Abstract
This article considers if analysis of social work novice to expert stage models of professional development can infer threshold points for social care students when acquiring role identity and enactment. Initially the article landscapes social care education, it then illustrates how threshold concepts theory is useful to exploring placement based learning, provides an analysis of three stage models of professional development (Reynolds, 1942; Saari, 1981; 1989/2012; Holman and Freed, 1987) before suggested thresholds of learning, encountered during placement for Irish social care students. The article concludes by considering placement as a liminal space for professional identity formation, but also for the reconstitution of conceptual knowledge into practice knowledge.
References
Alexander, L. B. (1986). Book Review of Learning and Teaching in Social Work. Social Work, 31(3), 234 - 235.
Billett, S. (2011). Workplace Curriculum: practice and propositions. In F. G. Dochy, D. Gijbels, M. Segers., & P. Van den Bossche (Eds.),Theories of Learning for the Workplace: Building block for training and professional development programmes, pp. 17-36. London: Routledge.
Bloom, B.S., Engelhart, M.D., Furst, E.G., & Krathwohl, D.R . (1956). Toxonomy of Educational Objectives: Handbook I - Cognitive Domain. New York: David McKay.
Byrne, L. (2000). Practice Placement in Social Care Education. Unpublished MA Dissertation: Cork IT
Byrne-Lancaster, L. (2013). Social Care Threshold Concepts: Indicators derived from agreed Social Care definations. Paper presented at the Social Care Ireland Annual Conference 2013: Changes, Challenges, Opportunities, 20-21 March 2013. Limerick: Ireland.
Byrne-Lancaster, L. (2014). Learning to Practice: The Role of Practice Placement in social Care . In N. Howard, & D. Lyons (Eds.), Social care: Learning from Practice, pp. 222-230. Dublin: Gill and Mcmillian.
Clouder, L. (2005). Caring as A Threshold Concept: Transforming Students in Higher Education into Health (care) Professionals. Teaching in Higher Education, 10(4), 505-517.
Courtney, D. (2012). The Development of Social Care Education and Training in Ireland. Keynote speech given at the Social Care Ireland Annual Conference 2012, Taking Stock, 28-29 March 2012. Kilkenny: Ireland
Cove, M., McAdam, J., & McGonigal, J. (2008). Mentoring, Teaching and Professional Transformation. In R. Land, J. H. F. Meyer, & J. Smith (Eds.), Threshold Concepts within the Disciplines, pp. 197-211. Rotterdam: Sense Publishers.
Deal. K. H. (2000). The Usefulness of Developmental Stage Models for Clinincal Social Work Students; An Exploratory Study. The Clinical Supervisor, 19(1), 1-14.
Deal, K. H., & Clements, J. (2006). Supervising Students Developmentally: Evaluating A seminar for New Field Instructors. Journal of Social Work Education, 42(2), 291-305.
Doel, M., & Shardlow, S. (2012). Educating Professionals: Practice Learning in Health and Social Care. Farnham: Ashgate.
Doyle, J., & Lalor, K. (2013). The Social Care Practice Placement: A College Perspective. In K. Lalor, & P.Share (Eds.), Applied Social Care: An Introduction for Students in Ireland (3rd ed), pp. 151-166. Dublin: Gill and Macmillian.
Dreyfus, H. ,& Dreyfus, S. (1986). Mind over Machine: The Power of Human Intuition and Expertise in the Era of the Computer. New York: Free Press.
Eraut, M. (2000). Non-formal learning and tacit knowledge in professional work. British Journal of Educational Psychology, 70(1), 113-136 .
Health and Social Care Professions Council (CORU). (2012). Social Care Workers. Retrieved from, http://www.coru.ie/regulated-professionals/professions-to-be-regulated/social-care-worker/ [accessed Feburary 18 2012].
Health and Social Care Professions Council (CORU). (2012b). Criteria and Standards of Proficiency for Education and Training Programmes, Version 1. Dublin: CORU.
Higher Education and Training Awards Council (HETAC). (2010). Award Standards: Social Care. Dublin: HETAC.
Holman, S., & Freed, P. (1987). Learning Social Work Practice: A Taxonomy. The Clinical Supervisor, 5(1), 3-21.
Irish Association of Social Care Educators (IASCE). (2004). Practice Placement Manual (1st ed). Sligo: Big Fish Press / NDLR.
Irish Association of Social Care Educators (IASCE). (2006). Supervision Course.
http://staffweb.itsligo.ie/staff/pshare/IASCE/supervision_course.htm.
Irish Association of Social Care Educators (IASCE). (2012). Practice Placement Policy. www.iasce.ie.
Irish Association of Social Care Educators (IASCE). (2013). Practice Placement Manual. Sligo: Big Fish Press.
Joint Committee on Social Care Professionals. (2002 ). Final Report of Joint Committee on Social Care Professionals. Dublin : HSE .
Kinchin, I. M., Cabot, Y. B., & Hay, D. B. (2010). Visualising Expertise: Revealing the Nature of a Threshold Concept in the Development of an Authentic Pedagogy for Clinical Education. In J.H.F. Meyer, R. Land, & C. Baillie (Eds.), Threshold Concepts and Transformational Learning, 81-95. Rotterdam: Sense Publishers.
Lave, J., & Wagner, E. (1991). Situated Learning: Legitimate Peripheral Participation. New York: Cambridge University Press.
Löfmark, A., Morbeg, Å., Öhlund, L., & Ilicki, J. (2008). Supervising Mentors’ Lived Experience on Supervision in Teaching, Nursing and Social Care Education. A Participation-Orientated Phenomenological Study. Higher Education, 57(1), 107–123.
Meyer, J., & Land, R. (2008). Threshold Concepts and Troublesome Knowledge. In J.H.F. Meyer, & R. Land (Eds.), Threshold Concepts within the Disciplines, 19-32. Rotterdam: Sense Publishers.
Meyer, J.H.F.. & Land, R. (2006). Threshold concepts and troublesome knowledge: Issues of liminality. In J.H.F. Meyer, & R. Land (Eds.), Overcoming Barriers to Student Understanding: threshold concepts and troublesome knowledge, 19-32. Abingdon & New York: Routledge.
Perkins, D. (2006). Constructivism and troublesome knowledge. In J.H.F. Meyer, & R. Land (Eds.), Overcoming Barriers to Student Understanding: threshold concepts and troublesome knowledge, 33 - 44. Abingdon & New York: Routledge.
Piaget, J. (1952). The Origins of Intelligence in Children. (M. Cook, Trans). New York: International Universities Press.
Platt, S. (1992). The Process of Learning in Clinical Social Work Students, Unpublished PhD Dissertation. MA: Smith College of Social Work.
Prendergast, A. (2014). Alternative Social Care Practice Placement: A Reflection. Paper presented at the Social Care Ireland Conference 2014: Diversity in Practice, 1-3 April 2104, Cork: Ireland.
Reynolds, B, C. (1942/1985). Learning and Teaching in the Practice of Social Work. New York/Washington: Russell & Russell/NASW Press.
Saari, C. (1981). The Procress of Learning in Clinical Social Work: Unpublished manuscript . Chicago: Loyola University.
Saari, C. (1989). The Process of Learning in Clinical Social Work. Smith College Studies in Social Work, 60(1), 35-49.
Saari, C. (2012). The Process of Learning in Clinical Social Work. Smith College Studies in Social Work, 82(2-3), 230-243.
Share, P. (2009). Social Care and the Professional Development Project . In P. Share, & K. Lalor (Eds.), Applied Social Care: An Introduction for Students in Ireland (2nd ed), pp. 58-73. Dublin: Gill and Macmillian .
Taylor, M., & Share, P. (2012). Social Care Threshold Concepts. Poster presented at the 4th Biennial Threshold Concepts Conference and 6th NAIRTL Annual Conference, 27-29 June 2012, Trinity College Dublin, Ireland.
Trevithick, P. (2012). Social Work Skills a Practice Handbook, (3rd ed). Maidenhead: Open University Press.
Wayne, J., Raskin, M. and Bogo, M. (2010). Field Education as the Signiture Pedagogy of Social Work Education. Journal of Social Work Education, 46(3), 327-339.