Practice-Based Learning

The MSW(Q) is a blended degree with compulsory attendance at workshops complimented by online delivery. The student cohort is made up primarily of international students and domestic students with high levels of previous industry experience. In my role as APD I have been able to provide mentoring and resources on face-to-face practice-based learning strategies and online teaching and assessment to the teaching team both in our discipline, and in our Faculty. In our social work discipline, I convened an inaugural working party on practice-based learning, coordinating an externally facilitated workshop in 2021 on practice-based learning and work-integrated learning philosophy, and led the writing of a forthcoming publication.  In my own subjects I have been able to develop my expertise in co-designing and co-development of curriculum content with social work practitioners, and in combining practice-based and skills learning with digital technologies:

In addition, in 2021 I was invited to deliver a presentation at the HAS T&L Seminar Series on assessment in online learning. To hear more about this, you can watch the presentation here. One area of T&L I have been developing expertise in over the last three years is utilising podcasting in the classroom, on field placements, and in assessments. I discussed an element of this in my 2021 article on podcasting and work-integrating learning (Fox, et al, 2021), but it is also a unique feature of my forthcoming book, Podcasting in Social Work Education: Pedagogy and Practice.

In 2020 following our initial AASW accreditation, we received feedback from the accreditation panel, our students and the external placement agencies that the sequencing of our MSW(Q) subjects brought about several barriers to students successful transitioning from the classroom to work-integrated learning. So, in 2021 I embarked on a process of redesigning the MSW(Q) curriculum. This process included consulting with students, the academic teaching team, the School and Faculty. During this process I facilitated two teaching and learning meetings with our social work teaching team where I led a process that scaffolded the core content of our MSW(Q) subjects, aligning it with the feedback received and the ASWEAS national standards. This process culminated in a complete redesign that I successfully launched in October 2021. Autumn 2022 marks the beginning of this new MSW(Q) curriculum structure. The following are testimonials from two members of the social work teaching team regarding my impact as the MSW(Q) APD:

“From my experience as subject co-ordinator of the first year WIL subject and three other core subjects in the MSW(Q) program:  

·       Mim’s experience and insights into the importance of preparing students for placement enabled her to develop a new structure to student progression through the MSW(Q) program. The new structure will address many of the barriers student’s faced in successful completion of first placement. In particular the new structure will prepare international students more effectively for their transition into WIL (agency based placement). In the past I experienced frustration as subject co-ordinator in being unable to resolve issues that resulted in early termination of placement, especially for international students, that were clearly a result of the inadequate preparation we provided to students due to no pre-recs for the first WIL subject. 

·       Mim’s commitment embedding to the ASWEAS and AASW’s practice standards into the curriculum using a practice based pedagogy is also significant. Mim has led team discussions and thinking around how subject co-ordinators can creatively provide engaging, practice based teaching and learning experiences for students. As a result of Mim’s support, I am changing how I teach SOWK912 and including practice based approaches such as inviting refugees into the workshops as expert teachers providing students with ‘real world’ experiences of using interpreters and applying social justice theory in their practice. 

·       Mim’s support and leadership of the MSW(Q) teaching team in 2021 has enabled me to develop confidence in my own teaching and has brought us together as an effective and collaborative team.

·       Mim has also contributed significantly to the broader social work discipline team. Mim’s frank and fearless / sage advice has guided the social work team to resolve challenging issues relating to social work discipline research and teaching.”

Cathy Duncan, Social Work Lecturer

 

Dear Mim,

As we are heading towards the end of the year, and I am developing the roster to provide cover for the MSWQ students who are out on placement over the festive season, I just wanted to thank you for the inspired curriculum change that will soon enable the MSWQ students to go out on placement in the standard placement times from July 2022 onwards. 

The way you have adapted the curriculum to better meet the needs of the students means they are more prepared for placement; this is not only better for the students but also the agencies, some of whom have really struggled to optimise student learning especially when the students had so little subject content to prepare them for engaging with vulnerable people or confronting situations. 

Your skillful management of the curriculum redesign and the scaffolding of content to develop a solid understanding for students has allowed them to see the link between theory and practice and the way all the subjects interlink with each other  - your approach was inspired - as I said in the SW disciple meeting when you revealed the end results of all your hard work.

Having such a good understanding of Field Ed, your insights as a practitioner and your committment to learning and teaching have all combined to pay dividends, especially as the MSWQ course gathers momentum.

You should be proud of your achievements in the short time you have been in the APD role - thank you Mim.

Kind regards

Charlotte Smedley, Senior Lecturer Field Education

In addition, I have been able to contribute to the direction of the scholarship of teaching and learning in the School of Health & Society by sitting on the HAS T& L Committee, contributing to discussions regarding the strategic direction of our School, dual delivery of subjects, online learning, and the needs of work-integrated learning subjects. 

Thank you so much Mim for your ongoing contribution to the HAS Teaching and Learning Committee. Your enthusiastic and principled approach is a refreshing and invaluable opinion to the work of the Committee and your stewardship of the Master of Social Work is exceptional. I am particularly thrilled to be working with you to develop a teaching and learning innovation and evaluation strategy, a critical support structure that will motivate the development of high-quality classroom experiences in our School and beyond. Finally, your leadership of the Social Work podcast, both for research and teaching purposes, is an exemplar of the possibilities that can be realised with a love of teaching and learning.

Professor Jason Payne, Discipline Lead Criminology & Social Policy
Head Teaching & Learning, School of Health & Society, University of Wollongong

Since entering academia, I have contributed to the international scholarly space through publications in work-integrated learning and practice-based learning. In recognition of my expertise in work-integrated learning I was invited in 2018 to guest edit a Special Issue on Field Education in the journal Advances in Social Work & Welfare Education, and to contribute a chapter on collaboration in field education in a 2020 book entitled “Challenges, Opportunities, Innovations in Social Work Field Education”, a ground breaking text that discusses the current challenges inherent in providing work-integrated learning opportunities in the ever-changing tertiary education environment. I see my scholarship and leadership in practice-based learning and social work education as a vital component of my work at UOW and my academic career and as such is a core pillar of my teaching philosophy.