Developing students ability to critically analyse social work theory Pam Green Lister

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Developing students ability to critically
analyse social work theoryPam Green Lister
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Beginnings

• 2nd year Masters/ Post Graduate Diploma in Social
  Work Students
• Social Work Practice 2 Module (SWP2) theories
  and methods of intervention
• Module prior to 2nd placement
• Assessment SWP2 essay
• Linked to Integrative Practice Study (IPS),
  facilitated by Practice Discussion Groups (PDG)

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Process of developing framework

• Class discussions how to develop critical
  analysis of theory
• Consider check list developed by previous group
• Decide to expand with reference to theorists

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Classroom based work

• Framework developed over several sessions
• Used to analyse interventions studied in the
  module
• Group presentations analysing specific methods
  of interventions analyse
• Preliminary evaluation of framework Raise
  service user views, enhance attention to
  anti-oppressive practice

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Practice Discussion Groups when on placement

• Practice Discussion Groups practitioner tutors
  introduced to framework
• Students use framework as back drop to
  presentations in groups

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Placement Workshops

• Mid- Placement Workshop
• Introduce framework to practice teachers
• Students work in groups to develop framework with
  regard to anti oppressive practice and present to
  practice teachers

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The Critical Analysis Framework

• 1.What are the theoretical underpinnings of the
  method/ model?
• 2.What is its epistemological base?

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The Critical Analysis Framework

• 3a. how does the method fit in Howes (1987)
  paradigms?
• 3b. How does it fit with the functions of theory
  as outlined by Coulshed and Orme(1988)?
• 3c. On what political assumptions is it based?

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The Critical AnalysisFramework

• 4. What is the research evidence?
• 5. If I were a service user how might I view the
  method?

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The Critical Analysis Framework

• 6. How does this method fit with my value base?
• 7a. What are the dominant discourses which inform
  this method?
• 7b. How does this method accord with the
  following anti-oppressive principles (Clifford
  1995)?

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Evaluation students

• Valued process
• Aided critical analysis
• Assisted understanding theoretical models
• Assisted thinking about historical context and
  the purpose of theory
• Used in practice to assist choice
• Complex- time consuming

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Usefulness

• I looked at the theoretical underpinnings of
  models and which dominant discourses had
  influenced these
• It helped me think more extensively about use of
  theory in practice
• Our contributions as a class group was useful as
  it increased understanding of the purpose of the
  framework

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Usefulness

• In talking about narrative theory, I used the
  principles of the framework to think about how
  effective the theory was in terms of the client
  group involved
• I used Howe in relation to choosing methods of
  intervention and to the way in which social work
  is viewed in the agency

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Difficulties

• In general there seemed to be too many things to
  consider and I got a bit lost in it
• Very time consuming therefore I did not really
  use it in its full form often

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Evaluation practitioner- tutors

• Students assisted to consider critical analysis
  of theoretical concepts and values in PDG
• Students clearer about reasons for choice of
  method
• Some use in placement
• Assisted to structure presentations
• Need more advice to use effectively
• Some terminology off putting

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Usefulness

• a useful tool in terms of aiding students not
  only to consider the epistemological base of
  differing theories, models and methods, but also
  to explore the aforementioned critically and
  analytically
• ..it is too easy for students to glibly talk say
  about a task centred approach without fully
  considering what the application means

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Difficulties

• Needed more discussion about use in PDGs with
  regard to how students used the framework
• The word epistemological was a a big hurdle for
  many students

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Evaluation practice teachers

• Low response rate3
• One example of extensive use in placement
• One practice teacher not aware of framework

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Evaluation assignments

• Clear evidence of use
• Critical questioning of theory
• Bibliographies
• Unpicking of epistemologies
• Attention to research evidence