required to develop their knowledge and skills on an on-going basis while in practice. One model of postgraduate education which is responding to such developments is the Master's Degree in Family Support Studies. This programme is delivered in one University in the Republic of Ireland. In 2011, the programme was reviewed to assess its influence on participants understanding and knowledge of Family Support and on their practice. A mixed methods approach was used in this review, the results of which provide the basis for this article. At an overall level the programme is found to have a very positive influence on participants with a growing pool of practitioners who are skilled and confident in their practice.

show abstract

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 60%

Enhancing Family Support in Practice through Postgraduate Education

Devaney¹

2014

Social Work Education

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Their qualitative study of 52 post graduate international business students highlighted the importance of mutually supportive networks of student peers. Indeed, the role and function of student peers and their contribution to student identity and cohesion is becoming increasingly recognised in the literature (McSweeney, 2014; Tobbell et al., 2010; West, 2012; Wilks & Spivey, 2010). As Matheson and Sutcliffe (2018) argue, HEIs need to build in opportunities to enable students to develop cohesion and bonding.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…As Matheson and Sutcliffe (2018) argue, HEIs need to build in opportunities to enable students to develop cohesion and bonding. This may be in approaches to teaching or in practical initiatives, such as timetabling to allow time and space for student relationships to develop (McSweeney, 2014). Stimulating opportunities to enable group cohesion, or creating a climate in which this may occur spontaneously, would appear to be important in facilitating opportunities for negotiated support structures between students to materialise.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Navigating and negotiating: Social processes to describe and explain the student experience of undertaking part-time, taught study on a Master’s level degree course in dementia care

et al. 2019

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Post graduate education in dementia care is delivered by a number of academic institutions worldwide. Aimed primarily at people in advanced and specialised roles in health and social care, it is designed to develop the knowledge and skills to advance practice and lead to positive changes and benefits to people living with dementia and their social networks. However, undertaking Master’s level education can be challenging, particularly when this is undertaken alongside full-time work and family/domestic commitments. To illuminate this student experience further, this paper takes a case study approach to explore the experiences of three students who have successfully completed a Master’s programme in dementia care in the North West of England. Their individual and collective experiences highlight the challenges of juggling competing demands and the dynamic processes of navigating the student journey and continually negotiating supports in order to successfully complete the course. The study highlights important implications for the design and supportive structures within post graduate Master’s education in dementia care/studies, and potentially in other subject areas also, in order to support students’ transition to post graduate study.

show abstract

“…However, some caution should be urged. In a qualitative study of 15 experienced social care practitioners who attended part-time study on a course in Ireland, the development of supportive relationships between each other was a key source of support in what was experienced as an often challenging transition to becoming a student, although time was needed for these relationships to develop (McSweeny, 2014). McSweeny also highlights how a positive caring culture within the HEI with good tutor/student relationships and sensitive feedback and appropriate academic supports were all viewed positively.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Student experiences of taught part-time study on a postgraduate dementia studies programme: findings from an electronic questionnaire survey

Burrow

Bradshaw

Mairs

et al. 2017

JMHTEP

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to describe the findings from an electronic questionnaire survey which set out to explore experiences of graduates of a part-time Master’s programme in dementia care at The University of Manchester. Design/methodology/approach An electronic questionnaire survey was sent to 57 graduates who had studied on the programme since it began in 2003. Thematic analysis was applied to qualitative data from responses to six open-ended questions. Findings In total, 31 completed questionnaires were received. Four key themes were identified from the qualitative data: juggling competing demands; experiencing personal growth and achievement; locating sources of support; and supporting changes to practice. Research limitations/implications Limitations included the small sample size and the survey not covering the experiences of students who had failed to complete the first year of study. Originality/value The study demonstrates the perceived value of dementia education at more advanced levels for people working in professional roles in dementia care, this included professional and personal development and supporting changes to practice. The study additionally adds to a limited evidence base relating to how mature, health and social care students experience part-time study in higher education and has implications for future research aimed at informing the development of appropriate course design and employer support.

show abstract

‘Moving In’: Difficulties and Support in the Transition to Higher Education for In-service Social Care Students

Cited by 9 publications

References 58 publications

Enhancing Family Support in Practice through Postgraduate Education

Enhancing Family Support in Practice through Postgraduate Education

Navigating and negotiating: Social processes to describe and explain the student experience of undertaking part-time, taught study on a Master’s level degree course in dementia care

Student experiences of taught part-time study on a postgraduate dementia studies programme: findings from an electronic questionnaire survey

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About