Social Work Education: Tackling The Theory—Practice Dilemma

Abstract

SUMMARY The integration of theory and practice has long been a topic for debate and concern amongst social work educators. A longitudinal participant observation study of one cohort of social work students confirmed that the ideal of theory-practice integration was also high on their own list of self-established priorities. Students' efforts towards attaining this goal were also hampered by the perspectives which they themselves brought to bear on their training. Attempting to resolve the conflict between their own perspectives and their perceived demands of professional education students appealed to and reconstructed afresh various models of theory application endorsed both by social work educators and practitioners. These models, however, are essentially contradictory and pose serious problems for the development and maintenance of social work standards. This paper is based on the findings of a longitudinal study which charted the subjective experience of 20 postgraduate social work students on a two-year CQSW course. The research methods used were participant observation and semi-structured interviews, conducted at four points during training. Participant observation involved formal meetings, classes and informal gatherings and the interviews focused on students' profes sional development and attitude changes. The social work course chosen for study was under the control of CCETSW and reiterated the concern of this body to integrate theory and practice in social work eduction. In accordance with CCETSW's stipula tion that 40% or more of students' time be spent in placement agencies students were required to undertake one three-month concurrent fieldwork placement and one six-month bloc placement. Students were also required to demonstrate their competence in theory application by means of a written assessment paper, known as a 'situational study'. Students were instructed to: