Developing self-assessment in social work education

Abstract

This article is based on the experiences of social work staff and students involved in the Self-Assessment in Professional and Higher Education Project (SAPHE), funded by the Higher Education Funding Council for England through the Fund for the Development of Teaching and Learning. The rationale for self-assessment is explored, together with its links to reflective learning and the core competence in the requirements for the Diploma in Social Work ‘Develop Professional Competence’. Work in progress on the project is described and analysed across three sites (the DipSW programmes at the Universities of Bristol, Bath and the West of England). The focus here is on the use of self-assessment in university work; self-assessment in relation to practice learning is considered in a parallel article. The centrality of self-assessment to social work education is confirmed, and some preliminary themes emerging from the project are identified.