The challenges of combining ‘knowing-that’ and ‘knowing-how’ in social work education and professional practice in the Norwegian Labour and Welfare Administration

Abstract

ABSTRACT This article presents data from a focus group study of social workers in the Norwegian Labour and Welfare Administration (NAV) and investigates how social workers perceive and experience the relevance of their education in the transition to their work in NAV. The relevance of education to practical fields became more important after the Bologna Process started in 2000. Research shows a discrepancy between what social workers learn during their professional education and the expectations they face when starting to work in welfare systems. Through analysing our data according to Ryle’s concepts of ‘knowing-that’ and ‘knowing-how’ and Lave and Wenger’s theory of situated learning and communities of practice, we discuss the participants’ experiences of the relevance of their education. Although the participants experienced their social work education as being relevant to their work in NAV, they expressed a need to learn more about how to apply theoretical knowledge during their education. The participants indicated work situations where they felt that their studies had insufficiently prepared them. In response to these findings, we discuss implications for social work education.