Walking the talk in social work education

Abstract

This chapter focuses on the benefits and challenges of utilising social work values and principles when teaching, researching, evaluating and improving social work education. These values and principles are explored through their application within the social practice degree programmes at Unitec, New Zealand. A range of alternative and novel teaching and assessment methods are examined and evaluated in the light of their relevance and compatibility with social work education. Special focus is placed on, group assignments, creative individual assignments, field trips, experiential learning, self and peer reflection, inquiry learning, the use of individualised learning contracts and their relevance in ‘walking the talk’ in social work education. In an attempt to ‘walk the talk’ this chapter is organized in similar stages to the way in which social work education is organized in Aotearoa New Zealand and it integrates personal, professional and political discourses relevant for the co-creation of competent social workers.