The Placement Professional Competence Model: a model for assessing social work students on placement.

n developing this Placement Professional Competence Model the presenters have retrospectively considered and applied the work of Lave and Wenger (1991) and Wenger (1998) with a specific focus on situated learning and communities of practice as a theoretical frame. Drawing on this analysis to consider how these concepts can be applied to pre-qualifying social work students on placement in Northern Ireland. Lave and Wenger (1991) characterise situated learning as social and cultural processes which acknowledge the significance of relationships and interactions between “newcomers” and “oldtimers”. 

The Social Work Placement Professional Competence Model is a heuristic that is designed to be used within the social work placement setting. This Model draws on the author’s extensive experience as a practice teacher and academic, it is designed to be a conceptual shortcut, a heuristic to make sense of what constitutes good-enough practice for a social work student on placement. The model reflects elements of Wenger’s (1998) mutual engagement, that is, by learning together as practice teacher and social work student in professional supervision. The domain of joint enterprise is evident, in that, part of the role of the ‘oldtimer’ (practice teacher/ practice educator) is modelling professional socialisation and supporting the formation of a professional identity of the ‘newcomer’ (social work student). In essence this is a problem-solving model designed to help students and practice teachers to organise experiences of assessment, observations of practice and feedback loops.

This conceptual paper presents a new, inclusive model for practice teachers (practice educators) and social work students to use in professional supervision. The Social Work Placement Professional Competence (PPC) Model is presented as a supervisory tool to guide and frame professional discussions and critical analysis of student’s practice. The model can be used to critically reflect on the development of the students’ incremental learning, knowledge base, evidence of decision-making, assessment of need and ability to effectively manage risk. This interactive presentation will introduce the model and how it is applied in professional supervision with students on placement. The model has three distinct domains in the social work education placement context:

 
The ‘Can Do’ Domain

The ‘How To?’ Domain

The ‘Why Do?’ Domain


Ethical approval has been granted (research ethics committee) for a period of five years to test the Model by collecting data from volunteers within a range of audiences including conferences and workshops. Audience members will have the option of completing a short online survey after the presentation.

  
This paper is aligned to the main aim of embracing democracy in social work education and locating students as active participants in professional learning. The theme of connecting social work research and practice, including the co-creation of knowledge is addressed through interactive dialogue, engagement with audience and participation in online survey as part of five-year research project. The model is structured to challenge power dynamics, either perceived or real, in professional supervision, promoting open discussions and agreeing incremental indicators of competence on how the student is learning to become a professional social worker.