Who are these modules for?
The Work-based Learning modules are for social workers from all areas of practice and at all career levels who want to gain academic credit for developing their capability through work-based activities in either direct social work practice, practice education or management.
For example, as a social worker, you may want to deepen your learning gained in in-house training by doing a literature review of in relation to a topic covered in training, present your findings to your team and facilitate a discussion of implications. You then produce a literature review and discuss the implications in relation to team’s practice.
As a manager, you may want to identify an area of practice within your service or team to be improved and develop a small-scale research project to investigate current practice, followed by a literature review with a focus on good social work practice in relation to the topic. From this you will develop a proposal for a practice approach that is underpinned by theory, research, legislation, service users’ views and based on local need.
As a practice educator, in a workforce development role, you could develop an implementation plan for a practice development initiative based on theoretical and research literature and develop training plans and resources for the training of social workers, team managers, service users and others.
Goldsmiths offers applicants information sessions for these modules to help you decide, which module to apply for.
How will it support my development?
Your learning will focus on the enhancement of practice relevant to your role with a focus on professional leadership as defined by the PCF. You can follow your interests and extend your knowledge, skills and values. To support you with this you will be allocated a personal tutor with whom you agree individual learning outcomes and a personal reading list. An action plan will identify what you will do and what learning outcomes you should be able to achieve with this. You will be supported by a peer learning group. Overall you may gain up to 60 credits through any combination of these work-based modules.
What will I learn and how will I be assessed?
You will develop personal learning outcomes with your tutor that will focus on developing your knowledge, your critical thinking, your practice and your value base. You will produce an agreed learning plan (500 or 1000 words) (not graded), a portfolio (1,000-2,000 words or 2,000-4,000 words) (Pass/Fail) and an academic self-evaluation of learning and practice (2,000 words or 4,000 words) (Graded).
When will it run?
Work-based Learning Module 1 (15 credits) and Module 3 (30 credits) – Autumn Term: 25 October / 22 November and 13 December 2019.
Work-based Learning Module 2 (15 credits) and Module 4 (30 credits) – Spring Term: 24 January / 13 March / 30 April 2020