Organization of Social Work Practice in Community Through the Aspect of Developing Learning to Learn Competence: Students’ Opinions
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Abstract
Contemporary university teaching/learning paradigm highlights the importance of learning to learn competence. Hence, the article analyses the organization of social work practice in community through the aspect of developing learning to learn competence. Research objectives include:
- establish the prerequisites of developing learning to learn competence during social work practice in community;
- reveal students’ opinions on the organization of social work practice in community through the aspect of developing learning to learn competence.
Quasi-experiment design has been chosen for the research, which focuses on one group evaluation before and after the field experiment. The research sample is 58 fourth-year Bachelor program for social work MRU students, who studied alternative optional study subject – social work practice in community. Questionnaire based survey was applied to carry out the research on the change of learning to learn competence self-assessment. Based on competence portfolio content analysis, the reasons of the change in learning to learn competence self-assessment were revealed.
The research showed that the development of learning to learn competence during social work practice in community is promoted by the application of the direct experience social worker preparation model, the main accent of which is student life experience or direct work experience, based on which competences and knowledge necessary for work in community could bedeveloped.
Future social workers’ learning to learn competence development is mostly influenced by purposefully selected practice tasks, which are focused on learning through active participation, seeking to take into account the foreseen study results and real community needs. Tasks focused on learning through active participation and community problem solving give the basis for the development of student learn to learn competence.
Possibility to constantly reflect personal activity is important in seeking effective organization of social work practice in community and the development of learning to learn competences necessary for this work.
- establish the prerequisites of developing learning to learn competence during social work practice in community;
- reveal students’ opinions on the organization of social work practice in community through the aspect of developing learning to learn competence.
Quasi-experiment design has been chosen for the research, which focuses on one group evaluation before and after the field experiment. The research sample is 58 fourth-year Bachelor program for social work MRU students, who studied alternative optional study subject – social work practice in community. Questionnaire based survey was applied to carry out the research on the change of learning to learn competence self-assessment. Based on competence portfolio content analysis, the reasons of the change in learning to learn competence self-assessment were revealed.
The research showed that the development of learning to learn competence during social work practice in community is promoted by the application of the direct experience social worker preparation model, the main accent of which is student life experience or direct work experience, based on which competences and knowledge necessary for work in community could bedeveloped.
Future social workers’ learning to learn competence development is mostly influenced by purposefully selected practice tasks, which are focused on learning through active participation, seeking to take into account the foreseen study results and real community needs. Tasks focused on learning through active participation and community problem solving give the basis for the development of student learn to learn competence.
Possibility to constantly reflect personal activity is important in seeking effective organization of social work practice in community and the development of learning to learn competences necessary for this work.
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