Tarsem Singh Cooner

Dialectical Constructivism: Reflections on Creating a Web‐mediated Enquiry‐based Learning Environment

This paper illustrates and evaluates the evolution in teaching and learning of a module that prepares first year MA social work students to work with members of Britains diverse communities. The development from a ‘traditional’ didactic to a constructivist approach based upon Moshmans theory of dialectical constructivism is examined through the implementation of web‐facilitated enquiry‐based teaching practices. It is argued that to prepare students to work in situations of diversity, a ‘knowledge banking’ approach is inadequate. Instead, teaching and learning processes that encourage students to engage in critically reflective practices, allowing them to question existing knowledge, beliefs and feelings, will equip them with the problem‐solving skills required to work in highly fluid situations. A detailed analysis of how web‐based technologies, integrated into an enquiry‐based teaching and learning approach, can develop these skills through knowledge construction is explored.

Child Protection Teaching: Students' Experiences of a Blended Learning Design

This paper explores lessons learnt whilst designing a three‐day blended learning approach in child protection processes for second‐year postgraduate social work students. This article describes the rationale and processes behind the development of a teaching and learning design that utilised web‐based activities with face‐to‐face teaching and role‐play sessions. The purpose underlying the design is to prepare students with the appropriate knowledge of legislation and policies as well as providing learning opportunities to gain the skills required to operate as critically reflective practitioners in the complex world of child protection. A social constructivist theoretical perspective governing the teaching design is outlined with the student evaluation of their learning experiences. This paper concludes that e‐learning is something that can complement traditional modes of learning rather than replace them.

Preparing for ICT enhanced practice learning opportunities in 2010—a speculative view

This paper presents a speculative view of the roles that a practice teacher, student and university may undertake during a practice learning opportunity in the year 2010, based upon predicted advances in information and communication technology (ICT). The article explores the likelihood of such a scenario becoming a reality by examining very briefly current developments in the area of wireless mobile devices and infrastructure. The paper presents an argument drawing on the author’s own experiences that passive acceptance or ignorance through apprehension of ICT developments should not prevent the examination and planning of how this medium may be utilised in the arena of social work in the future. This paper acts as a scenario‐planning device, presenting for discussion some of the issues that may need to be explored if ICT is to become positively integrated into the field of social work education.

Learning to Create Enquiry-based Blended Learning Designs: Resources to Develop Interdisciplinary Education

Interdisciplinary teaching and learning in social work education can improve service user outcomes by promoting collaborative working between professionals. Educators must ensure that students are given opportunities to gain the skills, knowledge and experiences required for collaborative working. Blended learning can overcome barriers of time and place to create spaces for interdisciplinary students to engage in interactive and collaborative learning experiences. Little has been written in social work education outlining how educators can gain the competences required to develop blended learning designs. This paper provides access to a set of resources aimed at guiding educators through the complex processes of creating interdisciplinary enquiry-based blended learning (EBBL) designs. The context, ethos and rationale for the development of these resources are outlined along with an evaluation that suggests they were successful in guiding an interdisciplinary group of educators through the complex processes of creating interdisciplinary EBBL designs.

International Collaborative Learning Using Social Media to Learn about Social Work Ethics and Social Media

Abstract The widespread adoption of social media (SM) has created new ethical challenges for social workers in understanding the use of SM and professional practice. This paper describes a project where social work students participated in international collaborative blended learning using closed Facebook groups to explore ethical issues related to professional practice and SM. The learning design incorporated the use of an innovative smart phone app, an online video case scenario, and asynchronous collaborative learning. The results of students’ evaluations, lessons learned and recommendations about the learning design are included in the discussion.

Creating a Mobile App to Teach Ethical Social Media Practices

Social media has transformed the way individuals and communities interact. The number of mobile devices connected to social media networks has increased exponentially over the last few years. These devices tend never to leave the sides of their owners and offer potentially limitless flexible opportunities for communication and learning. This article initially outlines how an individual social work academic created a mobile phone and tablet app to help students explore the ethical uses of social media in social work. The aim was to encourage discussion around the theoretical and technical challenges posed when seeking to ensure an educational mobile app was grounded in social work as opposed to Information and Communication Technology principles of learning. Students’ experiences of using the app in Australia, Canada and the UK are analysed. The evaluation suggests that the scenario-based principles underpinning the design and engaging in learning on the mobile platform had both positive and negative impacts on student learning. The article details the lessons learned from these processes.